《We Can Go Back》


 Outsider 1

    Lilah listened to tonight''s argument with a numbness that had taken twenty-one years to perfect. The fights were a recent, unwelcome change, but they were better than the looming death that had plagued their house for years.


    It was hard listening to her mother''s coughs because that served as a reminder that the stress of the argument probably wasn''t helping.


    Standing in the hall, Lilah watched the crack of the door, debating going in. She wasn''t sure what she could say or how to intervene. Fate made that choice for her when the door slid open, and her younger brother''s tall frame lumbered out then ran.


    "Gus?" her mother called, too weak to manage more beyond a whisper. The trembling hand on the doorframe pulled away in time. "Can you find him?"


    "No. Let him stew for a little bit," Lilah''s father said. "And you''re getting worse. So come lie down. I want to get you some more food. You can''t stand to lose much more weight."


    Rarely called upon, but always eager to be useful, Lilah risked going to the door. When she peered through, the sight of her parents gave her pause.


    Her father''s blue hair came from a troubled youth¡ªhe couldn''t change it. The slender, near dead figure in his arms looked like a stranger. It wasn''t often Lilah saw them together.


    The stark contrast just made it worse¡ªher father''s strong, brawny figure, clinging to the delicate body of his dying wife.


    "I..." Lilah said, disturbing their calm, "I can make some food."


    An audible gasp preceded the hood of the robe going up to cover her mother''s stringy, black hair and gaunt face¡ªas if that would block out the sight of the woman''s illness.


    "I told you to announce yourself a little sooner," her father scolded.


    Lilah struggled to respond but could only repeat herself. "I can make something."


    "No. No thank you," her mother wheezed. Those words left her winded. "Please find Gus-Gus. He took the news rather hard."


    "Attention: new arrivals from stasis," DAWN announced.


    The computer didn''t often seem imposing. Today, it took all life out of the room.


    "Another one?" the frail woman asked her husband. "Aren''t they a little frequent?"


    Lilah''s father kissed the top of the robe and answered, "Don''t you think about that, Lee. It''ll get you worked up. Come let me feed you."


    "And Gus-Gus?"


    At her father''s sigh, Lilah spoke up finally. "I''ll...I''ll get him. He can''t be far."


    "Don''t you have work?" her father asked.


    She did, but with her mother''s condition getting worse each day, she feared going into work only to be called back to a deathbed. No. She wanted to stay home...needed to.


    "Go to work after you find Gus. Do you understand?" her father said.


    It wasn''t like him to be this gruff. He was scared. Lilah wondered if he even noticed how he''d been pushing her and Gus further away to hide that fear of loss.


    That might mean things were on the edge. She couldn''t leave. She refused to¡ªnot with so many things unsaid and so many questions unanswered. A million utterances of I''m sorry needed to come and go. Many of those she''d give, but a few she expected in return. She couldn''t leave. Not even for her job.


    "I''ll...I''ll find Gus," Lilah said again.


    "And then work?"


    Without answering, she bowed her head and walked past him. Gus was a bigger worry. He was taking this all the hardest.


    The badge on Lilah''s shoulder flashed, and she turned it toward her.


    "Shit," she whispered. "Not now." Instead of answering the work request, she walked down the hallway faster and eventually broke into a run.


    The computer sounded, "Attention enforcer. Your team needs you."


    Maybe, but not as much as her family.


    "New arrivals from stasis complete. Please check the roster for possible relatives."


    Lilah hurried down the hall, more than happy to get away from the medical smell of her home. The door at the end led to nowhere. Literally. Years ago, her father started building another room, intent on another child, but then the illness got worse and...he never finished.


    So here was this door, leading nowhere. He''d even finished the fire escape for it¡ªa ladder that led to the ground¡ªtwo stories down.


    She took hold and climbed up instead. Sure enough, her twenty-year-old brother sat on the roof.


    In the distance the energy tear in the sky began to mend as the last of the returnees came into the city from stasis.


    Stasis, hundreds of thousands of souls locked in a perpetual limbo in another dimension. Stasis was hard to enter, impossible now for anyone to create, but meticulously extracting people one by one was within their reach. Year after year, more and more people returned from it, having never aged, and experiencing none of the hardships necessary to create their new city, the Fan.


    "They shouldn''t be here," Gus muttered. "How''s it fair they can come back and get cured and...?"This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Lilah wasn''t sure what to say, so she sat down and asked, "How''s work?"


    He cut her a glance.


    "Attention: possible blood match from a returnee. Permission to reroute," DAWN announced from the badge on Lilah''s left shoulder.


    Gus looked out at the tear again and the hover crafts floating around it to make sure the portal closed.


    "What''s that about?"


    "Don''t know," Lilah said. "A distant relative''s come outta stasis it seems. Dad must not be taking calls if it''s come to me."


    Before she could touch her shoulder, Gus boxed her hand aside. "Leave it. Let whoever it is rot for all I care. How come we can''t get stasis? It''d stave off the sickness till they can find a cure. You''re high up. Can''t you ask someone?"


    Lilah wasn''t all that high up, actually, but her little brother always thought so. She was nobody. Just a grunt trying to make a name for herself¡ªleast she had been trying until this.


    A tear slid down Gus''s cheek. She tried to pull him close, but he resisted.


    "They''re gonna cut my hair," Gus said. "And Dad even agreed. He didn''t say anything against it. He''s an Elemental of old. He knows what that means."


    Lilah knew what it meant, too. To limit his hair was to limit his abilities. Her own hair had been cut at birth. As an Elemental''s hair held most of their power, even cutting it once would have consequences. Her father had been careful to cut only a little. Over the years, she''d kept on with the cuts.


    But Gus, born two years later, months before chaos came and mass stasis with it, wasn''t as fortunate. Their father had said at the time he was more concerned with staying alive. Deep down, Lilah thought the man should have found a way. And deep down, Lilah thought her father allowed Gus''s hair to grow because he was a boy. Girl Elementals had more power, and as her father grew to manhood with his hair¡ªhis power still intact, no doubt he had wanted the same for his son.


    Now it was impossible to cut it.


    "He''s fashioned the blade, he says," Gus muttered. "Without even telling me or asking."


    "Nothing can cut it," Lilah assured him. "When they try and fail, they''ll stop."


    "You don''t get it." Gus glanced at her. "A knife made from a parent''s power can definitely cut it."


    Lilah didn''t have an answer. That was why he was so upset. Bad enough to be losing his mother, watching her slip away daily, now to lose his power as well.


    The badge on her arm flashed, but she ignored it. She struggled for something to say.


    Gus didn''t mask his bitterness. "There''s a threshold, he said. I''ve reached mine. Now instead of getting stronger, the energy I collect will start to poison me. That''s what he said. But I feel fine."


    The door below busted open if the bang was any indication. Sure enough, their father leapt onto a hover bike and sped away, heading for the tear like a bat out of hell.


    Gus grumbled, "How could he just leave?"


    Whoever''d come out of stasis must have meant a lot. That meant the house was empty...almost empty. Lilah could go down and maybe have that heart-to-heart. She could go and see about spending a few minutes in the presence of someone she''d somehow forgotten¡ªwho''d maybe forgotten her.


    "They''re going to cull it into a child," Gus said. "I don''t want a fucking kid."


    Lilah''s eyes widened. "What?"


    He didn''t repeat it¡ªthat meant he was serious.


    "Can we do that?" Lilah asked. She''d seen a few reports here and there, but nothing she read with intent.


    "Our energy is life. Cut it away it dies, but not if we harness it. It''d make a seedling, they said. But if I wanted to make it human, I could...and it was best to make a baby. Otherwise, I could never get rid of it. Send it out into battle and it dies, it''d come right back to me and I''d have to cull it again. And it''ll just...be there, like a puppet. So those are my options. Don''t cut it and potentially poison myself by drowning in power. Cut it and keep it unaware like a very real shadow, or make it into a kid and...and what? Give it away?"


    Lilah tried to make peace with the imagery. That wasn''t going to happen. Their father would never allow Gus to just hand it over to someone and never look back. And did that dying thing always happen? Even with the kid?


    "It''s not fair. I wanna finish school. I wanna get a nicer job. This isn''t what I wanted. Being syphoned of my power then responsible for another life wasn''t on my list."


    "Why can''t you give it away?" Lilah asked. "If you do it without Dad knowing...."


    Gus focused on her. "You assume I even want to cut my hair at all."


    "No. I know you don''t."


    Lilah''s own reached mid-back, a direct contrast to the shock of black curls of her brother. He tied it up with a braid usually.


    "I know you don''t," Lilah repeated. She yearned to go down into the house before she missed her chance. It had been ages since she and her mother last spoke alone.


    Gus caught her arm before she stood.


    "Don''t," he said, "stress only makes the illness worse."


    That was true. Still, Lilah thought to try. Those prospects faded when the shaky hovercraft came to a halt at the house. Father had returned.


    He''d keep his watchful eye as always. Today, she decided that was okay. Her readied questions were personal, but she''d better ask them before it was too late.


    "Do you ever wonder about it? About our dwindling numbers?" Gus muttered, "Is it wrong for me to refuse to do this? Is it selfish?"


    Considering that they both were the last two natural born Elementals in all the Fan, the thought of the shrinking Elemental population had come and gone over the years.


    "We outlive humans. If we do have the power to create life at will¡ªeven from our hair, I don''t think it''s perverse, no. And I don''t think it''s selfish to choose not to, either."


    For a long minute, he watched his boots. A tear landed on the black leather. "She''s not getting better. So where''s that nonsense about outliving most of the Fan? It''s like we lost her ten years ago and she''s never come back. And I''ve been waiting¡ªyou''ve been waiting, Lile, but she''s not coming back to us. She''s this shell." He picked his head up and met her gaze. "And we''re turning into shells along with her. Even Dad."


    Tears stung Lilah''s eyes and that wasn''t acceptable. She couldn''t shed even one in their presence. That would mean she''d given up. And she refused to admit defeat.


    "Even you," Gus told her.


    Lilah flinched.


    It was rare he''d stare at her head on but his gaze held a challenge. "You can''t even cry."


    Though the words stung, Lilah kept her composure. It wasn''t that she couldn''t cry. She only feared that if she did give in, she''d never stop. And what good would any of that do? Somewhere along the way in the last ten years, she''d convinced herself that her crying would mean it was all hopeless. So she internalized it¡ªkept it all to herself: fears, anger, regrets¡ªwaiting for the reset, the moment when she was allowed to let them go.


    Her mother needed the attention, the comfort. Not Lilah. Lilah wasn''t the one dying.


    "Come on, we shouldn''t stay here. You never know...." Lilah regretted her words because her brother could barely stand.


    The blinking badge made her want to rip it off and throw it over the edge.


    She squeezed it to hear what was so important.


    "Male running on all fours, no mutation visible, possible Newbreed. Use non-lethal force. Do not get close and stay to the streets. If he gets high up, he''s long gone."


    "A Newbreed?" Gus asked.


    Imps.


    And not even the problematic imps themselves but their kids, who were apparently trying to make a record.


    "Your boyfriend, again?"


    Lilah wasn''t sure. "Fianc¨¦. And no. Running on all fours isn''t his style. He''s got a bike." She sighed. "I''ll get the briefing later. Come on. Let''s go down."


    Dinner was tense and lonely¡ªjust the three of them, Gus crying through most of it. That wasn''t so far from a typical night. Today, Dad wasn''t doing his manly crying, too. He seemed composed, almost numb. He didn''t even comment on her not being at work. He wore a peaceful expression, the sort that said he''d come to some sort of decision about life¡ªand his family.


    Whatever it was, that was fine. Lilah had made her own. Say what she needed to say and say it all tonight.


    She waited until Gus disappeared into his bedroom before she went about seeking an audience.


    The room door was opened, which was unexpected.


    "Lee, it''s gotten worse, hasn''t it?" her father knelt by the bed whispering. "I can''t stand to see you like this. I''ll see you on the other side."


    Lilah wasn''t sure what he meant. She stepped into the doorway in time to see her father bring the knife down.

 Always 2

    ¡°Attention: possible gang moving at top speed through the western district toward the northern gate,¡± DAWN announced.


    Escott eyed his father. The man seemed intent on taking this new job seriously. Heading the law enforcers meant a desk job for life.


    That was surprising.


    Despite the reports blasting through his father¡¯s shoulder badge, the man continued to address the small crowd of new recruits. And while Escott glanced in the man¡¯s direction, those blue eyes studied him in kind.


    The dark confines of the sublevel garage hadn¡¯t bothered Escott in the beginning. At first it looked cool to be ushered down there quietly with the others. Now...now he felt foolish.


    ¡°Any questions about how these vehicles work?¡± his father asked.


    Escott was tempted to raise his hand, but he resisted the urge.


    The man waited and when he was convinced by the silence, he said, ¡°A Newbreed crew is a dangerous experiment. Made all the more scary by the fact that your imp fathers would come down here and literally eat each and every law officer if anything happened to you bunch of bastards.¡±


    His second in command, a slender blonde, leaned in to whisper, ¡°Sir, you can¡¯t call them bastards.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯ll their dads care?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not their fathers I¡¯m worried about. It¡¯s the aristocrat mothers who are prone to get litigious.¡±


    ¡°Streets cleared in the northwest. Suspects seem intent on scaling the wall,¡± the computer said.


    The second in command glanced at the badge. She, too, wore one, but it didn¡¯t sound. ¡°Maybe you should turn that off.¡±


    Escott¡¯s father ignored that suggestion. He told the crowd, ¡°Now, a lot of you would rather be here than farming in the fields and I get that, but this isn¡¯t really a job I want for kids.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m nineteen,¡± Escott muttered. Not saying more took effort.


    The man waited before continuing. ¡°Due to the manmade efforts used to create your fathers and by extension you, you lot grow fast, but maturity isn¡¯t the same as numbers and I need you to understand that you won¡¯t be seeing all the good in the world. You¡¯ll be seeing scum.¡±


    Escott waited, wondering if all this nonsense was going somewhere. There must have been a reason they were assembled well after hours, in the dead of night, in secret.


    And then it came, his father unhooked a hand-held radio from his hip and fiddled with the dials, adjusting the frequency. Before it sounded, he turned to the recruits and said, ¡°Let me remind you lot what you¡¯re going up against.¡± He pressed a button with his thumb.


    ¡°Good people of the Fan,¡± a woman¡¯s voice chimed. Karen Blackwell.


    Nobody moved but even Escott unintentionally tensed.


    ¡°I have it on good authority, the enforcers are planning something underhanded. The imbeciles, lacking proper new enforcers, are attempting to enlist Newbreeds. Actual Newbreeds. For those of you freshly returned from stasis, I¡¯m sorry to inform you of the changes to the world while you were trapped in that void. But Newbreeds, half imp, half human abominations may look more like us, but they are in essence, animals, just like their imp fathers¡ª¡±


    The chief, Escott¡¯s father, twisted a knob on the device which quieted, sucking all sound from around them. Nobody moved.


    ¡°We all know Karen Blackwell,¡± he said, scanning them to make sure he¡¯d made his point. ¡°And she¡¯s ratcheting up this hate campaign against you, armed with one little radio show. It¡¯s not against me, a Yule, or the Elementals, and not even the imps themselves, but you lot. The Newbreeds¡ªthe proof that despite appearances, imps are still in essence human, too. Something nobody wants to be reminded of. So we¡¯re gonna go slow. And we¡¯re not making any mistakes. All right?¡±


    A loud engine cut through the air, echoing against the walls of the garage. Escott knew that scent anywhere.


    ¡°Lilah¡¯s here,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Knew she¡¯d come.¡±


    The bike came to a stop and Lilah hopped off. Helmet in hand, she took her rightful spot as the third in command¡ªalso a new promotion.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± the second whispered. ¡°What with your family and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Thank you.¡±


    Her badge sounded along with Escott¡¯s father¡¯s.


    Escott held out as long as he could. ¡°How come we¡¯re not going after those guys? Huh? Aren¡¯t they heading for the northern gate? And,¡± he mimicked his father, ¡°¡®by extension¡¯ the Guardians?¡± His voice returned to normal. ¡°Hiding away in some garage from a hypocrite madwoman with a soapbox is dumb. Screw Karen Blackwell. We can outrun anyone. You wanna show us in a good light, then let us show that good light. Everything imp related should be our territory. What¡¯s the point of recruiting Newbreeds if the farthest we get is a damn garage?¡±


    ¡°Language,¡± his father reminded him.


    Smiling hard, Escott muttered back, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Does have a point, though,¡± one of the weaker recruits added. ¡°I¡¯m mean with a scythe if that¡¯s the worry. And most of us are used to catching full blown imps that sneak up from the underground. Why aren¡¯t we out there helping to catch this gang? At this rate, they¡¯ll hit the northern gate in about ten minutes. In which time, one of our Guardian imps will awaken and swallow one if not more of said gang members whole.¡±


    He fell silent so suddenly that everyone shared a glance.


    Escott¡¯s father cleared his throat. ¡°We¡¯re staying put. You ain¡¯t even official cadets yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sakes, old man,¡± Escott said. ¡°What¡¯s the fucking point? Two weeks. Two damn weeks I go without cussing around you, playing nice, and what the fuck did that give me? Are we getting out there to see some action or are you going to pat our heads and send us home? ¡®Cause I¡¯ll tell ya, going up against someone about to eviscerate me and eat my entrails beats this handholding stroll on the promenade.¡±


    ¡°Try it,¡± his father warned. ¡°Say fuck one more fucking time and see how fast you¡¯re back shoveling shit at dawn.¡±


    Lilah stepped in before they could go head-to-head. ¡°Sir, Escott¡¯s...gruff way of saying it be forgiven, he does have a point. Newbreed farmers have by far the most dangerous job. They¡¯re our first line of defense if anything sneaks in. I¡¯m...not sure that the cautionary procedures are necessary. If one of our Guardians awakens, it¡¯ll be hell getting him back to sleep again until he¡¯s done feeding. Meaning we are likely to lose nearly all¡ªif not all¡ªsuspects.¡±


    Good ole Lilah, always coming to the rescue.


    Escott tried to meet her gaze but with little success.


    ¡°Permission to take them along just to observe,¡± Lilah asked.


    She received a sigh, and Escott knew that sound all too well; his old man was going to say no.


    Lilah offered, ¡°And of course, sir, you should come along. You know, as a last mission before your retirement from active duty. They could learn a lot from you.¡±


    The gears in Escott¡¯s father¡¯s head turned for a short moment until he said, ¡°I suppose looking won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Groaning, the second in command said, ¡°Sir, I really don¡¯t recommend this.¡±


    ¡°Five more minutes before those idiot gang members find out the hard way that we¡¯re surrounded by these Guardians for a reason,¡± the weakly cadet warned.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Fine. Suit up.¡± Escott¡¯s father rushed to the oldest bike in the row. ¡°Essy, you¡¯re with me.¡±


    Escott cringed. ¡°No way. I¡¯ll go with Lilah.¡±


    But before he could approach, she mounted her own bike and put the helmet on.


    ¡°Sorry, Es. I just...I just can¡¯t right now. Ride with your dad and try to make it there in one piece.¡± Lilah revved the bike and told her bosses, ¡°I¡¯ll take a shortcut underground and beat traffic.¡±


    She met up on instant opposition. ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea. At least let Essy ride with you if you¡¯re taking that much of a risk.¡±


    But Lilah sped off, turned the bike sharp and barreled out of the open door.


    Most of the Newbreed recruits got as far as the cars before they had to stop. They weren¡¯t used to traveling unless on foot. Escott thought to help whoever he could, but his father¡¯s smug smile discouraged him.


    Escott wasn¡¯t having it. He raced to his father¡¯s bike and gave it a slap as he hurried by. The machine followed. It gave off a click, click, boom before it powered up. Escott jumped on.


    ¡°Essy! Es,¡± his father called. ¡°This is no time to be an asshole.¡±


    Escott yelled back, ¡°Learned from the best. Try not to die getting there, you old fuck.¡±


    A bus zipped by, nearly clipping Escott in the process.


    He steadied himself and joined traffic. Their city, The Fan, grew almost daily thanks to the people returning from stasis. Bright lights stretched out before him, but that was nothing new in a city with zero visible sunlight beyond the farm.


    The Fan lay in perpetual darkness, the way everybody liked it.


    Few jobs for returnees meant gangs were on the rise. Escott, who knew this place from top to bottom, found it comfortable rather than scary. Still, to be chasing someone down¡ªthe blood certainly started pumping.


    In the last nineteen years, the Fan, once no more than a few random buildings scattered in a desert, flourished into something amazing. Though Escott ran wild in the city during his childhood, that all came to a stop when they figured out how to bring people out of stasis. He told himself not to resent those coming back from the portal but he did. Three races settled the Fan, human Yules, Elementals, and imps. Newbreeds weren¡¯t planned.


    Back then, they all had to band together to fight off starvation and death, then literal hostile slavers. Now, as safe as the Fan had become, the balance between those races was...delicate. All thanks to those damn returnees. Oh, and Karen Blackwell wasn¡¯t helping.


    This enforcer job had to work. Escott was tired of seeing ungrateful bastards come back from stasis, staring at him and his kind as if they were the ones out of place and time.


    At this speed, the northern gate closed in, and the giant imps along with it. The Guardians. Today he wondered just how many of them surrounded the entire city, fast asleep, using their bodies to fuel the forcefield that kept everyone safe.


    Such a sacrifice. To see this piece of shit gang, anyone for that matter, disturb them was unforgivable.


    He¡¯d reach the northern gate long before the others.


    The vid screen on the bike came to life. ¡°Return to base right now and give me back my bike.¡±


    Without answering, Escott put his hand over his father¡¯s image and gained speed. ¡°Not now, fogy. I left mine at home and I¡¯ve got something to prove.¡±


    Lilah shot out of an alleyway, barely missing him. This behavior was unlike her. She always played it safe¡ªand not just in her job.


    The tight row of thirty-foot, green bodies closed in. One wrong move and instead of protecting them, those Guardians could easily devour a nearby district. Keeping them asleep was a must.


    And then Escott saw the idiots. Four men, piled into the back of a small open car, struggled to keep a box from falling. And they were headed right for the Guardians. Idiots.


    A large body landed before Lilah and she turned sharp. Her bike dragged her a good distance, and Escott slowed. He yearned to check on her, to take that helmet off and see if she was okay.


    But he couldn¡¯t because that body that startled her moved like an imp but was pale. It was a Newbreed. He couldn¡¯t imagine a Newbreed alive who would join a gang. He hoped to see the asshole¡¯s face, so he¡¯d know who to punch in the field tomorrow.


    A hiss closed in, and Escott came to a stop and turned to punch without mercy. He connected.


    The Newbreed dropped. Whoever it was had muscle, but that was about it. Escott was slow to dismount. He didn¡¯t want to startle the bastard. A Newbreed himself, he knew what to look out for. They were easily agitated when adrenaline came into the mix.


    But this was it. He couldn¡¯t get any luckier. A high-speed chase in his first month on the job¡ªand fighting a weak opponent no less. He glanced up to make sure a few cameras hovered close. His father was watching.


    This was it.


    He grabbed the Newbreed by the back of the cheap leather jacket and hoisted him up.


    Why¡¯d he have to do that?


    ¡°Lander...?¡±


    The face to greet him was one he knew well. ¡°Let us down, Essy, will ya?¡±


    But putting him down wasn¡¯t really an option.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing, idiot?¡±


    Lander¡¯s pale skin darkened. At least he had the grace to blush.


    ¡°Let us down, nuh?¡±


    Escott dropped him in a manner he hoped his bosses would view as forceful.


    Even in Escott¡¯s wildest dreams, he never imagined he would arrest someone he knew.


    Lander.... He hadn¡¯t counted on Lander and he would have charged at him but, how could he? The green tint of his skin meant he hadn¡¯t eaten properly in weeks. Those large earrings in the arch of his ears made them flop over. Not to mention the other metal piercings that littered his face. Just looking at them made Escott wince. The guy was in a bad way.


    But this was Escott¡¯s job.


    Thoughts settled on Lilah. Two other roofless cars zipped past, still heading for the gate. Between all three of them, Escott wasn¡¯t sure what he should do. Standing around talking wasn¡¯t really an option.


    ¡°Just let me go,¡± Lander whispered. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Escott¡¯s heart raced, but it was no longer for the thrill of the ride.


    Boom.


    Lilah rammed Lander hard, picking him up off the ground. When she threw him down, her fist glowed blue and Escott cringed.


    Crack. Pop. He could only imagine how many broken ribs his friend would have to contend with in the morning. Lander easily doubled Lilah in size. She jumped on his torso, though, punching him in the chest without mercy.


    Enforcer tanks wailed down the street. The others had arrived, finally.


    Escott should have run to catch up on the remaining boneheads heading for that gate, but he feared Lilah might actually kill the bastard.


    ¡°Stop,¡± a familiar voice said. Escott¡¯s father exited the metal framed car and rushed to help Lander up. ¡°Stop. You can¡¯t pound on a Newbreed with green skin. It¡¯s cruel.¡±


    Whatever power trip Lilah was on, she wasn¡¯t letting it go any time soon. A swipe of her hand along her pant leg produced a thin plastic film which she wrapped around Lander¡¯s neck. A moment later she affixed both hands to it, leaving the injured Newbreed on the ground, neck constricted, hands bound to the collar.


    And then she jumped up and picked up her bike. She was gone before Escott even blinked.


    There weren¡¯t many things fatherly about Escott¡¯s dad. It wasn¡¯t really fair to say that. He tried hard, but he just wasn¡¯t good at it, as far as Escott was concerned.


    Today was the first time the man earned that title of father. He looked Escott in the eye as he sat down beside Lander.


    ¡°Go ahead and go. We¡¯re already out here and people are patching into the feed. Jan and I¡¯ll look about Lander.¡±


    Sure enough, his second in command, Jan, dismounted the car and ran to help Lander up. She was tender when she said, ¡°Oh geez, Lanny, your father¡¯s gonna raise hell. Come on.¡±


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t pick him up like that,¡± Escott¡¯s father said. ¡°Let him stand. We¡¯ll get him off the street before the news broadcasts get at him.¡±


    Escott felt at ease watching them. There were many Newbreeds who abused their physical advantages to an almost criminal level; Lander was different.


    Rushing to his own bike, Escott gave a speedy, ¡°Fucking took you long enough, you old bastard,¡± as he mounted the thing and took off.


    He wasn¡¯t sure where to go until he saw the explosions.


    Enforcers weren¡¯t supposed to use weapons on gangs. Escott had read that in the manuals. With returnee numbers so shaky, it was forbidden.


    It wasn¡¯t a cannon, though. As Escott closed in, dread filled him. It was Lilah and she fired several balls of fire from her fist. One struck, tipping the car upside down, and everyone in it.


    The manual said to stop and check and apprehend, but she zipped past them, heading for the other two.


    Newbreed recruits slowed at the wreckage, all equally as confused as Escott. They looked to him for guidance even though he was also at a loss. That was common, though. As Escott was the oldest¡ªthe first Newbreed of their community¡ªothers often turned to him for help.


    ¡°Bag ¡®em,¡± he said. ¡°Use the same restraints as you would for Newbreeds since we don¡¯t know if any of ¡®em are Elementals. And whatever you do, don¡¯t spit on them.¡±


    By the time Escott reached the rest of the would-be suspects, a firefight broke out¡ªright in front of one of the Guardian imps.


    It was that moment Escott knew something was wrong with Lilah and it was big.


    Cables fell from the sky and he looked up as regular enforcers zipped down and held up their transparent shields.


    ¡°Warning: you are standing close to our border. Should you touch an imp of this size, we cannot help you. Please fall back,¡± someone said over loudspeaker.


    Through all the chaos, a small crowd gathered, whispering. Escott considered them idiot onlookers but something else caught his eye. Two of the men from the crowd focused on a large container in the street. One, head covered by the hood of a robe, seemed intent on making a dash for it.


    ¡°Has everyone lost their fucking minds?¡± Escott grumbled. That box was huge and made of wood, too. How far did they expect to get with it in this madness?


    Escott jumped in front of them before one of them, a bald dark-skinned man, could make the biggest mistake of his life.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fuck yourself,¡± Escott warned. ¡°Get back on the sidewalk.¡±


    The man¡¯s blue eyes stood prominent in contrast to his dark features. He seemed determined to try, but Escott showed his teeth.


    ¡°Move the fuck back, meat sack. You must be new here.¡± Escott calmed once the sirens faded and the firing stopped.


    His father walked through the crowd, yelling orders. One of them he repeated again and again, ¡°Newbreeds, get that imp back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Actually, as my father¡¯s a sentry, too, I think it¡¯s best that I handle it,¡± the weakly Newbreed attested and walked away. It didn¡¯t take him long to break into a run.


    Sure enough, five minutes later, one of the imp Guardians, who appeared restless, calmed. Escott kept his eyes on that Newbreed, curious about a few things. One thing was how the guy touched the imp and that was enough to soothe him. The other was...how the hell did his mother get pregnant by a thirty-foot imp.


    A shudder tore through him, but his blood ran cold as he focused on Lilah, flanked by four enforcers, taking the verbal beating of a lifetime.


    When his eyes settled on Lander, he felt even sorrier for himself.


    Escott raked his fingers through his hair. ¡°First day on the job, Essy. Way to choke.¡±


    The wooden box was a bigger problem, though. Several enforcers flanked it and pried it open with metal. What they discovered sent the badge buzzing with chatter.


    Uncertain he heard right, Escott went to see for himself. Two pale eyes stared back at him, listless and still. It was a body, pale and white with no pigment. The gang had been transporting a woman.

 Moments 3

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    Lilah let out a sigh as she flopped down in the break room. Across from her, a Karen Blackwell poster hung, reading, ¡°Where do we draw the line?¡±


    After staring at it for some time, Lilah sighed. Someone had put it there, a fellow enforcer. It was their right, but it was a shit thing to do.


    Escott joined her shortly after. At least he didn¡¯t see the poster. ¡°Hey. I heard what happened. Your dad¡¯s...he¡¯s gonna come back. I know it. He¡¯s too noble not to. And people¡¯ll understand him having a moment of weakness and needing to get away at his wife¡¯s passing.¡±


    Several colleagues took interest in them and Lilah cringed. This wasn¡¯t the time to have this conversation. Granted, she hadn¡¯t given Escott any time this entire week.


    People¡¯d understand. Sure. Of course, they would once the truth came to light. Wasn¡¯t that what spouses did? Killed each other rather than suffer? And then take off and disappear into the night? They¡¯d understand. That way she wouldn¡¯t have to lose both parents.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably distraught. Dad didn¡¯t even issue a missing¡¯s person summons yet. Not likely that he will. And he held on to her as long as he could. It¡¯s gotta be rough for him to have her slip through his fingers.¡±


    Lilah couldn¡¯t take another word of comfort. She cut him off, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve got a funeral to prepare, Essy. Give us a minute, will ya?¡±


    He fell silent. That wasn¡¯t fair. This was what fianc¨¦s did: they provided an ear and maybe a few soft words, but she couldn¡¯t endure it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push me away,¡± he begged. ¡°I can barely stand it.¡± When she wouldn¡¯t meet his gaze, he leaned in, trying to see her. ¡°Hey. Hey. Come on.¡±


    It took everything in her to summon up enough courage to witness his pity.


    Escott still looked as dashing now as he always had. He wasn¡¯t as musclebound as other Newbreeds, but he was tall with good definition. That didn¡¯t compare to his blue eyes against that freckled skin. That made him standout, because while Newbreeds came in all racial shades, Escott was pale with black hair like his father. Not green-skinned, no visible scales or sharp teeth. If no one knew him, he would even pass for a Yule¡ªa normal human with no power.


    He reached over to take her hand in his, as was his habit, but she pulled away.


    ¡°Give us a minute, Essy,¡± she pleaded again. ¡°Give us a minute. I¡¯ve got a lot on my mind and I have to write a report before Dad comes back for the funeral. All right?¡±


    Everyone was sure her father would come back; he would turn himself in. Nobody talked about what he did. Someone must have known. There was a knife wound, and yet, when she saw the cause of death, it was ruled: pending.


    Pending. It was a knife. When he came to the funeral, they¡¯d no doubt arrest him then.


    It was customary for family to dress the body before burial but as Gus-Gus had shut himself up crying for days, and Lilah herself had no idea what was best, she decided to wait for her father to come. Matters such as these were best left to him; he always knew what to do.


    But the day before the funeral, there was still no signs of him. Never mind the reprimands that earned Lilah jail duty. It was foolish to use her desk interface to make a personal call, but as her uncle worked in defenses, she hoped it would be forgiven.


    The man¡¯s image flickered on the screen. He scowled, equally as displeased. ¡°He hasn¡¯t come back? Nothing? You haven¡¯t heard from him?¡±


    Lilah shook her head. ¡°I figured you might have...you know, because....¡±


    ¡°Well, we twins don¡¯t have a tendency to drag each other into acts of euthanasia, if that¡¯s what you mean.¡±


    The admonishment left her speechless. He knew. How did he know?


    She glanced at the jail cells surrounding her and turned the volume down in an effort to keep some privacy.


    ¡°It¡¯s tomorrow. He¡¯ll come and I don¡¯t want to have the fallout on that specific day.¡± She tried to sound confident, but she wasn¡¯t sure anymore. ¡°And I don¡¯t understand.... Where could he be? Short of going outside the Veil, DAWN should have tracked him down by now.¡± Another thought occurred, but she hesitated sharing it. ¡°A returnee from our family came back the day...the day it happened. I haven¡¯t been able to track her down yet.¡±


    ¡°A returnee? A woman?¡± Uncle asked. He paused as realization dawned. ¡°Oh. So that¡¯s what it is.¡±


    Lilah waited, desperate for some answers.


    In time, the man shook his head. ¡°Lile¡¯l...we don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. But until then, I think you should let them issue the warrant and you should take some time off.¡±


    ¡°A warrant?¡± Lilah whispered, ¡°But he hasn¡¯t been charged. How¡ªUncle, how¡¯d you know?¡±


    ¡°What he did?¡± he scoffed. ¡°I know your father better than he knows himself. He was using his own life-force to keep her alive. The only way your mother was dying was if he¡¯d let her. Period.¡±


    Lilah lowered the volume yet again.


    But how could he...? Lilah blinked her tears back. No. He had a reason. He had no choice. He chose this without telling them...because he had no choice. And when he came tomorrow, he¡¯d explain it. He had no choice.


    ¡°Take some time off,¡± Uncle repeated.


    Those words felt like a dismissal. Lilah swallowed down her anger. A swirl of emotions rushed through her. When the dust settled, only one remained. She felt helpless.


    ¡°I have to dress the body.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll dress the body,¡± her uncle said. ¡°Your father would have wanted me to do it. I¡¯m surprised he left without doing it himself.¡±


    Yes. That was another injustice she tried to forgive.


    ¡°I¡¯ll dress the body and finish preparations.¡±


    ¡°I can do the preparations,¡± Lilah said. But that was all she could offer.


    ¡°Is it in the medical bay morgue?¡±


    Lilah nodded. ¡°But you¡¯ll need access.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. Your father and I are nearly identical. I¡¯m pretty sure my own blood will be enough to gain access. I¡¯ll go down there tonight. You just get some rest.¡± He paused before ending the call. ¡°How are you doing, by the way?¡±


    That was a hard question to answer. Shaking her head, she said, ¡°Tough as nails. Just a little underprepared.¡±


    He studied her for a long minute and sighed. ¡°You and your father are so alike in your stubbornness. It¡¯s okay to not be in control of everything all the time. This is rough for you. You¡¯re not okay.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Uncle. Honest. I¡¯ll...I¡¯ll do my part and do this all proper. I can do this.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re fine? Tell that to the two blocks you demolished. That is not like you. You never make a mistake. To me, it¡¯s a sign you¡¯re coming untethered. If you¡¯re so fine, why is the Fan¡¯s fastest rank-hopping enforcer sitting on jail duty with a reprimand so severe she might lose her new promotion?¡±


    She didn¡¯t have a response, so she waited for him to end the call, which was the most polite thing she could do.


    After the interface turned black, she still watched it. Her father honestly wasn¡¯t coming. No. He¡¯d come. He¡¯d turn himself in and explain it. He¡¯d come. He¡¯d at least come for poor Gus-Gus.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± a soft voice said. ¡°Excuse me, miss.¡±


    Still slouched, Lilah tried to pick her head up to look over the large desk. She didn¡¯t see anyone. That meant one thing¡ªan imp.


    Sure enough, when she sat up and peered down, she could see it resting on the floor. He was shorter than she expected but not short enough to mean he wasn¡¯t visible.


    The size difference with regards to imps were an issue she never quite figured out. She was sure to show respect, though, because while she was an Elemental, natural born, this imp was a manmade failed attempt at making an Elemental. As such, their kinds often clashed.


    Unlike Newbreeds, crosses between imp and human parents, who looked human, imps were distinctly reptilian. She tried not to stare at the green scales on his skin.


    When he stood to his full height, he was about five-feet tall.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to speak to Lander,¡± the imp said. ¡°I¡¯ve brought his things. They said he¡¯d get out soon.¡±


    Unlikely. Considering what Lander was transporting, he wasn¡¯t getting out for a long time.


    ¡°Sir...I¡¯m not sure who misinformed you,¡± she began.


    ¡°You¡¯re new down here. Everyone knows me. I¡¯m a regular here. They know I¡¯ll make good with the court date. I just want my son. He¡¯s the only one I¡¯ve got.¡±


    A regular? That didn¡¯t earn him any points. This was grunt work and although Lilah was a grunt and a half, working the jail was by far a new low.


    But a regular? To a jail?


    The imp waited and then said, ¡°Fine. Then can I see him?¡±


    That he could do. Lilah scrolled through the records but paused. Each attempt at a visitor for Lander was always refused. But then again, only two people had asked so far. To date, ten were his father, and one from an unknown; a woman. They were all rejected.


    Again, the imp said, ¡°He always says no, but everybody just lets me. They just write it down officially in the books. I have his things and he¡¯s depressed without them.¡±


    The more he talked, the more uneasy Lilah became. ¡°Tell ya what, sir, I¡¯ll bring them to him instead.¡±


    From the frown, she assumed this wasn¡¯t an answer he was either used to or happy with.


    ¡°Or you¡¯ll have to wait till he gets out,¡± she offered.


    ¡°No. He needs these.¡± The imp picked up the sack at his feet and handed it over. ¡°Can you make sure he knows it came from me? Make sure you tell him his father brought it. All right?¡±


    Brow knitted, she nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Tine! Tine, you son-of-a-bitch, that you?¡±


    The imp turned, giving off a half smile as Escott¡¯s father hurried to greet him.


    ¡°Hard to meet with you running into danger at every opportunity,¡± the imp said. ¡°Heard they put your ass behind a desk.¡±


    Crestfallen, Escott¡¯s father nodded. ¡°They did, the fuckers. Walk with me, ¡®cause I need to talk to you.¡±


    The imp hesitated. ¡°Is it that bad?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s...it¡¯s best I talk to you in private. Come on. I¡¯ll get you some food.¡±


    And they walked off, leaving the bag on Lilah¡¯s desk. She kept busy and nearly forgot about it when it was time to head home.


    ¡°Are those my things?¡± Standing pressed against the bars, Lander asked, ¡°Don¡¯t suppose I can have them?¡±


    Since Lilah was the only one on duty tonight, she didn¡¯t suppose he could¡ªnot from her.


    Lander.


    Though she rarely saw Tine, Lander¡¯s father, Lander himself was no stranger to her; although she wished he was.


    ¡°Your parents helped me out a lot growing up. I wanted to be at that funeral, but I guess that won¡¯t happen now with me under lockup,¡± Lander said. ¡°Just wanted to give condolences.¡±


    When she didn¡¯t answer, he stepped closer to the bars, pressing his face there. Did he expect to get a Thank you for the well-wishing? After all her family had done for him, how did he pay them back? By giving her a reason to stay on the late shift a day before one of the most important days of her life¡ªa funeral. The very cheek of it was hard to bear. She knew Lander. A part of her blamed him for how things turned out. How many nights resulted in someone having to rush to the little bastard¡¯s rescue? Countless dinners where poor Lander was the topic.


    She knew him, far more than he might have realized, and she couldn¡¯t stand another reminder of something that stood in the way of their family being a family.


    ¡°I kinda figured this would come sooner rather than later. If you turn to the last page of the orange book, you¡¯ll see it...I drew this...f...for your father. He showed me how to shadow it well.¡±


    She barely regarded Lander as she glanced from the sack to him again. The way his eyes widened meant he finally took the hint; she wanted nothing to do with him.


    ¡°You¡¯re mad at me, then?¡± he asked. ¡°For what? I ain¡¯t shutting up till you open your mouth and treat me like a human being.¡±


    A human being.


    Lilah had a number of triggers¡ªshe knew them, she owned up to them, and on rare occasions, she indulged in the madness they brought on. This was one of them.


    Lander. The most useless of their generation, putting demands on her. Bag of sketchbooks in hand, she marched to that cell and looked him in the eye.


    Human beings didn¡¯t shove other human beings in crates after tranquilizing them to the point that they appeared dead. Human beings didn¡¯t endanger their communities by aiming for a Guardian imp who could easily go berserk and attack everyone in a two-mile radius. Human beings weren¡¯t an imposition.


    Lander was a lot of things, human being the least of them.


    They stared each other down before she typed on the keypad and the cell door slid aside. After she stepped in, it slammed shut again.


    A human being. He wanted to be treated human.


    She ripped out a page from his book and let it burn. His features softened as she took yet another piece and it faded to ash in the same fashion.


    By the fourth page, he caught her hand.


    That was stupid of him. Laying hands on an enforcer was the only excuse she¡¯d need to rip his arm off and beat him with it. If only he would be that stupid.


    The prospect of someone to hunt was better than more pity.


    His expression shifted and changed as he focused on the book. One wrong move from the idiot and Lilah resolved to burn it all.


    He couldn¡¯t do without his things. Poor violent, pain in the ass Lander needed his book. Not everyone could get all the things they wanted.


    Instead of burning it, she dropped the bag and ripped one book in half by the spine. When she was finished, she let the ruined sketches cascade to the floor.


    And then she turned her back on him. He approached. She put her fingers on her belt, tracing the baton.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Lander pleaded. ¡°You¡¯re better than that. You come from a good home, raised by good people, and you¡¯re marrying the strongest Newbreed around. That¡¯s not for nothing. I don¡¯t have much more than my sketches. Your dad taught me how to draw. If it makes you feel better to wreck them, so be it.¡±


    Without looking back, Lilah reached for the cell door. Lander held her arm. In time, she expected him to let go, but he held her firm.


    ¡°Essy doesn¡¯t understand. He¡¯s never lost a parent¡ªhe¡¯s never lost anyone. You don¡¯t want someone to talk to or cry on, you want something to kill.¡± Lander tightened his grip. ¡°But I know how you feel, and I really think you should let him take you home.¡±


    Heart pounding, Lilah willed herself not to turn and knock his jaw clear off with the baton on her hip.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± she said, finally.


    But instead, Lander stepped close. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid tonight. Let Essy take you home. It¡¯s either he takes you, or else....¡±


    Lilah couldn¡¯t think past the or else. There was no else. The odds were in her favor and Lander was the most disposable Newbreed alive.


    He held both of her arms; a grip so tight her muscles ached. She lost track of how long they just stood there. Even when he tugged her back, inching toward the only bed in there, she felt transformed¡ªand not in a good way.


    ¡°I know we don¡¯t gotta say anything. But just rest for a little bit.¡±


    It was Lander who pushed her to sit. Although he didn¡¯t hold her there, she couldn¡¯t find the strength in her to get up.


    Lander¡¯s imposing figure sat down on the cot beside her. He did a strange thing next; he pulled her closer by the shoulder.


    Body tensed up, Lilah pulled away. Lander didn¡¯t let go.


    Never in a million years did Lilah imagine herself sitting beside Lander, the biggest loser of them all.


    But he didn¡¯t try to talk; he didn¡¯t try to give any witty or inspiriting words; and he didn¡¯t ask her what she needed.


    She didn¡¯t know what she needed. A shiver ran through her and by the time she realized she was trembling, Lander wrapped his other arm around her shoulder.


    The embrace was awkward because she pulled away. Lilah wasn¡¯t sure where the first tear came from. By the third, she hunched over and choked on a sob.


    Lander gathered her close. ¡°Shh. It¡¯s okay to be mad. Be mad as fuck. You¡¯ve earned it. Be mad as hell.¡±


    He ran his fingers through her hair. Unlike Escott who never let his claws grow, Lander seemed intent on letting others know what breed he was right away. It felt strange having those claws trace her skin. Imaginings of his hand gripping her neck and breaking it came and went, but that wasn¡¯t his intention.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to be mad,¡± Lander repeated. ¡°It¡¯s okay to want to tear the world apart. It¡¯s okay. Because I wanna tear it apart, too some days.¡±


    They sat in companionable silence for a time, Lilah struggling to get her body and emotions under control. She appreciated him sitting there. It wasn¡¯t real friendship, but it did help.


    So when he leaned lower, trying to meet her gaze, she turned her blubbering face toward him. Their lips met.


    Lander froze up this time instead. Lilah did as well, unsure of what the hell she was doing. She kissed him, and after a short moment, he kissed back.

 Tear 4

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    Lilah trembled when Lander put the rough sketch in her hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as good as your dad can draw it. But this is how I always remember them. You know...long before the sickness.¡±


    Try as she might, she couldn¡¯t take hold. Maybe Lander couldn¡¯t see his own talent, but the likeness of the image was unmistakable.


    His body pressed against hers, so close that his pounding heart sent a shiver through her, Lander kept on with his sketching.


    ¡°How about it now?¡± he asked.


    Lilah stopped him from changing the drawing any more for fear he¡¯d wreck it. It was perfect now; she just didn¡¯t have it in her to say it.


    She wanted to leave¡ªto get up out of there and run. So she couldn¡¯t understand why she brushed her cheek against his instead. He tried to pull away from the kiss but only for a moment before kissing back. Then it was her trying to resist indulging.


    He tasted unreal. Not particularly pleasant, or revolting, only...different. But the kiss was something else. It was tamed yet hungry and she pressed her hand against his chest to keep herself from yanking him closer.


    ¡°Stop,¡± he whispered. ¡°Essy....¡±


    Lilah cringed. Thoughts of Escott were the only things keeping her from doing something stupid. She tried to make sense of her actions. She was being foolish.


    ¡°Did your father really run away?¡± Lander asked. The look in his eyes said it all¡ªhe didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    What an awful topic to bring up.


    She tried to stand, but Lander snaked his arm around her waist.


    ¡°Whatever he¡¯s done wrong, you have to forgive it,¡± Lander said. ¡°Good fathers are hard to come by. I¡¯m even looking for mine now. Put my DNA into the database and everything for DAWN to match.¡±


    He talked as if he was bragging. It was true; Lander¡¯s path into life was a miserable one. He just appeared one day in the middle of town. No note, no escort, no trail as to where he came from. And yet everyone had a very similar story as to his parentage. He must have heard it in whispers by now.


    ¡°My father was the first one to pick me up. That¡¯s all. Don¡¯t know if I¡¯d even call him much of a father with how useless he is.¡±


    As Lander spoke, Lilah allowed her head to rest on his shoulder. He muttered against her hair, their embrace feeling so safe and familiar that it frightened her.


    Lander insisted, ¡°So you¡¯ve gotta give your father the benefit of the doubt. Blood is so important. It defines everything about you. And you come from good blood.¡±


    Those words swam in Lilah¡¯s head for some time. She wanted to agree, to even give some assurance of her own, but she had none. Tine was Lander¡¯s father. Of that, Lilah was sure. There was no need to ask a computer to tell them that¡ªshe believed it.


    A numbness came over Lilah¡¯s hands. She took it for her imagination but although she was certain she touched her fingertips to one another, there was little to no sensation. She tried to open and close her hands instead but was unsure she¡¯d managed. If she¡¯d eaten or drunk anything in the last hour, she¡¯d consider herself drugged. That wasn¡¯t the case, however, so she struggled for another explanation.


    Lander cupped her left breast without warning, an action that nearly sent Lilah into panic.


    ¡°Your heart¡¯s calmed,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s good. I worried when you came in.¡±


    Their eyes met and she looked down at herself¡ªspecifically, his hand.


    He was slow to let go. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She stared him down, wondering if it was really innocent. When she concluded that it was, she calmed.


    Rather than make it a topic, she turned and pressed her back against him. He held on. She could feel his embrace at least, and that was a comfort.


    ¡°If Tine¡¯s not your father, who is?¡± she asked.


    Lander hesitated at first but pulled her closer in time. ¡°I¡¯ve narrowed it down to a few possibilities.¡±


    His grip tightened and she closed her eyes. DAWN was a crude database. All it did was hold information and send out messages. Every enforcer knew better than to trust it¡ªit was accurate in reporting crimes only twenty percent of the time. Still, stripped down to just a collection of family trees and DNA swabs and it was rather useful.


    Next week it would launch a mass collection of DNA for census purposes.


    ¡°Can I confess that I¡¯ve liked you for a while?¡± Lander asked.


    Lilah pretended not to hear him. That wasn¡¯t what she wanted. Instead of responding, she brought his hands up to her chest of her own volition.


    A hiss left the back of Lander¡¯s throat. Lilah shut her eyes tight. Somehow, they started to sway, though she was desperate to get a hold of herself. A discomfort against her back caught her attention.


    She turned and although she yanked his shirt up, he kept his hands firmly at her chest.


    Lilah blinked in the dim light. ¡°You¡¯ve pierced yourself even here?¡±


    Scars littered Lander¡¯s torso, but she ignored them and instead focused on the two rings¡ªone in each nipple.


    He tried to yank his shirt back down, but she held on. It seemed strange to get something like this yet hide them. She narrowed her brow, ¡°Where else have you gotten it pierced?¡±


    Silence lulled between them.


    Lander seemed incapable of moving. Lilah wasn¡¯t much better. Literally. Slowly it dawned on her that something wasn¡¯t right. Even the grip he had of her hands came with little to no sensation¡ªand that was fading fast.


    ¡°Not here,¡± he said, finally. ¡°I don¡¯t...I¡¯m not...informed enough to...to....¡±


    To do what? Lilah struggled to finish that sentence for herself. It seemed more than obvious where this was going, and yet...she couldn¡¯t admit it. What about Essy? And what about this feeling of oncoming paralysis.


    ¡°Touch the right one for a second,¡± Lander said.


    Lilah hesitated; she didn¡¯t want to admit her plight until she understood it. An attempt at complying might alert him to it. He waited, though, so she watched her own actions to make certain she could manage looping her index in the nipple ring. The shock made her rethink it. Metal hurt Elementals, but only if it pierced flesh. Just touching it shouldn¡¯t have caused that shock. At least she could feel it.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°They¡¯re called crickets. Topsiders make them. They give off a shock when people fool around.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to say you got a chastity belt?¡±


    Lander said, ¡°These don¡¯t ever turn off. They¡¯re always on. Figured they¡¯d be better than drugs or...or stupid shit like that.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure what he was confessing.


    ¡°Are you saying you harm yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that when we have a breakdown, we tend to destroy everything we¡¯ve worked for. Everything we¡¯ve got.¡± He waited and then confessed, ¡°You¡¯ve got Essy.¡±


    Lilah leaned away.


    They both watched one another.


    ¡°And Essy¡¯s my only friend. And you two are getting married. Newbreeds can¡¯t just change mates at will. Imps are worse, they mate for life. That¡¯s why my so-called father is Karen Blackwell¡¯s whipping boy. Not that anyone¡¯d believe it.¡±


    This was his warning and she was thankful for it. It was sobering. Now if only her body would be so kind as to respond as well.


    ¡°And you¡¯re saying me kissing you is my way of self-imploding?¡±


    That was what she was saying, too. Something about his expression concerned her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve liked you for a long time,¡± he admitted. ¡°I was happy about you and Essy. It¡¯s a good fit.¡±


    Lilah nodded. ¡°So back off?¡±


    She stood but not steady, and he stood with her, taking hold of her waist.


    He put their foreheads together and whispered, ¡°If you just need him to shut up and hold you, then tell him.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t something you tell someone. The fact that Lander knew how she felt, what she needed, only made things worse. Still, this situation wasn¡¯t acceptable¡ªnot even by Lander¡¯s standards and this was Lander.


    And he was still interested; the heat between his legs pressed against her. They remained still for some time until he took another soft kiss then stepped back.


    It was enough for him, and although the rejection should have hurt, Lilah appreciated it. This was a moment of weakness, a stupid one.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she muttered.


    She made her way out and he caught her arm. The grip wasn¡¯t all that strong, yet she felt powerless to break it.


    One attempt nearly had her toppling over. She dropped and he hurried to drag her back up.


    ¡°Whoa.¡±


    Lilah shivered. ¡°What¡¯s happening? I can¡¯t feel my legs.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, whoa.¡± Lander struggled with her and eventually picked her up. Lilah was anything but light, even Escott attested to that. She had more than enough muscle to make her a fitting opponent. That became clear to Lander who had a hard time carrying her. She was heavier than she looked. He lowered her onto the cot, keeping her back against the wall as he held her up.


    This time when he put his hand to her chest, he fell silent.


    Finally, he said, ¡°Your heart¡¯s slowing. Can you feel your arms at least?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t. In fact, turning her head to face him was so difficult that she felt winded.


    As if a light came on in his eyes, he eased back. ¡°Our kissing....¡±


    Eyes wide, Lilah waited.


    ¡°Real imps give off a venom in their saliva. One bite paralyzes its prey. Newbreeds have something similar. It makes our bites deadly to real imps but...not to others. I¡¯ve...I¡¯ve never kissed a Newbreed before, but....¡±


    Lilah¡¯s eyes dimmed as her body continued to shut down. But? There was a but?


    ¡°But...I¡¯ve given the venom to others before. But I didn¡¯t in the kiss. I guess my arousal brought it up.¡±


    The loss of all feeling should have concerned her¡ªand it did¡ªbut she was an enforcer first.


    ¡°You¡¯ve given venom to others? Others how? Others who?¡±


    Lander looked big and menacing at a distance. Right now, he appeared young. He was caught between confessing to a possible crime or saving his own ass.


    That was her original thought but eventually she understood.


    ¡°My gang. I give ¡®em some of my venom so they¡¯ll get a buzz. When I have enough adrenaline from a race or something, it¡¯s potent.¡±


    Lilah wrinkled her brow¡ªabout all the movement she had left. ¡°So you go around kissing them?¡±


    He recoiled. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then spitting into their mouths? What?¡±


    Lander seemed ready to run¡ªhe was so ashamed.


    ¡°No. On paper. I just...I put it in my mouth, and they can store it and pass it around.¡±


    Eyes closed, she allowed her head to fall back as she growled. ¡°Idiot. What¡¯s that supposed to do? Turn into the new drug of choice? Tell me you at least charged for it.¡±


    The silence meant he hadn¡¯t. That¡¯s when she tried to move on her own. No luck.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone react like this,¡± Lander whispered. ¡°And technically they get a stronger amount.¡±


    ¡°Well apparently you¡¯re that good a kisser for me,¡± she scoffed.


    No use, each attempt she made to get up sent her crashing back down again.


    ¡°Please. Please just hold still.¡± Lander glanced at the cell door. ¡°Someone¡¯ll come and help. Someone¡¯ll come....¡± The way his voice petered off meant he thought along the same lines¡ªhow would they go about explaining this?


    Rather than struggle, Lilah relaxed and decided to allow fate its revenge. She¡¯d earned it.


    Lander pressed his cheek to hers and kissed her neck. He sounded genuinely pensive. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. Just hang on. I¡¯ll hit the emergency button.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lilah tried to grip his shoulder, but her hand just fell away. ¡°No. Please. We made a mistake. A dumb one and I¡¯ve come to terms with it. But no. Don¡¯t call Essy.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡± Lander sat beside her, his hand holding hers.


    Each stroke of his fingers along her palm to calm her came with a warmth. She could feel it, could feel his touches but couldn¡¯t move.


    She¡¯d heard enough whispered chatter from the women married to imps to know something.


    ¡°I think...this is maybe not the same as your regular venom,¡± Lilah confessed. ¡°The one you say¡¯s poisonous. I...I can feel your touches and my body¡¯s definitely liking them.¡±


    Lander looked her over. ¡°Trust me...it¡¯s the same venom,¡± he muttered.


    She cut him a glance, unsure she wanted more details. ¡°Should I ask?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t. And no...I¡¯ve never.... I¡¯ve heard about a few things. That¡¯s why I stopped with the papers and did this transporting job instead. Okay?¡±


    There was no reason for him to get defensive; as of now she had a vested interest in not telling anyone about this.


    Unlike ten minutes prior, now he hesitated to hold her. She was thankful when he finally did. Yes, the situation was terrifying. Yes, she was vulnerable and unsure how long she¡¯d remain that way, but although Lander was a lot of things, he was Essy¡¯s friend and Escott was good people. Lander wasn¡¯t far behind. He just held onto her, forehead pressed against her ear.


    A few, ¡°You¡¯ll be okay soon, I know it,¡± and ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± came and went.


    One good hour must have passed before Lilah could feel the cot below her rather than only Lander¡¯s touches specifically. It was unreal. No. A situation like this was problematic, but she could imagine why it might have been different for people actually in love.


    The venom started wearing off, but even Lander¡¯s shallow breathing, the way his chest heaved and withered against her with each breath, still resounded.


    After thirty more minutes, she could move her arms again. At least he didn¡¯t bite her. If it was this powerful in a kiss, it could last for days.


    He helped rub feeling back into her hands, unwilling to meet her gaze. She wanted to say something to him, to offer up some appreciation.


    From her muscles, to her gun¡ªhell, even the baton on her hip¡ªbeing vulnerable wasn¡¯t something she allowed, not on purpose.


    Being thrust into a situation like that yet feeling safe in it had never happened before. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time someone had to care for her.


    He was down to rubbing her thighs by the time she held his face. She steadied his hands in hopes their eyes could meet.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Lander muttered. He was thinking along the same vein because he said, ¡°Thanks for trusting me. But thinking about what just happened to you and what might have happened to a number of women who might have reacted similar is what¡¯s on my mind right now and I¡¯m not liking myself all that much.¡±


    Lilah regretted that. ¡°I¡¯m an E. Remember? And we¡¯re learning as we go. Did anyone ever shut down like that? Like me?¡±


    Shaking his head, Lander admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone react like you. Not as strongly. Maybe just needing to have a seat for a few minutes. But could you imagine if someone did?¡±


    She raked her fingers through his short red hair. ¡°Lander, I really think this potency is a combination of something else. We won¡¯t know until we tell someone.¡±


    He met her gaze, finally. Could they actually tell someone?


    The thought left Lilah sick with herself.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what caused it. We don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I¡¯m an E, you were aroused, I was aroused. We don¡¯t know.¡±


    He furrowed his brow. ¡°You were aroused?¡±


    Lilah swallowed down her response. Her eyes drifted to his hands still on her leg. The sight of it should have been offensive, but those weren¡¯t the thoughts rushing through her mind.


    ¡°Well I didn¡¯t kiss you more than once because I didn¡¯t like it,¡± she confessed.


    Lander sat on the floor as he let her go. ¡°Can you stand?¡±


    She wanted him close; she wanted to talk to him longer. Instead, she stood and sighed with relief to find most of the numbness gone.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m okay,¡± she said.


    When she tried to walk past, he caught her hand. He kissed it but wiped it off, maybe fearing another reaction. It had no effect, but his gentleness did.


    In time, he let go and she made a fast escape and shut the cell door before her stupid brain shut itself off again.


    Something slammed against the wall, maybe the bed. She didn¡¯t turn to look, and she didn¡¯t have a chance when she caught sight of Karen Blackwell and her posse.


    ¡°Where the hell you think you¡¯re going?¡± Blackwell said, taking off her gloves. She took an envelope from the woman behind her and handed it over. ¡°This is for you idiots. Get that imp out of here.¡±


    Imp? There weren¡¯t any imps in the jails¡ªthey¡¯d stopped arresting imps more than a decade ago. Now, all imp crimes fell to the imp leader who took penance as he saw fit.


    ¡°I assume you mean Lander,¡± the new enforcer reporting for duty asked. She took the envelope, more than a little cautious as she opened it. Whatever her findings, she didn¡¯t seem convinced. ¡°When did you get this?¡±


    Karen Blackwell put her black gloves back on and fixed her grand black hat. ¡°I went to the mayor himself. He signed it. You get him out of here and you get him out of here this instant.¡±

 Slow 5

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    Lilah looked between the standoff. She wanted to leave, but this was something beyond her imagination. Karen Blackwell was not only down at the jail, but she was petitioning for an ¡®imp¡¯s¡¯ release. Lander was no imp, though, just a Newbreed.


    Considering the Blackwell¡¯s stance on Newbreeds, and all that pertained to them, this was unexpected.


    The enforcer made the call and said, ¡°Chief. Karen Blackwell¡¯s down here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I got the message,¡± Escott¡¯s father said. ¡°Let him out. If it¡¯s bogus we¡¯ll pick him up later.¡±


    With this show of power, one would think Mrs. Blackwell would stick around longer to see her demands met. She didn¡¯t. Instead, she turned on her heels and walked out.


    Ten minutes later, Lilah found herself avoiding eye contact with the miserable being that was Lander. As she unpacked his clothes for him, she asked herself why she was here doing this.


    The answer was simple¡ªit was better than being alone with her thoughts. Escott would be waiting at her house doorway no doubt and it was getting harder and harder to find an excuse to go home alone.


    A silver coin was the last of Landers things, and Lilah put it down. He reached for it so quickly that their hands met. Both pulled away.


    He said nothing.


    Lilah counted seven silver rings which he put back on their perches. Two went into each ear respectively. One more hooped through his nose. The other four, she was unsure of, and hoped to keep a mystery as she signed him out.


    ¡°How much did my father pay to get me out?¡± Lander asked, sounding meek and helpless.


    It wasn¡¯t his father. It was Karen Blackwell¡¯s doing and with the amount of hate she spews at her Death to Imps and Their Devil Seed rallies, none of this was adding up.


    Still, it wasn¡¯t Lilah¡¯s business.


    Lander got his things and walked away before Lilah could muster up an answer. He didn¡¯t have his sketchbook that his father¡¯d brought. Sure enough, she found it in his cell under the bed.


    As she brought it back to the lost and found, she thumbed through it. The pictures there made her pause in her stride. They were amazing. Two of them were of Escott.


    The following pages after that took on a less than savory theme. Eviscerated bodies mounted on walls, to one winged angels bleeding into mugs.


    Drawings like these should be in a gallery.


    When Lilah passed the Lost Items box, however, she dropped it in without looking back.


    No sense in staying here, so she started the daunting task of going home. The eerie silence that followed her from the jail cells right to the main doors was painful to endure.


    Two days later, the day of the funeral, Lilah scanned the crowd for that familiar short blue hair.


    He didn¡¯t come. Gus-Gus was a wonder. That burial brought peace to him, but Lilah couldn¡¯t shake it. Their father hadn¡¯t come.


    ¡°Dad was too in love,¡± Gus explained. ¡°He¡¯s gonna need a while.¡±


    Lilah tried to imagine that. She stayed long after friends and family filled in the fresh grave, and politely walked away. Gus was the last to leave.


    Escott lingered¡ªthe dutiful fianc¨¦.


    ¡°You hungry?¡± he asked.


    Lilah¡¯s gut roiled. ¡°Can I be honest?¡± At the silence, she looked him in the eye. ¡°Can I just be alone here for a while?¡±


    Those words hurt him, but she couldn¡¯t change that.


    ¡°If you wanna talk¡ª¡±


    ¡°I wanna work. I don¡¯t want to bring this with me everywhere I go. So give us a minute, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Lilah,¡± he said to her, finally, ¡°what are you doing? Huh? We don¡¯t gotta talk. Just let me stand beside you for more than a minute.¡±


    Lilah shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna break down if that¡¯s what you¡¯re waiting for. I just need a minute to collect my thoughts. And I¡¯m reporting in, so if you want to keep me company, keep me company there.¡±


    An explosion rocked the ground. It didn¡¯t take long to pinpoint it in the center of the city. Escott came in a nice suit, but Lilah wore her best uniform, her badge on her shoulder.


    It blinked. ¡°Explosion at headquarters. Enforcers, report for duty.¡±


    Escott regarded the badge with dread but eventually glanced back at their HQ again.


    ¡°They¡¯ll need the help,¡± Lilah insisted. ¡°Newbreeds can walk through that fire. Go on and prove yourself. That¡¯s what it¡¯s all about. And I need a minute alone.¡±


    He stared at her, debating what to do. In time, he turned and made his way out of the cemetery. Eventually he broke into a run and fell on his hands and feet.


    Lilah watched the flames. They fit just right. It took nearly an hour for that fire to quell. When it did, she finally left the cemetery, taking the long way home. By the time she dismounted the bike and cut the engine, she confirmed someone had followed her¡ªand not very well.


    She left the front door open, made her way up the steps¡ªturning on each light as she went, grabbed a metal bat from its perch by the second-floor door, and made her way back down again.


    And she waited.


    Bat at the ready, she stood at the doorway, pulse racing. She wasn¡¯t sure who it was. Maybe Essy doubled back to check on her¡ªthat was just like him. And then another thought occurred. Maybe her father.


    Despite that possibility, she didn¡¯t put the bat down¡ªin fact, she gripped it tighter.


    The door eased open twenty minutes later. She swung.


    It stopped inches from the bastard¡¯s nose¡ªhe caught it.


    Lilah wasn¡¯t sure who she was looking at until he stepped into the foyer.


    ¡°Lilah?¡± the badge flashed. ¡°Lilah?¡±


    Escott¡¯s voice held a note of panic.


    Still with her eyes on Lander, Lilah held the badge and whispered into it. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t come into the office. We¡¯re under quarantine. Stay away. Did you hear me?¡±


    Lilah gripped the badge tighter. ¡°Quarantine?¡±


    ¡°Every single Newbreed¡¯s infected. Normal human Yules are fine, but we¡¯re not sure about Elementals. Just keep away. Confirm so I know you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Lilah focused on Lander again, a pit in her stomach as she said, ¡°Confirmed.¡±


    Her grip on the badge tightened until her hand ached. She wasn¡¯t sure what to do or say and for the first time since she started working as an enforcer three years ago, she took the badge off.


    Lander held her hand and took it. ¡°Let me get you something to drink.¡±


    ¡°Essy....¡± She tried to step out the door, but he blocked her path. ¡°Move.¡±


    Another attempt met with resistance. Lander grabbed her arm, holding her back.


    ¡°Lilah. It¡¯s a quarantine. This isn¡¯t the state of mind you should be in.¡± Their eyes met and he said, ¡°Dial it back. That feeling like you want to just explode. You have to dial it back. This isn¡¯t the time to self-destruct.¡±


    The condescending helpful pats on the head were getting just a bit annoying now. She yanked her hand away.


    ¡°I have to check on Essy.¡±


    ¡°Without a badge?¡± Lander¡¯s gaze held a challenge.


    It was true. She hadn¡¯t tried to take the badge back and she couldn¡¯t say why.


    ¡°If that thing affects Newbreeds, it¡¯ll affect Elementals. Calm down and let it run through their system. Whatever it is, they¡¯ll find a solution. We don¡¯t catch colds and diseases like everybody else.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Elementals aren¡¯t supposed to, either. Tell that to the body we put into the ground this morning.¡±


    Lander fell silent. He let her go when she shoved him aside. Going to headquarters was stupid. That¡¯s where Lilah headed on her bike full speed.


    An old hover wagon, carrying no less than four people¡ªtwo past the recommended limit¡ªnearly collided into her. Apparently, it was going the same way. She picked up speed and left them in the dust.


    Lilah dismounted the bike while it was still in motion and it slid to a halt on its own. Most of the building burned. All around her was chaos, but she¡¯d come for a fight.


    That idea held little weight when she spied the pregnant enforcer on the ground beside a body under a white sheet. A weakly-looking Newbreed bawled beside the corpse while the enforcer struggled to stand.


    She counted two more white sheets.


    ¡°The Newbreed committee had a gathering today to discuss one of their own being arrested. Nobody saw this attack coming,¡± someone said.


    Another one said, ¡°Only lost one committee member, but it¡¯s rough. All the Newbreed committee is run by the Newbreed mothers.¡±


    Lilah stared on at the smoke and crying and anger swelled up inside her. To top it off, the building¡ªwhat was left of it, stood under quarantine.


    A hand came to rest on her shoulder, and she flinched.


    Lander squeezed. ¡°Keep it together.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem better off. Lander had mommy issues, but how could he not? Newbreed mothers were feared, not for the deadly children they raised, but for their devotion. All except Lander¡¯s who¡¯d never claimed him.


    While many took care of the pregnant enforcer, Lander only stared at the dead woman and her crying son.


    In time, Lilah reached up and held his hand in place. A quarantine. From what she could gather from the yelling: several bombs went off but only one had some kind of powder.


    Quarantine. A quarantine.


    She blinked herself awake at the sight of the group of men rushing to an unaffected area of the building. Lilah stepped out into the street to get a better view. It was hard to miss such a pale body scaling the walls.


    ¡°Lander....¡±


    ¡°I see it,¡± Lander said. ¡°Let it go. You¡¯re not in a good place.¡±


    ¡°Your cargo is about to run off,¡± Lilah said. ¡°The difference between you getting a slap on the wrist or a full-blown conviction.¡±


    Lander shook his head. ¡°This assignment was my low point. Leave it.¡±


    She might have taken his advice if somebody didn¡¯t leap from the top window and land on the wall.


    Someone screamed, ¡°Escott. It¡¯s a fucking quarantine.¡±


    That wobbly wagon of men came to a stop beside the others gathered by the building. One of the men from the streets backed up and fired a canon, catching Escott in the head.


    Escott fell like a rag doll.


    Even Lander gasped. ¡°Essy....¡±


    ¡°Essy!¡± The Chief stuck his head out the window then darted back in.


    Lilah willed herself to move. She couldn¡¯t. Lander tried to rush to Escott¡¯s aid, but Lilah grabbed him by the shirt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Her breaths came shallower as she whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t. Please don¡¯t. I can¡¯t bury anybody else. Please don¡¯t.¡±


    She gripped Lander¡¯s shirt for dear life, even when Escott shifted and groaned in pain.


    The gang broke into a run, pale figure and all.


    Escott rose to his feet.


    Lander sighed with relief. ¡°He¡¯s alive. He¡¯s hurt. He¡¯ll need the help.¡±


    The Chief busted out of the main doors in time to see Escott fall on his hands and feet and rush the boarder of the quarantine. Escott leapt high enough, but a bolt of energy caught him, electrocuting him until he stopped resisting.


    High above, hover bikes descended, as did the man who shot Escott with the stunner, Harris, the mayor.


    ¡°Get Essy back inside. Evacuate the block until we can assess this,¡± Harris barked.


    An enforcer rose high on a hover bike, speakers blasting. ¡°All Elementals, stand clear. All Elementals stand clear.¡±


    ¡°That means you,¡± Lander reminded her.


    One hour later, Lilah found herself watching what was left of the enforcer HQ smolder from the highest hill in their domain¡ªthe one separating them from the farm.


    Lander sat with her, legs ajar, elbows on his knees.


    A small radio rested before them. They listened, waiting for a report to come through, either from the public news or a private channel.


    Nothing.


    The wind picked up but neither of them had anything to say. Lilah appreciated that Lander kept his mouth shut. As of now it wasn¡¯t clear whether the gang had caused the explosion to regain their cargo, or it was something else. If it was the gang, that meant whatever happened to Essy was Lander¡¯s fault.


    It was Lilah¡¯s fault, too, because if she¡¯d gone home with him like he¡¯d offered....


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what I was transporting,¡± Lander said at length. ¡°It could have been weapons; it could have been body parts. I didn¡¯t care and I didn¡¯t care to know. I just did it.¡±


    Lilah watched the radio. ¡°Should I even ask if you were the one who brought it from underground?¡±


    It had to be an Elemental, an imp, or a Newbreed to manage that journey.


    ¡°I hope the pay was good at least,¡± she scoffed.


    Lander confessed, ¡°I don¡¯t get paid. I don¡¯t do it for payment. Just...wanted people to talk to.¡±


    That was Lander¡¯s own fault. Seven years ago, Karen Blackwell made the news for taking in two Newbreed orphans who she promptly renamed Rosemarie and Princess. She didn¡¯t treat them all that nicely until it became clear what most already suspected, female Newbreeds had so little power that they appeared human. Their skin was tough like male Newbreeds, but that was about it. After that, it was one ridiculous outfit after another as if those children were no more than pets, going so far as to give them collars around their necks.


    But Lander....


    That was a different story.


    Lilah heard most of the details in passing but remembered it was the only time Tine, Lander¡¯s father, ever took up a cause. He set out to adopt the two girls instead. The character assassination in a testimony by Lander washed all that away.


    Tine never defended himself, and although an Elemental ultimately proved the devastating testimony false, it was hard for people to shake. Karen Blackwell retained her rights to adoption. She was nicer to her girls after that at least. Lilah could almost remember the transformation. Within days the collars were gone as were most of the stupid frocks. They still weren¡¯t allowed to attend schools, but Karen allowed them to join the local orchestra.


    That was the last time Rosemarie and Princess¡¯s appearance were an issue. The oldest was fifteen now, the second one about thirteen.


    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Lilah began.


    Lander picked up the radio. ¡°Is it about Karen Blackwell?¡±


    It was, so Lilah held her piece.


    Tuning the radio, Lander shook his head. ¡°The woman who hates me more than anybody else in The Fan?¡±


    He found another channel that chirped, indicating that a broadcast was pending.


    ¡°And she didn¡¯t pay you to lie about your father that time?¡±


    Lander didn¡¯t answer at first. Eventually, he chuckled. ¡°Karen Blackwell hasn¡¯t looked me in the eye in five years.¡± He lowered his gaze, watching his feet as he said, ¡°You can¡¯t keep secrets from a Newbreed easily. I heard everybody whisper and I fell for it. I believed them that she was my mother. She never paid me to lie on my father. She¡¯s never had a conversation with me period.


    ¡°But when she took Rosie and Preen....¡± His breath hitched. ¡°I wanted her to take me, too. I got it in my head that if I helped her keep them, she¡¯d...she¡¯d feel sorry for me and take me, too. I didn¡¯t even care if she was really my mother or not. I just wanted one so bad.¡± He snorted out a laugh. ¡°When she walked outta that courthouse, the last look she gave me was one I¡¯d never forget. She wasn¡¯t gonna take me. I wasn¡¯t so much as a speck in her eyes. Rosie and Preen got to stay, though.¡±


    Lilah fought back her revulsion. This was the Lander she knew. The one everyone knew.


    He ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°That¡¯s why I gave my DNA to DAWN. When it fires up, it¡¯ll give me a good match. Give me some hope. I can¡¯t die a shit-farmer¡¯s son. There¡¯s gotta be more.¡±


    She wanted to ask him what he¡¯d do if there really was no hope, if Karen Blackwell was really his mother and the village embarrassment, Tine, was his father. What would he do with that knowledge?


    A part of her felt sorry for him, but a bigger part felt relieved. Whatever attraction that was there faded.


    The radio buzzed to life. ¡°Explosion at the enforcers¡¯ headquarters hours ago left three dead, one of which was a member of the Newbreeds¡¯ Committee. Amber Winrose, one of our founders, will be sorely missed. She¡¯s survived by her only child, Benjamin Winrose, an up and coming enforcer and son of an imp from the Northern gate.¡±


    Two more casualties were listed, as well as minor injuries.


    ¡°As of now, all enforcers are once again on active duty.¡±


    Lander changed the station.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Lilah protested.


    ¡°That¡¯s the news channel. The real news is on the gossip circuit,¡± Lander told her. ¡°Here.¡±


    This broadcast sounded a lot less formal. ¡°Word has it enforcers are seeking Karen Blackwell for questioning as this appears to be a hate motivated attack. Between you and me, that heifer needs arresting.¡±


    Lander turned the radio down.


    Karen Blackwell...for questioning. Good luck with that idea. Not with her hate movement picking up steam daily.


    As far as Lilah could gather, no enforcers were dead or in medical care. She was eager to see about Essy but felt compelled to handle the situation with Lander first.


    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you home,¡± she said, rising.


    He looked up at her. ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡±


    ¡°When the dust clears, Lanny, I want to know that I repaid your kindness by at least walking you home. I needed the shoulder, and you gave it. I think tomorrow¡¯s coming with a rude awakening, so let me walk you home.¡±


    It took him a minute more to stand and dust himself off. He didn¡¯t live all that far from the farm. A black car stood parked by the gate. There was a rustle inside as they passed it by.


    Lilah decided to knock on the house door, but Lander caught her hand.


    He stared out at the field, the only place where sunlight was allowed to shine in the entire city. Sunrays danced there¡ªit was morning.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be done soon,¡± Lander said.


    Sure enough, the door opened and a woman caught her balance at the sight of them.


    Karen Blackwell was well into her forties but sometimes Lilah doubted her own knowledge¡ªthe woman looked young. She was also silent as she marched past them, wiping her eyes. When she reached the gate, two fancily dressed women jumped out of the car and held the doors open. Rosie and Princess.


    Lander stared after her. ¡°She doesn¡¯t usually bring her kids,¡± he muttered. ¡°She must have been here on actual business.¡± Disgust evident in his voice, he said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t even hide it anymore.¡± Rather than make their way to the door, they lingered there for a time. Lander stared after the car as it bubbled away. ¡°How¡¯s that fair? All she says and does against Newbreeds and yet...she can just come up here when the mood strikes her.¡± He snorted out a laugh. ¡°I used to take off into the city when she came. She refused to come out of her car unless I was gone. And he never told her to get lost instead.¡± Letting out a sigh, he muttered, ¡°If he was a success, she¡¯d stay with him. But that idiot¡¯s never figured that out.¡±


    Lilah doubted that. The last of the black car faded into the city. Karen Blackwell might not have been privy to the enforcers looking to have a talk with her yet. Whatever her issue with the imps, whatever her hang up, it probably had nothing to do with Tine¡¯s success.


    Hand clasping the doorknob, Lander remained still. He didn¡¯t step in.


    ¡°Stay out of trouble. Yeah?¡± he told her. ¡°You go home and wait till the quarantine¡¯s called off?¡±


    Their eyes met and she searched herself for a truthful promise.


    ¡°I¡¯d better call Gus-Gus and let him know I¡¯m okay. I...didn¡¯t even do that. I¡¯ll go visit him. He¡¯s still at Auntie Jan¡¯s.¡±


    Her answer satisfied Lander enough because he nodded and then walked in.


    ¡°Take care.¡±


    The door closed and she stared after it. She touched her shoulder out of habit. The badge was gone. Lander still had it. She raised her hand to knock but the shouts that came made her rethink it. Most of those yells came from Tine if the voice was any indication.


    Lilah lowered her hand and swore under her breath. She¡¯d come and get the badge tomorrow or the day after. The radio would have to do for now. As she made her way down the hill back to her bike, she tuned it.


    ¡°New song coming out for you from the top. It¡¯s an oldie if you¡¯re from the underground. Also, be on the lookout for a returnee from stasis¡ªan Elemental named DeGrasse. She broke out of detention yesterday, screaming in pain, a blue-haired Elemental dragging her by the throat.¡±


    Lilah slowed to a stop. There was no way of repeating the message, but she wanted to hear it again. For one thing, why was DeGrasse the target and not the blue-haired Elemental. Especially since there was only one Elemental with blue hair in the entire city¡ªher father.


    ¡°I¡¯m reading it how I see it, people,¡± the announcer said. ¡°Of the two of them, DeGrasse¡¯s the danger, because officials want her back at all costs.¡±

 Ours 6

    <table width="100%"><tbody><tr><td></td><td> </td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>


    Escott sat up to keep from literally climbing the walls. ¡°Auntie Jan, how much longer do I have to be here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Essy. We¡¯re just doing the briefing, so you won¡¯t get written up. Getting an Elemental in here¡¯d be faster, though. Sure you don¡¯t want one?¡±


    And have someone invading his mind? No. ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    ¡°I strongly recommend that you don¡¯t. Your father¡¯s got a wild record of his own. I doubt he¡¯d be voted in as Chief again at this point.¡±


    Jan talked him into the Elemental interrogator in the end. It wasn¡¯t that Escott had anything against Elementals. Most days he felt it was the opposite. Since imps were failed attempts at making Elementals, real Elementals resented the ¡®trash.¡¯ Technically, Escott was the son of said trash.


    He could forgive a lot of things, but not the bad-mouthing of the one to give birth to him.


    But he endured it, though, mostly to keep everyone happy. Lilah could do without the fanfare, and Escott¡¯s father, the Chief, could do without the unwanted attention.


    ¡°The quarantine still in effect?¡± Escott asked, exiting the room.


    ¡°Fraid so. But we¡¯re working on it.¡±


    A female enforcer in the distance caught his eye. ¡°And her? Won¡¯t her husband go nuts with fear?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s their first child,¡± Escott insisted. ¡°After twenty-one years of trying.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll be fine,¡± Jan promised. ¡°Just get on duty and help me calm these bastards down. Also....¡± She caught Escott¡¯s arm. ¡°We¡¯re running a projection of an interrogation to try to get some leads. You should take a look at what Lander was transporting. This is no longer petty theft perpetrated by the village outcast. It¡¯s gone up to an official crime now.¡±


    Words Escott didn¡¯t want to hear. Lander was a good guy. He¡¯d been through so much so young. Never knew his mother from birth, lost his only crush to a best friend; the list got sadder and sadder from there. Considering that Escott was that best friend, he felt obligated to do all he could to ease Lander¡¯s suffering.


    Never had he imagined that his friend would do something beyond repair.


    Escott entered the viewing room. The projection on the screen was of an interrogation room behind a small crowd. Beyond the glass, Escott saw nothing but a pale outline.


    ¡°What are we looking at?¡± Escott whispered.


    His father¡¯s head snapped up. ¡°Essy? Maybe you should sit this one out.¡±


    Escott ignored him. He wasn¡¯t going anywhere. His defiance was met with resistance at first, but in time they tried to talk around him.


    They fucking succeeded in doing it somehow. The conversation faded in a blur, ending at, ¡°Okay then, file charges against her and send out the description. We should have locked her up.¡±


    ¡°Her?¡± Escott peered at the projection on the wall. Beyond the glass there was nothing, so he stepped back. He was looking at a pale body so white he could hardly make it out. Real imps had trouble seeing some colors. Escott reasoned that maybe he¡¯d inherited that somehow. If he hadn¡¯t known the woman was on the screen, he wouldn¡¯t have realized that someone stood beyond that glass.


    A step back showed him it was less of a woman and more of a girl¡ªa teen.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t talk, and we¡¯ve got no identification for her,¡± Jan said. ¡°She was in that box stark naked. She¡¯s not one of ours.¡±


    ¡°Maybe someone outta stasis?¡± Dad suggested.


    Escott nodded, proud that he¡¯d thought along the same lines.


    ¡°Doubtful. We¡¯ve been good about clocking all DNA of those new from stasis,¡± one enforcer said.


    The Chief turned to the image on the wall. ¡°Are you trying to say she¡¯s a Topsider? She¡¯s from beyond our force field? That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°But what if it¡¯s not?¡±


    ¡°Look at her. No way she¡¯s from Topside, not that pale.¡± Dad insisted, ¡°Speed up that database presentation. This kid might have just proved our case about why we need DAWN fully functional. If she¡¯s really from Topside, we have to throw her ass back out again.¡± He paused before leaving, asking Escott, ¡°Is there any way I can get you to not go out with the search? I don¡¯t want you interacting with this scum.¡±


    Escott raised his right eyebrow, much like his father did whenever he didn¡¯t appreciate the cheek.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to be an enforcer. How can I do that if you¡¯re tripping me up?¡±


    Grinding his teeth, the Chief said, ¡°This isn¡¯t the farm where you¡¯ve caught an animal that snuck in. This is real life and if that kid¡¯s what I think she is, I want you ten miles from this case.¡±


    Escott folded his arms. ¡°I¡¯m trying to be an enforcer,¡± he said again.


    His father rarely saw eye to eye with him. At this point, it was almost automatic. Everyone said it was because they were so similar. That was nonsense. Knowledge was the gap. Sometimes Escott felt he knew so little about normal things to the point where he¡¯d seek out other Newbreeds because at least the sheltering was so similar that he could feel less alien.


    ¡°I could have handled it if you¡¯d just let me,¡± Escott whispered, half pleading. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the reason she got away.¡±


    Studying him, his father said, ¡°Essy....¡± He hove a sigh and shook his head. ¡°Just stick to catching stuff. Once this quarantine¡¯s up, you can go back to ripping this place apart, all right? For now, just stick with the other Newbreeds. They¡¯re gonna start climbing the walls soon.¡± His voice sounded reasonable, but he had the nerve to raise an index finger at Escott¡¯s face, saying, ¡°But you stay the fuck away from this girl. You got me?¡±


    Jan groaned inward, muttering, ¡°Oh no, the ultimatum.¡±


    The Chief cast her a glance and walked away. Jan, who knew them too well, apparently, turned to Escott and said, ¡°Essy, how about you take a stab at the training room? It¡¯s nearly eighty percent unbeatable. Come on.¡±


    Escott watched after his father. ¡°Would I get arrested if I ran up to him and kicked him in the ass?¡±


    Chuckling, Jan led him away. ¡°Yeah. You actually would. But I¡¯d worry less about him and more about you having to go home and explain that bit, right?¡±


    Escott groaned. Something else concerned him. ¡°Has Lilah called back?¡±


    Jan didn¡¯t answer for some time. ¡°She hasn¡¯t yet, but Gus-Gus didn¡¯t take it well when I called with news of yet another sickness. Took me ages to assure him I wasn¡¯t affected.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Escott held out his arms, frowning. ¡°Just Newbreeds and imps, huh? How fucking convenient.¡±


    ¡°We still don¡¯t know that it affects full blown imps. But it definitely affects E¡¯s so all the better if Lilah keeps her distance.¡±


    That made sense.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    As they traveled the long hall, Escott caught sight of the rush of people hurrying to mobilize and go after whatever dangerous creature Lander had brought in. Escott hesitated to ask about it; instead, he said something else that concerned him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a sick Elemental in my life. Other than....¡± He didn¡¯t dare bring Lilah¡¯s family up, but Jan understood.


    ¡°Yes. And this illness is similar to it. Its administration is similar, too. Explosion, instant rotting flesh. I¡¯m more than a little pissed about it, to be honest. So far, most E¡¯s are holding up.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, stop saying E¡¯s, it sounds so damn old.¡± Escott laughed. ¡°A consequence of bringing people outta stasis or your hubby mentioning a gray hair?¡±


    Jan chuckled at first but slowed in her stride. ¡°Wait, I have gray hair?¡±


    Escott shrugged. ¡°Fucked if I know. Apparently, I can¡¯t see white all that well. That girl on that projection was practically invisible.¡±


    ¡°That is interesting. I¡¯ll mention it to the boys.¡±


    The boys; the other imps who were actively moving around. Jan was the only one Escott knew who always referred to imps with affection. As many imps had married women, many of whom were left behind during the great journey to stasis, one would think there would be solidarity there. There wasn¡¯t. Imp wives did get along¡ªat least they did until people started coming back from stasis. Since then, things have been tense.


    As far as Escott was concerned, imps were heroes. Those women were mostly abandoned by their families while pregnant because they could neither give birth in stasis nor sustain a pregnancy for x amount of years. Imps helped them survive the Great Divide. Imps helped them deliver their babies when the time came. These imps protected them and the offspring from other imps who refused to leave the underground but came out now and then to snatch people away. And these imps worked tirelessly under unfavorable conditions to ensure the survival of people who grew up hating and fearing them.


    So what was the fucking problem now?


    Escott caught sight of said problem as he walked past the breakroom¡ªa poster of Karen Blackwell.


    His sigh made Jan nod. ¡°She gets to me, too, but people have a right to put up whatever advertisement they want. She has a broadcast in about five minutes. You listening?¡±


    Many enforcers wouldn¡¯t meet Escott¡¯s gaze as he passed. ¡°Newbreed ears, Auntie. Can¡¯t avoid said piece of shit broadcast even if I wanted to. I¡¯ll be listening. Might as well hear what new shit allegations we¡¯ve gotta deflect.¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s your bunk,¡± Jan said, indicating a door. ¡°Gave you one on your own.¡±


    Escott smiled. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Jan shook her head. ¡°I swear, you are the weirdest Newbreed alive. Even the boys like sleeping in close proximity of each other. You do realize that it¡¯s dangerous if you start hibernating and nobody realizes it?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t hibernated yet,¡± Escott said. ¡°But if I do suddenly, don¡¯t forget to tell my dad I said rot in hell.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Jan rubbed Escott¡¯s head. ¡°You don¡¯t mean that. You two just need to readjust. You¡¯re his oldest and he¡¯s got a hard time letting go. Now with this thing with Lilah¡¯s parents. It...it¡¯s wearing on him.¡±


    Escott could understand. That didn¡¯t make it any easier. ¡°I just wish he¡¯d stop sheltering me, that¡¯s all. I¡¯m an adult.¡±


    Jan fought back a smile. ¡°You¡¯re in such a hurry to get into adulthood, huh? Well, come on up. We¡¯ve got more bills and less optimism, let me tell ya.¡± She rubbed Escott¡¯s head again. ¡°And don¡¯t let Ms. Blackwell¡¯s broadcast get to ya.¡±


    ¡°If she wants us gone so damn bad, why not let us have our own school like Newbreed mothers are requesting?¡±


    The idea seemed sound enough to Escott, but it was the only thing Jan seemed vehemently against.


    ¡°No. You guys were here first. This is your home. You¡¯re not going to get run out by the bastards who left us to die so they could fall asleep and wake up safe and sound. We¡¯ve made this place. If they don¡¯t like it, fuck them, as you¡¯d say.¡±


    Escott smiled. ¡°Sounds bad when you say it. Almost makes me want to change my ways.... Almost.¡± He stepped into his room but paused. ¡°Auntie....¡±


    Jan turned back to him. ¡°Yeah, button?¡±


    Pride was often Escott¡¯s downfall. He couldn¡¯t ask for much information without feeling as if his father was secretly saying A-ha. See? You are still too young if you don¡¯t even know that much. Whatever Escott needed, he could usually read about. But even that was limited because apparently, before the great divide, technology was much better and all stories were in databases.


    Rather than hunt this word down, Escott came right out and asked, ¡°What¡¯s a slug, by the way? Everybody kept saying that word when they talked about that translucent girl. They don¡¯t mean the animal, right?¡±


    Jan studied him for some time and finally said, ¡°No. They don¡¯t. It¡¯s a Topsider phrase, it means whore.¡±


    Always forthright with information, Jan waited. Maybe she expected Escott to ask more, but Escott couldn¡¯t do anything with this newfound knowledge. Nineteen years alive, living around other Newbreeds, and this was a new word for him.


    ¡°And what¡¯s a whore?¡± Escott hazarded.


    This time when Jan opened her mouth to answer, she hesitated. ¡°It¡¯s...it¡¯s someone who has sex with others for money.¡±


    Jan didn¡¯t shy away¡ªshe rarely ever did. Escott wanted to ask more, for example, why someone would do that rather than work but this gap in his education was telling¡ªhe was proving his father right about being ill equipped for this job.


    ¡°Essy, leave this assignment to us. All right? Just know that it doesn¡¯t concern you. Keep out of trouble and wait out the quarantine. We¡¯ll get it done.¡±


    And then Jan walked away.


    Escott stepped into his little room and flopped down.


    Tonight¡¯s broadcast from Karen Blackwell had the usual energy and hate.


    ¡°Newbreeds, as they¡¯ve chosen to call themselves, are a mistake in need of correction. Now, some people would call that cruel, but my words aren¡¯t meant to hurt anyone. I come from the Low, below the surface where I was born and raised before we were forced up Top to where we are now. In my time, normal women didn¡¯t mix with mutant imps¡ªthey were seen as animals. And nobody wants to remind us why. That¡¯s because imps regularly ate any and all humans who wandered into their domain. Now, I can appreciate desperate times twenty years ago when we didn¡¯t have a choice. But while many will try to romanticize Newbreed children, those born of desperate, normal mothers, to ravenous, deadly imp fathers, I will be the only one brave enough to tell the truth.


    ¡°Imps are vile.¡±


    Escott cringed. He wanted to go out there and smash that radio.


    ¡°Imps are wild, and they are sexually perverse. How many of these Newbreeds were actually wanted? And how many were raised because of obligation? And how many were born from a woman¡¯s free will? Now, some might argue that these women wouldn¡¯t stay for so long if they weren¡¯t free to, but I ask you...who would want them?


    ¡°And the way imps breed them. A newborn pregnancy takes three months. One family can produce an almost infinite amount of children. Is it right to leave women to this horror? Is it fair? Our leader, Mr. Harris, has a way with words¡ªa way of making it seem like this is an active choice, but he won¡¯t say what I will.


    ¡°At this rate we risk being overrun. An imp is a failed attempt at an E. The only natural beings granted these powers are the Elementals and they now make up less than ten percent of our population. Elementals are the ones who build our houses, build our irrigation, repair our streets and yes, fight against Topsiders and other imps trying to assault us. Shouldn¡¯t we work on preserving them instead?¡±


    Escott watched the ceiling. He wasn¡¯t sure about the number of Elementals still around, but he decided to check on it. The sexually ravenous bit he¡¯d like to choke her for was the one lie he¡¯d have trouble disproving. Yes. Imps and their wives had countless children at this point, but from what he¡¯d seen, it wasn¡¯t from the imps¡¯ doing. As imps couldn¡¯t even get aroused without the emotion from their partner coupled with her blood, Karen Blackwell was not only painting a dangerous picture, but one that would be hard to prove.


    For whatever reason, people would find it easier to believe in sexually deviant mutants rather than very interested women. He cringed and turned on his side as something caught his ear.


    ¡°Limit them. Newbreeds have yet to offer children of their own. Limit them. Let their genes be diluted by marrying normal people. And more importantly, put a limit on the number of Newbreed children allowed per family,¡± Karen Blackwell said. ¡°With enough effort, Newbreeds and even imps can appear human. Allow them to teach their children how to achieve this and bring back the rest of our people from stasis. Our estimates show that within the next thirty years, Newbreeds would integrate and disappear from sight.¡±


    Limited births? Escott tried to wrap his head around that. It seemed unlikely that Karen could keep people from having sex, although, the thought of her picture on the ceiling as a deterrent might work.


    The door swung open. ¡°That bitch.¡± Someone marched in. ¡°She actually said it. She actually fucking said it!¡±


    Not believing his ears, Escott sat up and put his feet on the floor. A pink face stared at him from below a wave of blond hair. He regarded his sister with disdain.


    ¡°What. The fuck. Are you doing here?¡± Escott asked with as much composure as he could manage. ¡°Does Dad know you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Of course, he doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here. I¡¯m invisible. I just walked right past him.¡±


    Escott fought back his contempt. ¡°You¡¯re not invisible. So how the hell did you get in?¡±


    She squinted at him. ¡°I told you. I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s with that wig?¡±


    Brushing her fingers against her hair, she blushed. ¡°You can tell it¡¯s a wig?¡±


    He covered his face. ¡°How the hell did you get in with the quarantine, Gwen? And I swear, if you say the word invisible again, I¡¯m letting out my meager claws and ridding our family of you.¡±


    Arms folded, Gwen muttered, ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t say invisible. I was see-through.¡± At his growl, she said, ¡°Less worry about that and more worry about the fact that Karen Blackwell is suggesting aborting Newbreed babies. How about that?¡±


    Escott leaned away. ¡°Aborting?¡±


    ¡°Killing them before they arrive.¡±


    That seemed unlikely. ¡°Thought Newbreed pregnancies were the most stable around? Hundred percent birth rate, and with the least risks.¡± When she didn¡¯t answer, he shrugged. ¡°No, I don¡¯t read but I do hear stuff. Stop worrying about shit like that. Karen Blackwell¡¯s harmless.¡±


    Gwen flopped down beside him. ¡°She was until she came in to report a crime against Princess and Dad sent her packing.¡±


    Rosemary and Princess Blackwell, Karen¡¯s ¡®adopted¡¯ Newbreed daughters she toted around like pets.


    Even Escott lost interest as soon as those names popped up. ¡°Right. Well, let them see that you¡¯re here. Not for nothing, it¡¯s a quarantine.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? ¡®Cause everybody looks fine.¡±


    But she didn¡¯t. In fact, she looked blurred. ¡°Stop moving around,¡± Escott demanded.


    Gwen asked, ¡°What? I¡¯m staying perfectly still.¡±


    A sharp pain tore through Escott¡¯s chest and he keeled over.

 Vows 7

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    Escott focused solely on the buzzing in his ears. Someone gripped his hand tight.


    Distant voices rushed in and out. He could hear his father say, ¡°But he looks better than the others. His skin¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Maybe but check his stats¡ªshit. Move.¡±


    Maybe someone shoved the old man aside. All Escott heard was another sharp cry¡ªa warning¡ªbefore a force slammed into his chest. It came again.


    ¡°Amp up the charge,¡± someone screamed. ¡°He¡¯s a Newbreed.¡±


    A machine whined higher and then that charge again.


    ¡°Again!¡±


    One more led to a constant bleep, bleep, bleep.


    ¡°His heart¡¯s moving, but it¡¯s sped up again. It¡¯s like it¡¯s choking. It goes full speed then stops.¡±


    Through the chatter and cries, no doubt from others seeking help, the Chief¡¯s voice came and went like a gargled whisper.


    ¡°But he looks better than the others.¡±


    ¡°Other than Winrose,¡± the medic said, ¡°Essy¡¯s the only one succumbing to it this fast. It takes days for an imp to die from this agent¡¯s original form. Winrose is hardly affected. We¡¯ve tried using his blood, but his antibodies are so damn aggressive that we¡¯re afraid his blood might kill any Newbreed who gets it. Essy¡¯s resisting it. That¡¯s why I think¡ª¡±


    The world faded. That familiar ringing came again and then a pound on his chest.


    ¡°Breathe, you fucker. Breathe.¡±


    That was no way for a medic to talk.


    ¡°You want to do what?¡± Escott¡¯s father asked. ¡°But the pregnancy....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m suggesting injecting this into your imp wife. The infection¡¯s already reached your unborn. But for whatever reason, Essy can resist and his blood¡¯s not poisonous to other Newbreeds. That might mean the imp to sire him has a stronger immune system.¡±


    ¡°And the baby?¡± Escott¡¯s old man asked.


    The baby.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to say. Imps were the original target for this thing. They built up a real resistance. Every other Newbreed here has an imp father and a human mother. Escott¡¯s the only one with the opposite. All the other imps from that generation are hibernating. It¡¯s already reached your unborn by now, and yes...the likelihood of a stillbirth is very high. I¡¯m sorry. But I have to save the ones I can.¡±


    Escott tried to move, but the world wobbled. He hated not having full control of his eyes.


    ¡°No.¡± Though his throat burned, he still cried out. ¡°No. No. Give it to me. If you¡¯ve got something you need me to fight, then give it to me. Don¡¯t give it to my mother¡ª¡±


    Ring. Ring.


    And then silence.


    This time when Escott came back from the darkness, most chatter faded. He felt steady but while before he could make blurred faces out, now he saw only shadows.


    The grip holding his was a comfort and he tried to hold it back.


    ¡°Lilah....¡± Just knowing she was close was all Escott needed. ¡°I really wanted to marry you. I really did.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s asking for Lilah,¡± his father said through tears. ¡°Bring her in here, please. And get a priest.¡±


    His father. All this time Escott imagined Lilah holding onto him, much like he was sure he¡¯d hold onto her if the tables were turned. It was his father.


    The thought made Escott laugh in spite of himself. ¡°Don¡¯t want you to be the only thing I see before I die, old man. At least I¡¯d want to be around the good parent.¡±


    A sniff stifled a sob. Escott hated that, hated seeing his life-long opponent crying by his bedside.


    ¡°Essy,¡± the Chief blubbered. ¡°They gave you more of the poison. They gave you more and I told them to. I need your forgiveness for that.¡±


    Escott scoffed. Like he¡¯d care. It was for the right reasons. ¡°Is the baby going to be okay? Tell me they¡¯re both going to be okay and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°You have to forgive me.¡±


    ¡°Idiot,¡± Escott whispered. ¡°You two¡¯ve been married twenty-two years. Of course, I want you to have twenty-two more. No forgiveness, jackass. Just make sure everybody makes it out alive. What about Gwen?¡±


    ¡°Gwen? Gwen is here?¡± the Chief exploded out of his chair. ¡°My daughter¡¯s here. Fucking find her.¡±


    The pain after that was Escott¡¯s only focus. He wanted to cry, it was so awful. He awoke again, this time with his eyes seemingly sewn shut. It took ages for him to realize his skin wasn¡¯t supposed to burn like this and was swollen.


    He¡¯d gotten more of whatever this was...whatever this thing was that was killing everyone.


    Winrose was okay. That was good. He¡¯d just lost his mother. His father¡¯d come back from hibernation to find a dead wife and son. That wouldn¡¯t be good. Imps mated for life¡ªhe¡¯d be all alone.


    Escott tried to focus on his own family. He prayed Gwen would stop with her dumb hiding and let others see her.


    ¡°Gwen....¡± Escott choked back a cry. ¡°Gwen. You and this invisible shit....¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got her,¡± someone said. ¡°She¡¯s fine. She¡¯s more human than Newbreed. She¡¯s immune.¡±


    ¡°Lilah....¡± Escott breathed out a sigh of relief. ¡°Lilah....¡±


    Despite Lilah¡¯s voice, Escott couldn¡¯t tell how close she was¡ªif she was close at all.


    ¡°Lilah?¡±


    Eons passed before she finally answered, ¡°I¡¯m here, Essy. The quarantine¡¯s up and I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to marry you. I just wanted you to know that.¡± Pain shot through Escott¡¯s body. He tensed up involuntarily. ¡°Oh fuck.¡±


    The Chief wasn¡¯t all that far off, yelling at someone. ¡°No. You shouldn¡¯t see him. Think of the baby and sit the fuck down.¡±


    Escott didn¡¯t mind swearing at his father and vice versa, but he never took kindly to that language with anyone else in the house.


    ¡°His skin¡¯s coming off,¡± Lilah lamented. ¡°Should it come off like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the medic answered. ¡°It¡¯s likely his fingernails will fall out soon. He¡¯s fighting it, though...but let¡¯s hope we can get a high enough concentration before the others succumb to it. His hair¡¯ll fall out next.¡±


    ¡°I remember,¡± Lilah said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen this sickness for the last ten years. Trust me. I remember.¡±


    Escott¡¯s joints locked up. He barely recognized his own voice when he cried out.


    ¡°Be ready,¡± the medic told someone. ¡°As soon as the fingernails grow back, we¡¯ll take as much blood as he can spare.¡±


    There was darkness after that. Escott bobbed in the black. He lay beyond feeling, beyond pain, beyond breathing.


    ¡°It¡¯s not working. None of it¡¯s grown back,¡± someone complained. ¡°Three days is the most we can wait.¡± He whispered to someone else maybe, ¡°Try to make them comfortable. Tell their mothers to prepare themselves for the possible mass loss. And don¡¯t sugarcoat it. There¡¯s no nice way to say this.¡±


    Rather than the darkness next, Escott found himself surrounded by white. He could hear, though. The Chief offered him a prayer.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t how I wanted to see your wedding, Essy. Just know that.¡± Finally, his father said, ¡°Lilah...it¡¯s now or never.¡±


    There was little sensation at first, but in time, Escott could feel the hand holding his. This one was smaller, slender¡ªLilah.


    Escott struggled to hear the words read for them. He heard his cue, though.


    ¡°And do you Escott Nicodemus¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Escott whispered, interrupting his own lengthy name. ¡°Of course, I do.¡±


    He could barely make out Lilah¡¯s name when the priest addressed her instead. Escott¡¯s only regret was not hearing her speak when it was her turn. He heard nothing for so long that when the white and the stillness came, he couldn¡¯t calm. He wanted to hear it. He had to. After all this time, a two-year engagement deserved a proper ending. He wanted to hear her words...just for himself.


    No one should be left widowed this early in life and he was sorry for that, but he also found his peace in knowing they were properly wed. He just wanted to hear her.


    He began to sink. A sharp force dragged him down, drowning him in pain and bright light. He kept his head up. He just wanted to talk to her, at least once. She deserved that.


    And when he began to drown, he struggled to breathe, to keep his head high in an effort to hear her voice again.


    Pain ripped through him nonstop, but he didn¡¯t care. He endured it in hopes of going back. He didn¡¯t care. He was married.


    It was the only thing Lilah ever asked of him and they¡¯d been waiting for the right moment. None of it ever seemed right. Now they¡¯d done it and he needed to see her again, at least once.


    Escott never learned to swim, but he could float. He used that basic knowledge to his advantage now and kept above what he could only assume was water.


    Centuries came and went¡ªno, a lifetime¡ªbefore he heard a beep...beep...beep again.


    ¡°Escott?¡± the Chief was there. ¡°Medic. Medic, he¡¯s awake.¡±


    ¡°Incredible....¡±


    ¡°And his nails have come back in. That¡¯s a good sign, right?¡±


    Without answering the Chief, the medic hurried past. ¡°Get as much blood from him as you can, we¡¯ll start with the ones in the northern rooms first. They¡¯re bad.


    Each jabbing needle brought mixed feelings of pain yet relief for feeling them at all.


    When they were finally finished, the Chief sat down again. ¡°And everything¡¯s okay. We had to deliver early, but you have a new baby brother. Poison and sickness free.¡±


    Escott breathe out a sigh of relief.


    More than anything, Escott wanted some water to drink. He could barely gesture to his mouth. One attempt was all it took before his father shot to his feet and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got you. I¡¯ll get some.¡±


    Time healed all wounds and that was certainly the case here. Time. And time was an endless demand Escott¡¯s body had.


    The day he could open his eyes was the day he found the Chief slumped over sleeping.


    Escott tried to sit up.


    The man rustled. ¡°Essy?¡±


    At first afraid of speaking, other times had been like swallowing needles, eventually Escott managed to sit back.


    ¡°I¡¯m alive.¡± Escott still had trouble focusing, but his father¡¯s face came into view after a lengthy stare. ¡°Urg. Last face I wanna see right now.¡±


    The Chief didn¡¯t bristle like he usually did. Instead, he wiped his eyes.


    ¡°Essy....¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get all kissy face on me. How long have I been here?¡±


    ¡°Two weeks.¡± The man said. ¡°Two weeks now.¡±


    Escott looked around. ¡°Lilah....¡±


    His father didn¡¯t seem capable of meeting his gaze.


    ¡°What?¡± Escott demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s...it¡¯s complicated.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s fucking complicated? Where¡¯s my wife?¡± Escott demanded.


    His father glanced down at Escott¡¯s left hand balled into a fist. It must have been like that for a while because it took more effort to open his hand than he¡¯d imagined.


    The sight of the ring confused him. ¡°What...?¡±


    His father swallowed hard before confessing, ¡°It¡¯s...not something I want to discuss right now.¡±


    As Escott focused on the metal in his hand, reality dawned. ¡°This is Lilah¡¯s ring. I made it myself.¡± He scanned the busy room, desperate to spot her. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    When his eyes settled on his father, the man finally said, ¡°She¡¯s not coming, Essy. She didn¡¯t finish the ceremony. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

 Come Around 8

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    Escott stared at the mirror and the idiot he found there looking back at him. The scars on his chest from where the Elemental medic had to eventually use his own power to jumpstart Escott¡¯s heart stood out against his pale skin.


    Those marks were still sensitive to the touch. He¡¯d have to go without a shirt, just a jacket. On a normal day, Escott would have been too embarrassed to do that, but he hardly felt like the old Escott anymore.


    One month from the initial quarantine, two weeks from the worst day of his life. Not even the day he died, but the day he woke up to find he¡¯d been left to die.


    As usual these past few weeks, the Chief was there early, hovering. Couldn¡¯t blame the guy, most Newbreeds were forced to stay at the enforcer HQ under strict observation.


    Escott was the first to walk away other than Winrose who barely had a scratch on him.


    DAWN¡¯s database was going live today. Escott thought about turning down the invitation.


    ¡°We¡¯ve updated the uniforms to suit Newbreeds better,¡± the Chief said.


    Escott focused on his father in the mirror. ¡°The only thing I wanna hear is about Karen Blackwell getting arrested for poison and murder.¡±


    His words held a challenge, one that his father never took.


    Their eyes met and the man finally explained himself. ¡°Karen Blackwell has a good alibi.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    Letting out a sigh, the Chief said, ¡°So it¡¯s hard to prove that she somehow planted bombs here and set them off at the exact same time a gang broke out their merchandise. As far as we can tell now, it was all an unexplained accident.¡±


    Escott wanted to slap the man. ¡°Is that what you¡¯ll say to Darla¡¯s husband when he comes back from hibernation to find his unborn child dead and buried?¡±


    Silence. This topic always shut the old man up, but that wasn¡¯t Escott¡¯s intent. He wanted an explanation.


    ¡°Blackwell moved heaven and hell to let Lander out before a bomb goes off.¡± Escott waited but eventually had to answer on his own. ¡°Because she knew this was coming.¡±


    The Chief put his hand on Escott¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s one day. And it¡¯d mean the world to your Eza to know you¡¯re back.¡±


    Eza.... Eza and the baby came out of it all like fighters, all the more reason poor Darla¡¯s situation was so pitiful.


    ¡°Elementals can see bloodlines, so can most imps. Isn¡¯t DAWN a waste? Why do we need to track DNA? We can already track it. Are people saying our Elementals aren¡¯t reliable anymore?¡±


    His father studied him for a moment, debating whether or not to keep him in the usual dark.


    ¡°Elementals aren¡¯t reproducing with other Elementals anymore. A lot of them follow the old ways from the underground, meaning Elemental to Yule paring in hopes of avoiding an Elemental baby too strong to sustain itself. Many more simply debate bringing a child into The Fan with our future so unsteady. We can¡¯t depend on them forever. Are you sure you want to go? I think you should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stay here a bit longer with my thoughts?¡±


    This was one of the few times his father seemed to understand him.


    ¡°You stick close to me, all right?¡±


    Nodding, Escott finished checking the suit over. He picked up the gun on the table. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Part of the new outfit, I told you. We¡¯ve upgraded.¡±


    Eyes wide, Escott asked, ¡°Is this a gun?¡±


    Their eyes met and his father said, ¡°Someone¡¯s trying to kill Newbreeds. That used to be off limits. We all knew we could let our kids move about freely without trouble. If this hate campaign¡¯s picking up, we¡¯ve all agreed we¡¯d better be safe than sorry. So yes. It¡¯s a fucking gun. Take it with you at all times.¡±


    A gun.


    Escott was familiar with them but hated the things¡ªfrom their obnoxious sound to their crude nature. Rarely did he find a function for them that his claws and teeth couldn¡¯t take care of.


    ¡°Biting people is no longer an option for you lot as of now. Are we clear?¡± the Chief said.


    Escott walked strong, though with each step he felt like something pressed on his chest. It wasn¡¯t from any injury, though, just another issue he wrestled with.


    Someone slammed into him in the hallway. ¡°Essy!¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Caught in a vice grip, Escott tensed but calmed once he realized who it was. ¡°Lander.¡± He tried to hug him back.


    ¡°You bastard, of course you¡¯d be okay,¡± Lander said.


    Escott was happy to see him, but asked, ¡°Who let you in?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an open event.¡±


    Lander didn¡¯t have many good clothes, but this must have mattered to him because he¡¯d cleaned his best pair. They were still a size too small, though. He looked rough, but Escott appreciated that someone was happy to see him.


    Still, an open event looked like a way to invite trouble.


    ¡°We have a lot of opposition to DAWN, even now,¡± the Chief said. ¡°But it¡¯s best we get it up and running.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s Winrose,¡± Escott observed. ¡°I wanted to give him my condolences about his mother.¡±


    The Chief caught his shoulder. ¡°No. He¡¯s been acting weird ever since then. And besides.... Amber Winrose isn¡¯t in any of our records and none of the other Newbreed committee mothers knew her beyond that day.¡±


    Escott blinked at him. ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡± He watched Winrose¡¯s every move as he slipped into the room. ¡°He¡¯s a Newbreed through and through.¡±


    Lander agreed, ¡°Yeah. Even girls with less of the mutation are still obvious. Especially when they grow three times faster than us.¡±


    ¡°Never mind that.¡± The Chief ushered them into the main room. ¡°We¡¯re gonna start soon.¡±


    To Escott¡¯s surprise, Lander followed them. That was strange. Even at an open event, the Chief had little incentive to walk next to the criminal likes of Lander. A lot might have happened in one month. Maybe they finally dropped those charges. Smuggling people into their domain seemed like one of the worst crimes someone could commit, though, so that was unlikely.


    It occurred to Escott why Lander was sticking so close once they entered the crowded room. Gus-Gus walked by, Gwen chatting beside him a mile a minute.


    Lilah was here.


    Of course she was. It was her job. Escott tried to get a hold of himself. Rather than look for her, he focused on someone he deemed more important.


    Sitting alone, her back against the wall, Darla observed the room with a blank expression.


    ¡°She lost the baby,¡± Lander explained. ¡°First time it¡¯s ever got this far. It was a stillbirth.¡±


    Escott¡¯s throat felt tight. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say.


    ¡°Worst part?¡± Lander said, ¡°Her imp hibernated for the first time in twenty years.¡±


    ¡°Thinking he didn¡¯t have a reason to skip this season, too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He gets to come back to life and death.¡± Lander¡¯s voice dropped. ¡°Essy.... If I brought those guys in.... If I¡¯m the reason they released that stuff....¡±


    Escott struck him on the chest. ¡°Shut up. They wanted a jailbreak. And if this shit¡¯s out there for all criminals to have a fighting chance against us, fine. But at least we have an antidote finally.¡± His spirits sank. Lilah¡¯s family had to go through hell for years, and all this time, poisoning a Newbreed child¡ªpoisoning Escott¡ªwould have brought a cure. For that he was sorry.


    He kept that sorrow until he caught sight of her.


    Lilah was beautiful. No one could dispute that. And even though she rarely dressed up, the times when she did¡ªfor this ceremony for example¡ªshe was even more stunning. Today, Escott¡¯s gut roiled at the sight of her. She wasn¡¯t beautiful now. Full red lips, big blue eyes, wavy black hair hanging past her shoulders, yet he couldn¡¯t see an inkling of beauty. Hell, her second name meant beauty and he¡¯d thought it fit. Now? Now he saw only irony.


    He took a step in her direction and his father caught his arm.


    ¡°Essy....¡±


    Teeth gritted, Escott said, ¡°I need to do this. I¡¯ve been thinking about nothing else for two damn weeks.¡±


    Escott made his way to Lilah and she stood when she spotted him. Lander and the Chief followed close, but that didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°This really isn¡¯t the time to be doing this,¡± the Chief whispered.


    ¡°Shut up, old man.¡± Escott gained speed. The ring in his pocket weighed him down for weeks, now he gripped it, feeling strong.


    Lilah had height, nearly meeting him eye to eye. That was one thing he always loved about her. Now it felt condescending.


    ¡°Essy...¡± she whispered, seemingly genuine in her relief at seeing him.


    ¡°Yup. Ain¡¯t dead yet,¡± Escott said. ¡°Disappointed?¡±


    She didn¡¯t have an answer.


    Others slowed in what they were doing to watch them. Maybe they expected some blow out, but that wasn¡¯t Escott¡¯s intent. When he held out the ring and he brought up bile from his second stomach and spat on it, the metal eroded then melted in his palm.


    Her features softened. He¡¯d made his point.


    With that, he turned to walk away.


    That¡¯s when she made the mistake of saying, ¡°It wasn¡¯t you, Essy. You¡¯ve gotta know that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Escott turned to her, a rush of rage coming over him. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare. If you¡¯re going to say this isn¡¯t my fault but yours, save your breath. Of course, it¡¯s your fault. You left someone to die. You broke up with someone on his deathbed. Of course, that¡¯s your fault.¡± Silence filled the room, but Escott swore he could hear the pounding of his own heart. He meant to walk away. He¡¯d resolved to do just that, but he couldn¡¯t believe her nerve. ¡°You¡¯re broken inside, Lilah.¡±


    ¡°Essy....¡± The Chief gasped.


    There were no tears for Lilah, just a woeful expression as she muttered, ¡°What was I supposed to do?¡±


    Escott leaned away, shocked. ¡°Supposed to do? Supposed to do? When someone¡¯s dying and they ask to complete a promise, what the hell do you think you¡¯re supposed to do?¡± He waited for an answer and hated her all the more for not giving one. ¡°You proposed to me.¡±


    She made a sound but swallowed down her reply.


    ¡°And when someone¡¯s in a rough way, like say a friend whose mother was dying and she needed someone close and she asked for marriage, you be a friend.¡± Escott looked her in the eye. ¡°I don¡¯t love you romantically, not like I¡¯m supposed to, I know. But I loved you.


    ¡°And when you asked, I figured the rest would come. I didn¡¯t get lovesick like I¡¯ve seen with others, but I was so sure that love would come. That eventually I¡¯d crave you and long for you like the Newbreed mothers cried for their imp husbands whenever they went off on a hunt. I expected to feel that in time, and I thought I was wrong for not feeling it, but it¡¯s got nothing to do with me, Lilah. It¡¯s you. Something¡¯s wrong with you. You¡¯re a shell. You¡¯re an empathic Elemental with no empathy or emotion. You are empty. It¡¯s not me who didn¡¯t feel, it was you who were incapable of it. No smiles, no optimism, just this fear that made you run in circles. And why? If you were just gonna leave, why choose me?¡±


    ¡°You were supposed to be indestructible,¡± Lilah whispered a tear threatening to fall. She blinked it back. ¡°You were supposed to be indestructible, Essy....¡±


    Escott stared her down, willing himself to calm. ¡°Well I¡¯m still here, aren¡¯t I?¡± She didn¡¯t cry, but it was all he could do to keep back his own tears. ¡°What if it was Gus-Gus? If he¡¯d become sick, would you have walked away then, too?¡±


    Lilah slapped him. Her body trembled.


    The Chief leaned close, pleading, ¡°Essy, let¡¯s go.¡±


    But Escott couldn¡¯t move. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be indestructible? Rest assured, woman, you¡¯ve done more than your fair share of damage to me.¡±


    Face twisted into a frown, Lilah shook her head. ¡°You¡¯ll get over it by morning.¡±


    Escott gritted his teeth.


    Lander grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Essy....¡±


    ¡°Yeah, get me outta here,¡± Escott said, ¡°for the first time in my life, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to hit a woman.¡±


    The vice grip on Escott¡¯s arm drew his focus as Lander marched him through the crowd to the other side of the room.

 Fools 9

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    They made it to the exit before Escott had time to counteract Lander¡¯s grip. When the cold, fresh air hit Escott¡¯s skin, he welcomed it.


    Lander rubbed his back. ¡°Take it easy, Essy....¡±


    Escott shrugged him off and made his way down the street. ¡°I need to walk this off, Lanny. Make sure she gets home okay.¡±


    Hands in his pocket, Escott made his way toward the farm. Today, more than ever, he longed for the familiarity of it. He wasn¡¯t cut out to be an enforcer.


    He didn¡¯t get far into the city before he encountered an open manhole. Escott flicked his wrist, calling out his claws. It was less of a manhole and more of a crude tunnel lid. Escott took care when peering down it.


    Twenty years ago, before the Great Divide, his father¡¯s people lived underground. Something forced them to the surface, a place they hadn¡¯t been for more than a hundred years. One thing was clear underground, though, imps were the enemy. They more than earned that name, too. Real imps, failed attempts at making a manmade Elemental, like real E¡¯s were hard to kill. So hard that the children and newborns were thrown away into the middle of the Colony¡ªthe Deadzone. Countless imps collected and grew, caring for all new throwaways until their numbers were sufficient enough that they posed a real problem. But imps hated lights. They had other weaknesses, but that wasn¡¯t what kept them from eating each and every person underground¡ªElementals were.


    An Elemental, a real one, could kill an imp. So could other imps. And the Colony was littered with E¡¯s. Imps tried integrating once but were mistreated. They chose a leader and gathered in strong enough numbers that the Colony felt threatened enough to form a treaty: imps remain in the Deadzone unprovoked, and whatever entered their domain and they killed they could do so without retribution.


    But then the Great Divide happened and for whatever reason, the imps split into two factions. One small group who helped rebuild The Fan, and a larger group who fed freely in all the chaos.


    The most disturbing thing? Imps didn¡¯t need to eat to survive. Yes, they¡¯d starve and suffer, but like real Elementals, they could break down matter on a basic level and feed off that. Imps chose to eat, chose to feed.


    Escott had asked once and was relieved to hear that his own Eza never ate a human. That didn¡¯t go for all other imps now in The Fan. The larger group of rampaging imps remained underground, fearing their leader who¡¯d decided to help survivors. Most didn¡¯t cause any trouble unprovoked, and until now Escott had only encountered one or two strays who dug up the earth by the farm, looking for an animal to drag down. He¡¯d never encountered one in the city.


    After surveying the street without signs of trouble, Escott dragged the lid back over the hole and waited. The covering was close enough to make him believe someone had tried to put it back on but was too weak to do so. That didn¡¯t speak of real imps who could not only put that cover back with ease, but also wouldn¡¯t care to hide their presence in the city.


    Real imps were hard to miss, and it wasn¡¯t by accident that their imps, even the leader, were now hibernating.


    Escott¡¯s Eza was the only one who never went, mostly because of an impending pregnancy.


    The damp smell in the night meant possible rain. Imps weren¡¯t good around water, some Newbreeds weren¡¯t either. Escott would be fine so he decided to use that to his advantage should an unexpected guest pop up.


    The Fan was low on Elementals now, but it did have one defense against imps¡ª Newbreeds. An imp¡¯s spit held venom it could release at will, which was harmless to other imps. Newbreeds¡¯ spit could kill a small enough imp, and mess up a big one for a few weeks.


    Still, Escott preferred when their imps handled the other imps still underground instead, because while Newbreeds did have the fear of their bites on their side, real imps were physically stronger and faster¡ªtheir claws bigger. They¡¯d survived hell and war, too. If they wanted to kill a cocky Newbreed, they¡¯d be more than equipped to try and maybe succeed.


    Another thought occurred as Escott stood. Crooks. He prayed the idiots weren¡¯t trying to use the underground tunnels to hide or transport goods. Without a Newbreed like Lander stupid enough to take the chance, they wouldn¡¯t get far.


    Hands in his pocket, Escott scanned the nearly empty street and then turned to head down into a busier area he rarely went. Good Newbreeds didn¡¯t visit Turner Square. He¡¯d stumbled down it a few times enough to know that was true.


    Sure enough, the street got busier the further in he went. Something caught his eye¡ªa man, flailing around and yelling at the wall.


    Escott decided to give that lunatic a wide birth. The way others glanced in the man¡¯s direction confused him, though. They seemed generally concerned.


    A closer inspection showed it to be Winrose. Escott¡¯s heart broke.


    Escott debated leaving the man there or going to his aid. Winrose¡¯s actions were strange, though, if Escott didn¡¯t know any better, he¡¯d think the guy was arguing with someone invisible.


    ¡°Invisible?¡± Escott squinted. ¡°Invisible....¡±


    Two shadows from the streetlight danced against the wall...Lander¡¯s cargo.


    Judging from the way Winrose held his hand and slammed it against the wall, Escott imagined it to be someone¡¯s throat.


    He hurried to give Winrose a hand for fear he¡¯d kill their only suspect. ¡°Winnie!¡±


    Winrose dropped whatever was in his grip. He glanced in Escott¡¯s direction then raced away.


    Escott thought to run after the guy. Considering that he¡¯d lost his mother in that explosion, no one could fault him for trying to find that gang. And then another thought occurred. In the off chance that it wasn¡¯t the same pale-skinned girl, was Winrose looking to purchase some company?


    That didn¡¯t matter right now. What worried Escott was the fact that he couldn¡¯t see the woman Winrose held. No. That was stupid. Course he could see the idiot. It wasn¡¯t like the woman was naked. He just had to try harder.


    Focus on the clothes, he told himself, but even the clothes were a chore to make out. The girl stood still, back pressed against the wall maybe. Escott realized that by the rapid heartbeat he encountered when he leaned close.


    He grabbed at the air and struck something; a figure tensed up.


    At this moment, he¡¯d give anything to call Gwen down here. She was an expert tracker.


    Holding the woman by the air, Escott came to a conclusion. ¡°I can¡¯t see you, and I think somehow you¡¯re doing it on purpose. I¡¯ll tell you one person who can see you, Winrose, and I¡¯ll call him back here if you don¡¯t knock it off.¡± He waited, but nothing changed. ¡°Or I can call the other enforcers to come see about you. Something tells me they can see you just fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hiding,¡± a tender voice said.


    Escott didn¡¯t believe that at first, but he tried harder to make the figure out. Finally, the teen came into focus. Blood dripped from her temple down her face. That helped to see her. She was pale, even her hair was white. To make matters worse, her eyes were light blue. She might as well be ice at this point¡ªshe was just as hard to make out.


    As much as Escott appreciated that blood, it worried him. ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡±


    The teen tried to wipe the blood away, but it smeared more.


    ¡°It¡¯s my own fault for trying to work without help,¡± she muttered. ¡°Arma¡¯s gonna kill me.¡±


    Work. So Winrose had been a customer. In the month-long recovery, Gwen had been Escott¡¯s eyes and ears. She¡¯d also filled him in on what the hell a whore was. He resented the fact that she knew but he didn¡¯t. He resented it more when he found out she had access to archives Newbreeds weren¡¯t privy to.


    With the way Escott felt about that bomb that killed three people, he should have dragged this idiot back to headquarters right now. Winrose was why he didn¡¯t.


    Escott decided to leave this capture for someone else. Someone smuggled this woman in. Traveling underground to get here took weeks. It seemed a shame to survive real imps for weeks only to get whored once she¡¯d arrived at salvation.


    ¡°This...this is my first time. So could you just let me go? You can get an E to scan me and see.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t who the enforcers wanted, the one to give them that dirty bomb was. If they could confirm it was Karen Blackwell....


    The longer Escott stood there, the better he could make the girl out.


    Escott debated taking her in. Topsiders in The Fan illegally went right back out via the Veil. An imp need only instruct one of the big Guardian imps to shift, opening up the field, and they shoved the Topsider back out. It just didn¡¯t seem right to survive underground imps only to get sent back.


    ¡°Can I talk to you?¡± Escott asked, eager to get as much information as he could without an arrest.


    The way the teen took great interest in others who eyed them said she probably couldn¡¯t¡ªnot openly. Escott was kinda hard to miss¡ªhe was the Chief enforcer¡¯s son for one.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    When the teen¡¯s stomach growled, he decided on a better solution. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some food, and you answer some questions.¡±


    The girl didn¡¯t seem convinced.


    ¡°I won¡¯t take you in. I promise.¡± Escott hoped she¡¯d agree because otherwise he would arrest the wretch. Only thing was...he hadn¡¯t been an enforcer long enough to even know how to do that much.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± the girl said, and took off.


    Escott turned to watch the fast retreat. It would be a good chase if he felt like it.


    His heart wasn¡¯t in it¡ªnothing seemed all that worthwhile lately.


    The teen careened to a halt when three men stepped into her way. Maybe Escott had trouble seeing Ice. He didn¡¯t have one bit of trouble focusing on Winrose waiting some distance beyond the three unwelcomed guests.


    Ice tried to double back, but two more men stepped out before her.


    She was so damn easy to make out for everybody else.


    ¡°Wait. Wait, please. I can get it. I can pay. Please give me a second.¡± And then the little wretch pointed over her shoulder at Escott. ¡°But an enforcer¡¯s here.¡±


    Growling in the back of his throat, Escott stared them down. His reputation must have been bad enough because the men backed away. Three disappeared into open alleyways, but two held Ice under the arm and walked with her.


    Escott broke into a run. People scattered.


    ¡°Newbreed!¡± someone announced.


    Bright lights shined into the streets. They came from at least three different windows high up.


    ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sakes,¡± Escott said, falling to his hands and feet. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t an enforcer now, I¡¯d kick each and every one of you assholes.¡± And since when did normal people take such precautions against Newbreeds?


    Ice broke free of her captors and rushed a wall. Escott wasn¡¯t sure why until the teen grabbed hold of a landing and dragged herself up. She climbed. Sadly, Escott wondered if the poor thing realized that there wasn¡¯t a top to that building for miles.


    Three men followed after her, though they didn¡¯t move as fast.


    There was no place to go but up, as most buildings had to be built high to accommodate population growth. More importantly, fear of fire meant all buildings were so far apart there wasn¡¯t any hope to jump from one to another.


    Ice found that out the hard way as she tired and found refuge on a balcony high up. She stared from left to right, debating what to do. And then she started to climb again.


    Escott slowed and walked on two legs as he looked up, curious as to what the hell the girl had planned.


    A good distance up, Ice climbed up on one final balcony, facing the street, and seemed intent on one thing¡ªto jump off.


    ¡°Idiot.¡± Escott gasped.


    And then he saw it¡ªit wasn¡¯t just one man or two. The group who hunted this girl had grown to at least seven, some using hover bikes to rise up. Whatever this teen was into, she was in too deep.


    ¡°Don¡¯t....¡± Escott pleaded as he began to run. ¡°Don¡¯t. Please don¡¯t.¡±


    And then the poor thing jumped.


    ***


    ¡°Idiot. You fucking idiot.¡±


    Escott rushed to bite the other side of Ice¡¯s neck. He thought to do the hands and feet to help the pain, but the sight of the bones sticking out made him fight back a retch.


    ¡°You fucking idiot,¡± Escott repeated, exhausted from his efforts. People gathered, but his pleas for someone to call enforcers or at least medics went unanswered. ¡°I¡¯m surrounded by more idiots.¡±


    There was no sense in staying here to guard the broken mess, so Escott resolved to run back toward the HQ. There had to be more than a few emergency checkpoints along the way. He¡¯d heard of them tons growing up but never needed one before.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming back,¡± he told Ice, ignoring the girl¡¯s eyes wild with fear. ¡°I¡¯m coming back, but I¡¯ve gotta call for help. I¡¯m coming back.¡±


    Ice pleaded, ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡±


    Escott left her. He ran the fastest he¡¯d ever done, nearly colliding with someone in a robe. By luck and quick thinking, Escott slipped around the bastard and kept moving.


    ¡°Medic, I need a medic,¡± he screamed, his word leaving his throat with a hiss. ¡°A medic! Somebody get me a medic. I need a medic.¡±


    He was nearly at the HQ by the time a Newbreed, the brother of one of the would-be enforcers, ran out to meet him.


    ¡°A medic,¡± Escott hissed and doubled back. ¡°Follow my scent before the rain starts.¡±


    The crowd had nearly doubled. Escott reached back just in time to find the figure he¡¯d bumped into, crouched down holding Ice¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Get up,¡± the stranger said.


    Escott came to a stop so fast he slid on his ass.


    ¡°Mouse, you have to get up. Get up. Please.¡±


    Bells and whistles sounded as help finally came their way. Ice seemed intent on following her friend, not that she could.


    Escott shoved the man in black aside. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t move.¡±


    The stranger ignored him, pleading with Ice. ¡°We¡¯ll make do. We¡¯ll figure it out. But get up.¡±


    ¡°You can have more parts this way,¡± Ice said. ¡°You can sell ¡®em and take care of it that way.¡±


    Her words tore a sob from behind the man¡¯s hood. ¡°I don¡¯t need the parts, you fucking idiot. You need to get up and move with me. We¡¯ll make do.¡±


    Ice¡¯s eyes explored her friend until she said, ¡°Your arm....¡±


    The stranger held his left side, nothing was there. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve got another. But get up. I¡¯m begging you, get up.¡±


    Escott got between them, shoving the jackass back before Ice could make another stupid mistake by trying to actually stand in this condition.


    ¡°Mouse....¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t move, you stupid fuck.¡± Escott growled. ¡°What part of that¡¯s unclear?¡±


    ¡°Please.¡± Deep blue eyes against dark nearly black skin peered at him. ¡°Please. She¡¯s my sister. She¡¯s all I have.¡±


    Escott studied those eyes and came to a conclusion. ¡°That¡¯s a lie; she¡¯s not your sister.¡±


    Body heaving, the stranger stared into him. ¡°I will hunt you to your dying day if you let her die. If she comes with me....¡±


    ¡°Then what? You¡¯ll save her? Huh?¡±


    Voice a quiver, the man said, ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    ¡°Essy!¡± Jan called. ¡°Essy. I¡¯ve got Newbreeds as far as the eyes can see. We¡¯ve got venom, too.¡±


    Escott ignored the idiot at his side and called back, ¡°I¡¯ve already bitten her. I don¡¯t think she can feel anything. She¡¯s holding on.¡±


    Jan came to a stop before them. ¡°Your father¡¯s told you not to bite anyone till we figure out how widespread this stuff is. I¡¯ll be sure to leave that out of the report.¡±


    ¡°Mouse....¡± The man reached for Ice¡¯s hand.


    Ice glanced past him then refocused and whispered, ¡°They¡¯re still here. You should go. Please go.¡±


    Her friend didn¡¯t seem capable of leaving but by the time Escott turned to maybe make an arrest, the stranger was gone.


    With no one there to hold Ice¡¯s hand, Escott grabbed hold and held on. ¡°You¡¯re in good hands. Got the best squad from the farms,¡± Escott assured her. Four people hoisted Ice up, to Escott¡¯s surprise, him as well. ¡°Some dogs got in once, tore Sunny¡¯s arm clean off. After we found it his father put it back on. And look, yours is still attached.¡±


    ¡°Geez, Essy, you¡¯re as bad as your father with these shit assurances.¡± Jan jogged beside them. ¡°Maybe you should shut it for now.¡±


    Ice chuckled despite the jostles. ¡°Actually, they¡¯re kinda funny.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name anyhow?¡± Escott asked, ¡°In my head I keep calling you Ice. And that won¡¯t do.¡±


    Ice leaned her head back, eye lids drooping as she laughed. ¡°Ice...that¡¯s a new one. I suppose it¡¯s better than hey, you.¡± Tears came through her laughter. ¡°I thought it was high enough. I thought it was high enough.¡±


    It was high enough; Escott just bit her fast to slow the bleeding. Left by herself, she would have bled out.


    ¡°You might as well...might as well put Ice on my grave.¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± Escott yelled. ¡°What the fuck you wanna die for? Hey, if anyone has the right to be suicidal right now it¡¯s me. All right? Until you get dumped on your deathbed, don¡¯t say shit to me about not wanting to live. Because trust me, nothing¡¯ll make you question your faith in humanity and women more than something like that.¡±


    Ice managed to whisper, ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s pretty...that¡¯s pretty bad.¡±


    They reached a vehicle in time for two more larger Newbreeds to take the stretchers.


    ¡°Essy, you riding with?¡± someone asked.


    Escott shook his head, he wanted to find that friend and figure this out.


    Ice refused to let him go. ¡°Arma...don¡¯t leave. We¡¯ve come all this way.¡±


    Arma? Escott thought about it a bit longer and scooted along with Ice¡¯s stretcher until they both lay side by side.


    For lack of something better to do, Escott held the somber face. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be fine.¡± Somewhere in his chant, he started trying to sound like Ice¡¯s friend. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine, we¡¯ll make do. You trust that, right?¡±


    Ice nodded. ¡°Yeah.... We always make do. But how you gonna pay without me?¡±


    Escott didn¡¯t have an answer. He kept quiet. If they were lucky, they could arrive at the medics before the rain started¡ªmost Newbreeds couldn¡¯t function well in the rain.


    Shots rang out, spraying the truck. People scattered.


    The door swung open.


    ¡°Mouse! Mouse, get up.¡±


    Escott got to his feet but froze at the large cannon before his face.


    ¡°Make a move, monster, and I¡¯ll wear your ears for a necklace.¡±


    ¡°Arma...I presume.¡± Escott held his hands up.


    The stranger appeared to be acting alone. Behind him, the rain poured.


    Shit. Escott hadn¡¯t expected it to come so fast. He assumed the others who were dragging the cart must have sought shelter. No doubt one of them dragged Jan along, too.


    Newbreeds more than likely went home. That meant regular enforcers or medics were on the way. In this downpour, it¡¯d be a challenge. Lights flickered in the distance¡ªa car. Someone wanted these two, and wasn¡¯t about to give up.


    Escott nodded forward. ¡°You¡¯ve got company. And you¡¯ve got no way of moving this wagon. How¡¯s about you just take off and leave us to it?¡±


    The stranger, Arma, pulled his hood back. It was a woman. Her bald head damp from the rain, she aimed the gun again.


    ¡°You¡¯re not taking her.¡± Though focused on Escott, she called out to Ice. ¡°Mouse. Get up. Get up now.¡±


    Escott wanted to curse the idiot for that impossible request. And then he decided to humor it. Maybe there was a way in hell Ice could rise again after falling that far. Maybe...just maybe. Arma must have seen it¡ªshe must have known. There was a problem, though.


    ¡°She can¡¯t get up,¡± Escott admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve bitten her. That¡¯ll tranquilize the shit out of her for hours.¡±


    ¡°Tranquilize....¡± Arma gritted her teeth. ¡°Shit.¡± She tried to back away. ¡°Mouse, did you hear?¡±


    The car in the distance barreled toward them, but it didn¡¯t seem intent on stopping.


    ¡°Mouse, consider it a drug. Get rid of it.¡±


    One cough came, and then another. Escott risked looking back to see Ice¡¯s body heave. He expected the girl to throw up, but one deep cough came with her remaining still.


    After a moment, she spat out a white orb onto the cot. ¡°Got it,¡± Ice whispered. ¡°I got it all.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Arma glanced at the open door again. ¡°Now get up.¡±


    ¡°My leg....¡±


    ¡°Worry about setting it later. They¡¯re coming.¡±


    And they came, gunfire. Arma dropped to the ground. Escott didn¡¯t bother. Five bullets pelted him, but the distance meant they would only sting. He flexed his back, satisfied when they fell out of him again.


    Bam. Something rammed the wagon. The car.


    ¡°They¡¯ll tip us,¡± Arma said.


    Escott looked between the two of them and growled. ¡°Fucking hell. Hold the fuck on. I¡¯ll drag us.¡±


    Arma hurried for the gun. ¡°Not to your people, you won¡¯t. If Winrose catches us....¡±


    Bam.


    Escott searched those deep blue eyes for help.


    ¡°Please.¡± Ice caught hold of Escott¡¯s arm, begging, ¡°Please. That bomb that went off...we just used it. Whatever else was in it.... It¡¯s got nothing to do with us. Please help us.¡±


    If the screeching tires were any indication, there wasn¡¯t much time to decide who to believe. Escott got to his feet and jumped out.


    ¡°Where do I take you?¡±


    Arma seemed ready to refuse, but Ice answered, ¡°Under the bridge.¡±


    ¡°Mouse,¡± Arma protested.


    ¡°Well, he needs to trust us,¡± Ice explained.


    Escott slammed the doors shut before they could say anything more. Sure enough, the car doubled back, taking a bigger lead start.


    Growling, Escott rushed to the front of the wagon and grabbed hold of the wooden pole. It was meant for two Newbreeds or one strong imp. Escott decided to put his back into it. He shoved his head through and started to run. The bridge...there was only one bridge in all The Fan...in the opposite direction of HQ.


    This wasn¡¯t his first time pulling a wagon, but he was out of practice because his joints locked up. Once he started a good run, though, he picked up speed. The rain meant empty streets, but several pop, pop, pops from behind him meant they were far from home free.


    Escott took the corner sharp, the weight of Ice and her friend nearly causing him to take a tumble. He got the wagon back on its two wheels and picked up speed.


    Something else concerned him, the water. No, he didn¡¯t like the water, either, but he usually had no trouble. The more of it he saw, the less he liked it. Through the grey of the streetlights, the bridge closed in.


    The wagon rocked¡ªsomeone opened the door. One jostle must have meant someone jumped out. The second jostle surprised Escott enough that he looked back. The wagon tipped, dragging Escott by the throat. His body twisted as he crashed into the cobblestone.


    Tumble after tumble came with a throbbing in his back. He meant to get up¡ªhe could get up. But the water. The pain faded in his body, he was fine, but the damn water.


    ¡°Fuck the rain,¡± he yelled. ¡°Fuck this fucking rain!¡±

 Exit 10

    <table width="100%"><tbody><tr><td></td><td> </td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>


    Lilah sat on the sofa by the window, watching the water pour outside. When she was a child, she always imagined one day the Veil would keep the water back.


    Time and time again her father explained to her that wasn¡¯t the Veil¡¯s function. Their people lived¡ªand thrived¡ªunderground. They wanted the graying sky for daytime and a black night for night.


    Imps welcomed it as well. Tonight, as it rained, she focused on the Guardians on their border.


    Rain wasn¡¯t good for imps. They became disoriented and easily lost in it. Lilah touched her arm, searching for her badge that was no longer there. She¡¯d expected to hear a call for help from enforcers.


    If someone really meant to rush the gate and maybe bypass a Guardian, a rainy day might do it. It¡¯d be stupid, but it would be doable. She tried to think of why someone would risk something so foolish.


    Footsteps patted down the hall, a tender voice with it. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t mind? It¡¯s just till after the rain lets up.¡±


    Lilah brought her mug to her lips, eyes on the city.


    ¡°These pictures are incredible. Did your father do them all?¡± Gwen sat down across from her, a warm cup in hand. ¡°They should be on display.¡±


    For as long as Lilah could remember, she¡¯d thought of Escott¡¯s family as being her own. Gwen was a little sister she hunted for with her brother. Seeing her now was painful, though.


    Lilah asked, ¡°What¡¯s with the wig?¡±


    Gwen blushed. ¡°Is it obviously a wig? I suppose you¡¯d know because you know me so well.¡± She tried to fluff it. ¡°Figured I¡¯d wear it in case Gus-Gus was here. Now that you and my brother are taking a break, I can chase Gus without shame.¡±


    Taking a sip from the mug, Lilah muttered, ¡°You kinda already do.¡±


    ¡°Har, har.¡± Gwen stared out the window, too. ¡°Only till you two get back together.¡±


    Lilah fought to calm the pit in her stomach. ¡°We¡¯re not getting back together.¡±


    ¡°Course, you are. You two are the most perfect couple. Course, you are.¡±


    Mute, Lilah decided to take comfort in the possibility that not everyone knew the full details of the breakup. So far the public shaming had been polite. She thought she got off easy. Gus had taken it the worst; he was too humiliated to speak to her. That was probably true, but he couldn¡¯t be more disappointed with her than she was with herself.


    She¡¯d thought herself tough. Where did all this cowardice come from?


    ¡°You haven¡¯t heard from your dad at all?¡± Gwen asked. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine my dad picking up and leaving like that. He¡¯s so involved. And he could get away with leaving. There¡¯s enough of us to handle the young, ya know?¡±


    Instead of answering, Lilah asked, ¡°What¡¯s with the wig?¡±


    Gwen touched her head again but lowered her hand. ¡°What about it? I got the biggest one.¡±


    Lilah sighed. Even if Gus was emotionally available, he wouldn¡¯t be interested in little-sister-like Gwen, long hair or not.


    ¡°You think it¡¯s silly, too, huh?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s important to be happy with yourself,¡± Lilah insisted. ¡°You don¡¯t have any power like a Newbreed, that¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    Gwen frowned. ¡°Yeah, we just age faster. I don¡¯t get why that¡¯s fair. Boys get imp features and a slower growth, and Newbreed girls just age faster.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily like that.¡± Lilah tried to assure her, though she didn¡¯t quite believe her own words. ¡°We¡¯re still learning. You¡¯ve slowed now for two years. For all you know, you keep this age for longer than the boys.¡±


    Gwen fixed her wig. ¡°Or maybe we get abilities like E¡¯s. You never know. I¡¯ve read and reread all the information possible. It¡¯s something to consider.¡±


    It probably was, but there was plenty of time for that. Lilah hoped she was wrong when she asked, ¡°And the wig is...to appear more like an Elemental?¡±


    Letting out a sigh, Gwen dragged it off, revealing a shock of red curls.


    ¡°It just looks better than this. Red hair doesn¡¯t indicate much power.¡±


    Lilah groaned. ¡°Enough already.¡± She wanted to scream you don¡¯t have a prayer but settled on something else, something truthful. ¡°Gus-Gus is in a bad place right now. My actions didn¡¯t make it any better.¡±


    They sat in companionable silence until Lilah offered the plate beside her.


    ¡°Have a cookie.¡±


    Gwen refused. ¡°No way. I can¡¯t be impotent and heavy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re seventeen. Enjoy a cookie.¡±


    ¡°After I marry your brother, sure.¡±


    Rolling her eyes, Lilah went back to watching the rain. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be hell out there for Newbreeds.¡± She knew Escott didn¡¯t need the well-wishing, but she yearned to talk to him. Equally, she yearned to pretend he never existed. He was right about her, she was broken inside. How else could it be explained?


    The door opened downstairs and Lilah sat up. She hoped it was her father.


    Gus-Gus lumbered up the stairs, peeling off his shirt.


    Gwen dragged on that wig fast. He paused at the sight of them.


    ¡°Gwen...is everything all right?¡±


    ¡°All right as ever,¡± she said, hopping to her feet.


    Hair plastered to his face, Gus nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m about to head back out. We¡¯ll find him, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Gwen and Lilah both traded a glance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Gwen asked.


    ¡°Essy. He was transporting a prisoner. The rain got in the way and the Newbreeds had to run. We¡¯ll find him, though. I promise. I¡¯ve just come to get my medic gear.¡± He paused before entering his room. ¡°Have you lost weight?¡±


    Gwen colored. ¡°Just a bit.¡±


    Gus cocked his head to the side. ¡°Hmm. You usually carry your weight so well, though.¡± He rushed inside his room.


    Lilah stood. Escott was missing. Surely, he¡¯d be fine. The medical report she¡¯d forced herself to read said Newbreeds were still recovering from the poison and no one knew how long that would take. But Escott was Escott. He¡¯d be fine.


    She looked down when Gwen took a handful of cookies.


    Their gazes met and Gwen shrugged. ¡°What?¡±


    Lilah groaned. ¡°Give it a rest.¡± Before Gus could leave, Lilah caught up. ¡°Are they calling in his crew to conduct the search?¡±


    Gus stared at her, surprised she¡¯d spoken to him at all. ¡°What do you care? It¡¯s only Escott, right?¡±


    Numb and silent, Lilah fought to respond. Eventually, Gus buckled the last of his gun harness as he hurried down the stairs. ¡°Gwen, are you staying here? Do you need a lift home? I can tell your father where you are if you want.¡±


    Gwen hurried to the stairs and called down. ¡°I¡¯m keeping the future sister-in-law company. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Lilah cringed. She was certain to show Gwen out but instead of locking herself up at home, she started to walk.


    Thirty minutes later found her somewhere unexpected.


    She wasn¡¯t sure what she was doing in front of Lander¡¯s door. She spent a good half hour there, though, knocking to no avail.


    Today, the distant imp Guardians looked restless, swaying in their sleep more than usual. If they were lucky, Winrose¡¯s father wouldn¡¯t realize his woman¡¯s death and wake up enraged.


    There was more than enough fury to go around.


    Rather than wait at Lander¡¯s door in the rain like a madwoman, Lilah resolved to go home.


    The door of her house was ajar. She stared at it, half hoping it was Lander. A creek of the door prompted two voices to stop.


    In time, one whispered, ¡°Did you leave the door open?¡±


    The other voice answered, ¡°Shit.¡±


    Grabbing her gun, Lilah hiked up her pretty frock and hurried up the stairs. She hoped the idiots didn¡¯t run into the hallway. Instinct would tell the morons to escape through that big door in their path, but it led to a certain fall.


    Lilah jumped into the hall in time to see the door close. She hurried to it, expecting to find someone hanging onto the frame for dear life. Nothing. Nobody.


    A fast sweep of the house told her the rooms were empty.


    When she rushed back down the stairs, however, intent on finding a few dead bodies outside, she bumped into someone and fired.


    Groaning, Lander held his side. ¡°Damn it.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    He slid to the floor. As much as Lilah wanted to check on him, she trusted that his Newbreed body would heal fast. The second floor wasn¡¯t high enough to guarantee death, but it would mean a few broken bones should anyone fall.


    No one. Nothing and no one surrounded the house.


    She made sure to bolt the door when she got back inside. Lander wasn¡¯t on the stairs where she¡¯d left him.


    ¡°Lanny?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m here,¡± Lander said from the hall above. ¡°This fucking door doesn¡¯t lead anywhere.¡±


    Lilah rushed to him in time to help pull him back up.


    He lay face down rather than get up, still clutching his side.


    ¡°This fucking hurts,¡± he lamented. ¡°A lot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Sorry. I had it redesigned to slow Newbreeds up. Come here. I need good lighting to tweeze the bits of metal out.¡±


    ¡°Possible Newbreed heading for the northern gate. Proceed with caution.¡±


    Lilah tried to find the badge.


    Lying on his side, Lander reached into his pants pocket and held it up. ¡°That¡¯s why I came by. There¡¯s another chase, but it¡¯s not me.¡±


    Taking the badge finally, Lilah affixed it to her shoulder but went back to work on getting the needles out of Lander¡¯s side. They were painful and he looked pitiful like that on the ground.


    ¡°Were you looking for me?¡± he asked with a flinch.


    ¡°No,¡± Lilah lied. She leaned in close and pulled yet another needle out. ¡°Hold still.¡±


    She got most of them and counted eleven. One was missing.


    Lander tried to shift. ¡°I think you got ¡®em.¡±


    ¡°No. There¡¯s one more.¡± She met his gaze then went about undoing his trousers. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I know where. Hold on.¡±


    When she paused, Lander held his breath. ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got hair on your groin,¡± Lilah observed. She looked into his confused eyes and explained, ¡°Essy doesn¡¯t. Figured Newbreeds just didn¡¯t.¡±


    Lander caught her hand and reminded her, ¡°I¡¯m nothing like Essy.¡±


    Lilah twisted herself free and pulled his trousers lower. She managed to keep some privacy between them.


    ¡°There it is. Wow... that looks thin.¡± She had to break his skin in several areas just to get a good grip on it and pull. The cry that came with it broke her heart. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Lilah lay before him, unsure what to say. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here. It won¡¯t look good.¡±


    He traced her face with his fingertips and said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t care...I mean, I don¡¯t. Maybe Essy doesn¡¯t get it, but I understand.¡±


    Lilah teared up, and that wasn¡¯t an acceptable reaction. Not now, not after all she¡¯d done.


    ¡°He saw it as abandonment, but you saw it as freedom.¡±


    ¡°It was abandonment,¡± Lilah admitted. ¡°Don¡¯t try to make it better than it is.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was his freedom,¡± Lander said.


    They stared at one another, ignoring the countless announcements on the badge, saying nothing.


    Most of the bleeding had stopped by the time Lander scooted closer, pulling her to him. The kiss on her throat felt strange at first but when their lips met, she gave in.


    ¡°Looking to paralyze me again?¡± Lilah teased.


    Lander took another kiss. ¡°I told you, I¡¯ll have to be worked up. So that¡¯ll depend on you.¡±


    A noise from the ground floor made her freeze. Heavy footfall came with it.


    ¡°Lilah!¡± Gus took the steps two by two but careened to a halt at the sight of them. His jaw dropped. ¡°Well, this is unexpected. If Essy really had died, would you have even waited for the body to get cold?¡±


    Face hot, Lilah struggled to her feet. ¡°I can explain.¡± She couldn¡¯t but hopefully those words would buy her some time.


    ¡°Enforcers are mobilizing. A Newbreed¡¯s rushing the northern gate. Didn¡¯t you hear? Or did you have your mouth too full to answer that call?¡±


    Lander rose like a ghost. ¡°Say that again, you prick.¡±


    Lilah stepped between them. ¡°Don¡¯t. I have to go.¡±


    Gus looked the hall over and stepped back. ¡°What happened? Where are all the pictures? What¡¯d you do with all the pictures?¡±


    As he rushed through the rooms searching, Lilah took the bare hallway in for the first time. The walls were empty.


    Another flash of her badge made her groan and she dipped into her bedroom and ripped the dress off. She suited up by the time Gus came out of his room, too.


    He was dressed as a medic, but with body armor. ¡°If one of our border imps awaken without possible enemies to eat, he¡¯s gonna feed on us instead. So let¡¯s go.¡±


    Today was the first time in weeks she allowed herself to acknowledge just how pale her brother had become in the last month. He¡¯d lost some weight, too, which made him look worse. Still, his affliction wasn¡¯t a weakness, but rather a buildup of his power.


    ¡°Can you stay with the ground crew at least? I don¡¯t want you floating up high where you can be swatted,¡± Lilah said.


    Gus barely cut her a glance as he rushed down the stairs and out the door.


    ¡°I wanna come with you,¡± Lander said.


    That was a bad idea.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking.¡± Lander fell to his hands and feet as he rushed downstairs.


    ¡°Wow, he¡¯s really fast.¡±


    Lilah let out a scream. ¡°Distance. There¡¯s something called privacy and distance, Gwen.¡± She flushed when a thought occurred. ¡°How long have you been here?¡±


    She turned to Gwen in time to look out the window and see one of the Guardians rock back and forth before he stood.


    ¡°Holy....¡±


    Gwen was slower to turn. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one rise before.¡±


    It did rise, though, towering over most of the city. Eyes closed, the imp steadied himself, his long arms dangled at his sides.


    ¡°Do you think they know?¡± Gwen asked.


    ¡°They have to know. He¡¯s fucking huge.¡±


    Gwen said, ¡°You know...you¡¯d think they¡¯d find a way to give them clothes. That alone is going to be hard to explain at tomorrow¡¯s tots lesson.¡±


    ¡°I have to go,¡± Lilah said, rushing into her own bedroom. ¡°They¡¯ve called in enforcers for this.¡±


    Taking the steps two by two, Lilah charged the door. She opened it and met up on Karen Blackwell. She had to blink herself awake to realize it wasn¡¯t Karen, but rather, one of her ¡®adopted¡¯ daughters. ¡°Rosie....¡±


    ¡°The imp¡¯s awake,¡± she said. ¡°They actually got the imp awake. Listen. Take this. Take this and see if it¡¯ll stop that stuff from agitating it. Take this.¡±


    She dropped the large metal tube and Lilah caught it. As hard as it was to see through the rain, Lilah made Rosie out as she hurried into the awaiting car and drove off.


    Gwen peered over Lilah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Rosemarie Blackwell...I hope your mother doesn¡¯t find out about this.¡±


    ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡± Lilah asked.


    ¡°Is she honestly suggesting that Karen Blackwell found a way to wake our Guardians at will without the imp leader? To what end?¡± Gwen nodded to the container. ¡°And to come here to deliver some sort of antidote? Whatever. That¡¯s probably more poison. A dead Guardian is more valuable than awakened one. I say take that to HQ or dump it right here.¡±


    Lilah gripped the container and put it in the back of her gun harness as she got her helmet.


    ¡°You really are like your brother. Always a pessimist.¡± Her bike wasn¡¯t far, and she guessed that¡¯s how Rosie knew she was home. Whatever the reason, she¡¯d figure it out later. ¡°Stay out of trouble, Gwen. And stay outta the rain!¡±


    ¡°No worries there,¡± Gwen called. ¡°I¡¯ll help myself to some more cookies, shall I?¡±


    Riding a bike on wet road took its toll; Lilah arrived at HQ later than expected.


    A long line of Newbreeds, most struggling to stand up straight, listened to the Chief with interest.


    ¡°Escott¡¯s my worry, too. He doesn¡¯t fall victim to the rain and he¡¯ll no doubt head below ground if anything happens. Two imps are going to scout around for him. That won¡¯t help the Guardian. He¡¯s awake, he¡¯s disoriented, and he¡¯s calm. We need to keep it that way. Winrose?¡±


    A hanging head went up. ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Your father¡¯s a Guardian. Which one exactly? He can calm the other one.¡±


    Winrose didn¡¯t answer for some time. Finally, he said, ¡°By luck or bad luck...he¡¯s the one awake. I can sense him.¡±


    The Chief fell silent. Jan left his side, conveying her findings with others.


    ¡°Then he¡¯s grieving. He¡¯s learned that his wife¡¯s gone and he¡¯s become restless,¡± the Chief said. ¡°Okay. That makes this all the more harder.¡±


    Lilah gripped the tube at her back, wondering if she should share this information.


    When Jan returned, the Chief whispered to her, ¡°Wake up the imps. Wake them up now.¡±


    ¡°But they hibernate for another month. We might not be able to wake them,¡± Jan answered.


    The Chief came to a conclusion. ¡°Winrose, I know you¡¯re still grieving, too, but you need to calm your father. We¡¯ll get you close enough, and you talk to him.¡±


    Winrose lost color. ¡°Sir. I¡¯ve...I¡¯ve never spoken to him in my life. He¡¯s always been asleep.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jan said, ¡°he¡¯ll still listen to you.¡±


    ¡°Considering that he¡¯s got only one child...he¡¯d better,¡± someone muttered.


    The only other option was to kill the Guardian. That would be no easy task. An imp his size would only succumb to another Guardian and until Winrose, Lilah had never met a Guardian¡¯s child. How was that conception even possible?


    ¡°Right. Let¡¯s get mobile. Keep in mind that if that Guardian steps out of formation, he leaves a crack in the wall. Since it¡¯s raining, that means less Topsiders can get in, but it¡¯s still a shaky barrier until he¡¯s down again or the others shift and tighten our border. That¡¯ll shrink our domain but it¡¯s better than losing it at all.¡±


    ¡°Sir.¡± Lilah raised her hand. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the same gate those smugglers tried to reach? The Northern Gate? Coincidence?¡±


    ¡°Not even slightly,¡± the Chief agreed. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re taking Newbreeds.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be useless in the rain.¡±


    ¡°Not underground. We stay low. If you see a real imp down there, you run. But assuming they¡¯re hibernating, too, we¡¯ll use that to our advantage. Get that Guardian back down again at all costs.¡± He pointed to Winrose. ¡°You ride with me. Don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t hurt your father. We just want him to calm again.¡±


    Considerably paler than usual, Winrose nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The team dispersed, albeit slower than usual. Lilah hurried to the Chief and handed the tube over.


    ¡°I got this from Rosemarie Blackwell.¡±


    The Chief groaned. ¡°Not you, too.¡± He tried to walk around Lilah, but she blocked his path. Finally, he met her gaze which probably took effort. ¡°Listen, I¡¯ve thought of you as my own daughter even before Escott said you two were getting married. So when...well...it hurt,¡± he admitted. ¡°It hurt. But we have to work together. I¡¯m sorry, Lilah, this is as close as I can get to you.¡±


    All Lilah¡¯s drive faded. She couldn¡¯t really blame him.


    ¡°So let¡¯s be professional about it. Give the info to Jan and she¡¯ll relay it to me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bet on it,¡± Jan said, walking by. ¡°She¡¯s the last backstabber I want to talk to.¡±


    And they left; the Chief on his bike, Jan in her vehicle. They left.


    Lilah stared at the tube for ages before she put it behind her again and hurried to join the effort. It hurt. But she had no one else to blame.


    You dumped the man¡¯s son when you thought he was dying, you idiot. Of course he doesn¡¯t want to talk to you.


    Now when she thought about it, she felt foolish for having the nerve to address the man directly. Yes, they worked together. Yes, he was her boss. But he was also a parent, and he was only human.


    Whatever it took to get this situation remedied, Lilah needed to keep her head down and stay out of trouble.


    The earth shook, forcing Lilah to stop. This was new.


    She looked out over at the northern gate in time to see the Guardian step out of formation and lumber into the street. Wires fell off the Guardian¡¯s shoulders, a sure indication he¡¯d moved too far. He was officially off the grid shared by the other Guardians.


    Lilah cursed the rain¡ªit wouldn¡¯t help things. The Guardian¡¯s humongous mouth gaped; it leaned forward and let out a thundering hiss so frightful Lilah almost lost balance.


    Bells clanged; people screamed, and it was with good reason. The first building to fall victim was a small shop, flattened when the Guardian fell against it while trying to catch his balance.


    Hopefully he wouldn¡¯t crush anyone. Wagons bustled past, but they were dragged by regular enforcers, a covering for the roof less these outdated weapons get wet. To date, their most effective tool against Topsiders and rogue imps were...imps¡ªand Newbreeds. Even Elementals weren¡¯t as widely used.


    Green body after green body tore past her. Imps. Real imps. Some slid in their effort to take a sharp turn, but many more kept on. A few hover bikes passed by with an imp clinging for dear life. That had to be rough, even Escott hated being off the ground¡ªa bike was as far as he¡¯d go.


    The Guardian was in a temper, hissing and breaking all in its path by the time Lilah arrived.


    Up high, the Chief hovered in the rain with Winrose, struggling to meet the raging Guardian¡¯s gaze.


    The imps on the scene had all but curled into a ball by the time they arrived.


    ¡°Get them underground,¡± Jan screamed above the noise. ¡°They¡¯ve just awoken from hibernation. It¡¯s not working. This is making them sick. Find a hole and drop them in it.¡±


    Many enforcers took to the task rather than the Guardian. One thing made Lilah curious¡ªWinrose. He didn¡¯t fall victim to the ill effects of the rain. He seemed...utterly uncaring of it.


    Silence fell over the enforcers. Lilah saw why.


    Jan ran from group to group, insisting, ¡°Don¡¯t spook him. We¡¯re trying to calm him down. Don¡¯t spook him.¡±


    Winrose got close. The Chief asked something, maybe permission to drop him on top of the Guardian¡¯s shoulder or back. whatever the request, Winrose fervently refused.


    The Guardian¡¯s yellow eyes took one look at Winrose and then rolled sideways, going in opposite directions until only white was visible.


    And then it fell on all fours. It was gearing up. If a rampaging imp Guardian looked anything like a rampaging Newbreed, it could take days to calm him.


    ¡°No. No. No,¡± Jan pleaded. ¡°Don¡¯t run. Please don¡¯t run.¡±


    Lilah charged the Guardian before another thought occurred to her. She grabbed the tube from behind her and gained speed. When she jumped, she shot a ball of fire from her hand to help propel her forward, right against that Guardian¡¯s knee.


    She held on but wouldn¡¯t for long against the slick green skin. Giving it this might kill it, but that was far better than it destroying their entire city. She brought the tube down hard, digging into the Guardian¡¯s flesh. As expected, the tube felt lighter¡ªit was emptying.


    The Guardian swatted at her. Then he flicked his foot and she lost her grip, tube in hand.


    Instead of the Guardian calming as promised, it leapt, landing on another building that could barely handle the weight. It jumped to two more buildings but missed its grip on the third one and took a fall.


    Silence came with it.


    They waited, and eventually the Guardian¡¯s shallow breathing came to a stop.


    ¡°It¡¯s dead,¡± someone observed.


    Lilah trembled as she took the image in. Laying face first in the road, most of his body sprawled against two buildings, the Guardian lay dead. A few minutes later, the rain stopped.

 Luck and Bandits 11

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    Escott found it appropriate that he¡¯d landed in the gutter. His body twisted and popped¡ªhe was healing. But he couldn¡¯t stand. The rain beat down on him, a burning sensation with it.


    ¡°Fuck....¡± He groaned, still turned on his back and writhing. ¡°Fuck.¡±


    In the distance, he heard his good deed paying off¡ªjust like he deserved.


    ¡°Mouse, let¡¯s go.¡±


    They were leaving. Serves you right, Escott. You were helping crooks. Serves you fucking right.


    ¡°But...but he¡¯s hurt. Look, his skin¡¯s even bruising up. The...the water hurts him?¡± Ice asked.


    Arma¡¯s voice grew distant. ¡°Mouse, let¡¯s go. We can¡¯t be late.¡±


    There was silence for a long while, the furious rain pounding down on the street as his only sound.


    ¡°I...I can¡¯t. I really am hurt. I¡¯m hurt,¡± Ice admitted.


    ¡°Oh, Mouse, what were you thinking?¡± Arma closed in. ¡°Stay still. I can¡¯t do much without both hands, but I can set you on your way. This is my last gift to you. I can¡¯t give any more. Not without my other hand.¡±


    Despite the eventual desertion, Escott took some comfort in knowing Ice would live. The fact that she could stand was a wonderment in and of itself.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Arma said.


    The silence that followed gave Escott time to reflect¡ªmostly on what was wrong with him. He stared up into the great beyond, his eyes stinging. As unreasonable as it sounded, he swore he would die in this water.


    ¡°Mouse?¡±


    Someone was still here...lingering.


    ¡°I...I can¡¯t. He was willing to help us.¡±


    Out of the corner of his eye, Escott took them in.


    Arma grabbed Ice by the shirt before she could rush to Escott¡¯s aid. ¡°Mouse...it¡¯s happening tonight. I need your head on straight. It¡¯s happening. It¡¯s happening and we can¡¯t pay. Let me remind you of that. Not with one arm. We can¡¯t pay.¡±


    Ice refused to budge.


    ¡°Mouse...?¡±


    Ice met her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m helping him.¡±


    ¡°I forbid it.¡±


    Snorting out a laugh, Ice scoffed. ¡°Like that ever works.¡±


    ¡°Well what are we gonna do with him? Sash¡¯s already there. He needs the help.¡±


    Escott kept his eyes on Ice, willing the idiot to stop talking and actually move her ass to come help. The strain became too much, and it forced Escott to look up once more.


    Two hands grabbed his right arm. When one more caught his left, he closed his eyes. Both of them were helping. It¡¯d take both. A full grown Newbreed was heavy cargo.


    ¡°Look at his skin. Is that normal?¡± Ice asked.


    ¡°Just keep moving, you brat. You¡¯ve cost us a lot of time.¡± The earth rumbled and both women paused. ¡°Oh no. Would you look at that?¡±


    Ice gasped. ¡°It¡¯s standing.¡±


    Arma nodded. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s fucking standing. Pray that it moves and gives the enforcers something else to look at other than that barrier. We¡¯ve gotta move faster and throw this one away.¡±


    Escott took insult. ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    Struggling to drag him, Ice said, ¡°That¡¯s not very nice.¡±


    Instead of them finding shelter in a building, Escott was shocked when Arma tore off a manhole and instructed Ice to drop him down into it.


    Escott landed hard, water and dirt swirling around him. This wasn¡¯t the time to be in the underground. And these idiots actually traveled the tunnels. Still, being away from the rain did help. Not fully, because thanks to that damn rain, there was a small flow of water that proved equally distressing.


    Ice landed next, and then Arma.


    With some effort, Escott managed to stand. He could only stumble forward before he went crashing into the ground face first.


    ¡°He looks drunk,¡± Arma complained. ¡°Are you sure about him?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll leave him in a safe place and then head to the gate. Okay?¡±


    The world faded now and then, but Escott remained in motion, all the more so because someone kept calling to him.


    One final tumble proved a dry landing. Something covered him and he decided to rest up and figure it all out later.


    Ice said, ¡°We should bring him further in.¡±


    Judging from the proximity of Arma¡¯s voice, the woman must have crouched. She held Escott¡¯s cheek then the other. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mouse, but I¡¯m putting my foot down. I will punish if you keep this up. Come. We¡¯ll reach faster if we travel under here. Shit. What was that?¡±


    Ice ducked down, whispering, ¡°Enforcers. I guess they¡¯ve got the same idea.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Damn. Fine. Let¡¯s get back up.¡± Arma waited and growled. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. His people are down here, someone¡¯ll find him.¡±


    That satisfied Ice who crouched down and said to Escott, ¡°I do appreciate the rescue.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± Escott wheezed. This abandonment felt a bit too familiar to Lilah¡¯s.


    Silence followed, and then footsteps, and Escott leaned his head back because he knew...he was alone. Eventually, he decided to rest. Sleep came frighteningly fast. The sound of gunfire dragged him awake. Gunfire and shouting.


    Enforcers didn¡¯t like to shoot. They could, but avoided it, especially underground where the noise might attract a curious imp looking to feed. The rain had stopped. As far down as Escott was, somehow, he knew, it had stopped. This wasn¡¯t enforcers, it was something else.


    ¡°Mouse, help me.¡±


    ¡°Arma, duck!¡±


    Boom.


    Escott¡¯s eyes flickered open. ¡°What in the hell...?¡± He needed a minute to adjust to the dim tunnel. One blink then two and he felt renewed. A coarse blanket covered him, but he shrugged it off.


    ¡°Arma!¡± Ice screamed.


    ¡°Just keep going. We¡¯ve come too far. Just keep going. Shit. No, no, don¡¯t go that way, love. Come. Come this way.¡±


    A small body rushed past. Escott had to turn and make sure he wasn¡¯t seeing things.


    ¡°Arma?¡± a child called.


    ¡°I¡¯m here. I¡¯m over here, love. You must come this way. You must come to the dark. Come on.¡±


    Children. And not just one.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get him,¡± someone else said.


    A scream followed. It was then that it occurred to Escott, his presence caused a scare¡ªrather, his glowing eyes did.


    ¡°There¡¯s a monster. Arma, there¡¯s a monster.¡±


    Heavy footfall brought people closer. ¡°Gavas! He¡¯s still here,¡± Arma marveled.


    ¡°Arma?¡±


    Two more voices called out and then a scream.


    ¡°We have to go.¡± Ice barreled toward them, a cannon on her shoulder. ¡°We have to go.¡±


    Now Arma was the reluctant one. ¡°One¡¯s wandered.¡±


    Ice surveyed the tunnel and ran ahead. Gunfire had her racing back. ¡°Arma.¡±


    Arma pushed past her, and whatever she was carrying was strong enough to send fire shooting down the tunnels. It didn¡¯t last long before she doubled back.


    ¡°You lot go. Go. I have to find him.¡±


    Unlike Ice with long white hair, the newcomer who helped them had long blond hair. He looked younger, too. Despite that, his words held conviction and anger. ¡°Are you going to sacrifice all of us? After we¡¯ve come so far?¡±


    Arma looked back down the tunnel.


    Ice did as well. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    With that, Arma caught her by the chest barehanded. ¡°No. No. Absolutely not. You stand out. You¡¯re our damn light source for fuck¡¯s sakes.¡±


    Another scream gave them pause. Arma tried to compose herself. ¡°I can¡¯t leave him.¡±


    ¡°We have to,¡± the blond said. ¡°We really have to.¡±


    Arma looked him in the eye. ¡°I didn¡¯t leave any of you, Sash. And you weren¡¯t that easy to bring.¡±


    The blond nodded. ¡°I know. But we¡¯ll die without you. I don¡¯t know what to do with them.¡± He gestured to Ice. ¡°Mar doesn¡¯t know what to do with them. None of us fucking know, Arma.¡±


    The next scream made Arma¡¯s breath hitch. She grabbed the cannon from Ice. ¡°I can¡¯t leave anyone. Not even one. We¡¯ve already lost two. Get the rest to safety. But I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°A one-armed warrior,¡± Escott drawled. ¡°That¡¯s new.¡± It took some effort for him to stand, but he felt good when he could stretch. ¡°What am I looking for?¡±


    The three of them stared at him, stupid and speechless.


    ¡°It talks,¡± the blond said.


    Arma muttered, ¡°Mind your manners.¡±


    Their suspicion was understandable. ¡°I come from a long line of crooks turned enforcers,¡± Escott explained. ¡°My Pop¡¯s always said, if you¡¯re gonna hang for standing around watching a crime, might as well be guilty. Don¡¯t get guiltier than breaching our borders, so what am I looking for?¡±


    Ice was the only one to rush to him. ¡°Small boy, age five. He¡¯s got short brown hair.¡±


    Escott raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°You talk like he¡¯ll be hard to spot down here. Who¡¯s got him?¡±


    Arma swallowed hard. ¡°Enforcers.¡±


    Gasping, Escott said, ¡°Of course....¡±


    Ice didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°Please. Please get him back. You have to get him back.¡±


    Escott wasn¡¯t sure of that. One glance behind him showed a wagon filled with children of various ages. Some carried babies.


    ¡°What in the hell is this?¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Ice said again. ¡°I know you¡¯ll help us. Please.¡±


    Escott stared the girl down, wondering where all this confidence came from. Best to figure it out after finding the straggler, though. Escott dragged a claw along Ice¡¯s cheek then tasted the blood. With this pure essence, he could follow Ice¡¯s scent and find them anywhere in the city.


    Gunfire broke out, the erratic kind¡ªand it wasn¡¯t directed at them. Escott leapt on his hands and feet and charged down the tunnel.


    He only needed to turn the corner to find out why. Two yellow eyes came his way, and two more. Imps. His heart pounded and he thought to find out if it was friend or foe, but one pounced. He jumped back.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Escott pleaded. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Fresssssshhh mea¡¯t,¡± the second one announced, and blocked his path.


    Voices closed in, a wailing child with it. Imps...three of them, and they had the kid.


    The final imp held the boy up by one leg, carrying him like a toy.


    Now Escott doubted the story of enforcers taking the boy. He could only guess that someone did, and then promptly abandoned him to the imps to save themselves.


    The three imps converged. Escott decided not to make any sudden movements.


    One imp flung the boy as if he was little more than a doll. ¡°Tooo younnng.¡±


    Escott caught him. A struggling child was one thing but fighting three imps with one was another.


    Another one appraised Escott and hissed. ¡°Dirty breeee¡¯d. And he smeeeellls of sss¡¯ugar. Thisss one¡¯sss sssick.¡± He spat at Escott¡¯s feet. The acid of the saliva sizzled on the floor.


    Walking on their hands and feet, they lumbered away.


    Escott watched them until they were gone, disbelieving, he let out a sigh of relief. The boy cried in his grip and he tried to pat his back. Coming from a big family meant getting used to tears, but this one was hard to bear.


    ¡°Shhh. You¡¯re safe.¡± Whatever had poisoned Escott kept them alive.


    Now for the bigger problem...taking this child to HQ or back to his people. Who were his people, again?


    ¡°Arma. I want my Arma,¡± the boy cried.


    Escott let out a sigh and decided to find Arma and the rest of them. Something struck him from behind.


    ¡°No,¡± Ice wailed.


    Another blow to the back of the knees sent Escott folding. He tried to stand, but something heavy struck his head¡ªthat fucking cannon.


    ¡°Mar, shut up.¡±


    ¡°Sash, you don¡¯t have to hit him that hard. He¡¯s just helped us.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an enforcer. Are you forgetting that?¡± Two more heavy strikes came with the boy¡¯s scream. ¡°There.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t enough, not by a long shot. In fact, Escott was ready to rise now. He stayed down, though. The blond was afraid of him. He had every right to be.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Arma said.


    Escott had a feeling that cannon was raised high to strike him again.


    ¡°Sasha! I said that¡¯s enough.¡± Maybe Arma stepped in front of the teen¡ªit wasn¡¯t like she could hold the crying child with one hand and stop the blond with the next. ¡°Come. They¡¯re probably hungry. We should go.¡±


    A rustle sounded and Escott told himself to stay down. Don¡¯t get up and slap the shit out of that kid for hitting him after all he tried to do for them.


    Someone else lingered.


    ¡°Mouse...¡± Arma said. ¡°Please. There¡¯s nothing for you here. Please come.¡±


    Ice muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving him down here. I¡¯m...I¡¯m going to get him help.¡±


    Arma didn¡¯t have an answer for some time. ¡°He¡¯ll manage.¡± She didn¡¯t seem all that certain because she said, ¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    Silence.


    Letting out a sigh, Arma said, ¡°Okay. But you hit that alarm on the street above and you leg it back to us. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ice promised. ¡°Stay safe.¡±


    They separated, Arma and Sasha traveling with the children, and Ice climbing out of the underground.


    After they were good and gone, Escott sighed, more than ready to stand up and put an end to this day. Someone jumped down and rushed to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Ice said, ¡°I¡¯ve called for help. I¡¯ve got the gun, too, in case any imps come. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Escott marveled at the irony. He scared the imps, and yet, here was this girl looking to protect him instead. Standing now would show Ice how worthless her efforts were, so Escott remained still, certain the girl would run away at the first sight of an enforcer rescue.


    Stone scraping stone above meant someone had found them. Ice sat beside him. And when someone jumped down, Ice still sat there.


    ¡°He¡¯s hurt. He needs a medic,¡± Ice insisted. ¡°He¡¯s hurt.¡±


    ¡°Essy....¡± Someone rushed to them but slowed in his stride and said, ¡°Fucking hell, Essy, get up and stop being an idiot.¡± The Newbreed enforcer turned his attention on Ice next. ¡°You¡¯re under arrest, by the way.¡±

 Noon 12

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    From his father¡¯s office, the highest room of the HQ building, Escott stared out at the gray dawn, and the silent chaos it brought.


    Sirens wailed, an announcement on loop. ¡°Remain in your homes. This is a curfew. Remain in your homes.¡± It blasted every ten minutes.


    The green body of the imp Guardian was more distressing than the fighting taking place in the break in the field where the imp once was.


    Newbreeds should go there to help, but even Escott didn¡¯t volunteer. He didn¡¯t have it in him. Their imps had awakened from hibernation, but only a small few patrolled the streets. Escott wasn¡¯t sure what they were hunting for.


    They were rounding up people, though, and he judged from the wagon filled with children and the one-armed woman cuffed to it, Arma and company didn¡¯t get far.


    Someone came in and stood by his side. ¡°The rain washed away most of the scent but not from the tunnels below. Anyone there at the time is getting pulled in.¡±


    But Escott didn¡¯t recognize anyone but Arma and her brood. There were at least a hundred people dragged from their homes and shoved into the streets. And those numbers were rising.


    Without looking, Escott turned and allowed himself the gentle embrace. Clawed hands ran up his back as the grip tightened.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had trouble in the rain before. Mama. I was terrified,¡± he admitted.


    A kiss came down on his brow. ¡°You¡¯ve been pushing yourself so hard. I thought being an enforcer would bring you and your father closer. This isn¡¯t what I wanted.¡±


    After one final squeeze, Escott stepped back¡ªhe wanted to appear strong and composed. The green skin and yellow eyes to greet him still felt safe.


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in rounding these people up. You and I both know that Karen Blackwell is who needs catching.¡±


    Escott wanted to believe otherwise. He hesitated confessing about the Topsiders. ¡°What if I told you it was something else?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t believe it. Not even for a minute. One of our Guardian¡¯s down. They¡¯re virtually indestructible. Even I can¡¯t imagine what she¡¯s given him. But imagine if each and every one of them dropped dead tomorrow.¡±


    The imagery made Escott¡¯s blood run cold. It was impossible to even consider it. ¡°But...but they protect us. Death to The Fan means death to her. Why would she do that?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t a clue but go out there before Jerret awakens. He¡¯s still disoriented, the bigger the imp, the longer the recovery from hibernation. He¡¯ll need all the support he can get to feel like we¡¯re on his side. As the leader, he¡¯ll think this was his fault.¡±


    Escott nodded and turned to make his way out.


    ¡°One more thing....¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Escott asked.


    It took ages before the words came. ¡°About Lilah....¡±


    Escott stifled a groan and opened the door. ¡°Not talking about that, ma.¡±


    The HQ crawled with people. It also crawled with Elementals, fighting ones, the ones who didn¡¯t mind reaping someone of their memories without consent.


    A patch of blue hair caught Escott¡¯s eye and he rushed to intercept it. He knew the height, he knew the walk, and when he caught the man by the shoulder and turned him around, he stared, stunned.


    ¡°Mr. Osbourne.¡±


    Lilah¡¯s father blinked at him. Today, his discolored blue hair sported a good deal of gray at the roots.


    ¡°Essy....¡±


    Her father. It was her father and Escott was beside himself with fear.


    ¡°Lilah. Has something happened to Lilah?¡±


    Osbourne patted his shoulder to calm him. ¡°No. Nothing like that. I¡¯ve been stuck in a detention center for the last month helping a distant relative reintegrate. But every Elemental¡¯s getting called in for this. We need to find out who caused this. So...here I am.¡± He surveyed the crowd. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Lilah. I wanted to talk to her before I go back.¡±


    Escott couldn¡¯t believe the nerve. ¡°You weren¡¯t even at the funeral.¡±


    The man stepped back as if struck. ¡°Oh. Yes. I...I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Suppose? Your twenty-odd-year marriage left you a widower and...and you couldn¡¯t be bothered to show up to the funeral? Do you have any idea what that did to your children?¡±


    The fear in Osbourne¡¯s eyes might have meant he honestly didn¡¯t know. That made it all the more difficult to stomach.


    And then Osbourne said it, something incredibly stupid and cruel.


    ¡°She had you.¡±


    Escott stifled a sound.


    ¡°I admit, I¡¯ve thought about her and Gustov constantly, but...I knew they had family¡ªpeople as good as family. I didn¡¯t have that much and I missed them but...but I was afraid, and...and it¡¯s been hard.¡±


    A rush of enforcers spilled into the room, Elementals in their sleeveless all black uniforms accompanying them.


    Harris was the last to enter. ¡°Basic human rights are not our priority as of this moment. A Guardian lies dead out there. Let¡¯s forget for a second how we will dispose of that body. Let¡¯s forget for a moment how we¡¯ll explain this to their leader. And let¡¯s instead focus on the fact that an imp Guardian, the very ones who are constantly keeping that field recharged with their own bodies was singled out and murdered by an ungrateful bastard.¡±


    A silence fell over the room. Even Osbourne watched on with a grim frown.


    ¡°It would take us weeks to cut that body up. And we can¡¯t even bury it,¡± Harris said. ¡°The only way to get rid of imp flesh is for other imps to consume it. So that means waking up three or more Guardians and asking them to do us that favor. And let¡¯s assume whatever killed that one doesn¡¯t then affect the others and have them all dying on us. The field is sustained by the raw energy those imps create. No field means bare sunlight, the harsh type that¡¯ll ruin our crops. No field means no Guardians against neighboring Topsiders who¡¯d be more than happy for new slaves. So we find this son-of-a-bitch and we find him at all costs. Is that clear?¡±


    Harris stepped aside and Jan took the floor.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°This means that everyone gets scanned, including us,¡± Jan said, ¡°even Elementals will be scanning other Elementals. Any secondary crimes you find, document. Harsh scans such as these tend to drudge up other problems. They can also lead to mild brain damage if people put up a fight. We¡¯re willing to take that risk. We need a solution to this before our imps take matters into their own hands. There¡¯s no rest until we get answers. Anyone who tries to walk away from this mandatory scan will be arrested, enforcers included.¡±


    Several men went around handing out red badges, Escott took one.


    ¡°It¡¯ll turn blue once you¡¯ve been scanned,¡± Osbourne assured him. He patted Escott¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do yourself a favor and don¡¯t resist. As E¡¯s grow tired, they start getting sloppy.¡±


    All enforcers in attendance sat down with their backs against the wall. Five E¡¯s, Osbourne and his twin included, stood in the center of the room.


    Several badges turned blue. Escott observed that his wasn¡¯t one of them¡ªin fact, it turned pink.


    The E¡¯s clapped their hands and an energy wave encompassed them and pulsed outward. When it struck Escott, finally, his body tingled.


    His badge turned black, as did those of two other people.


    Osbourne seemed disappointed when he offered, ¡°We¡¯ll try it again.¡±


    ¡°No. No we won¡¯t,¡± his twin said. ¡°It stays black.¡±


    The majority of the room showed blue badges.


    Jan¡¯s badge was also black, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°Can you get the next floor down?¡± She pointed between herself and Escott. ¡°We¡¯ll be on the ground floor. Hopefully not in the pen.¡±


    The pen. The holding pen.


    Escott lumbered to his feet, puzzling about the badge change. He also wanted to call out to Osbourne. Lilah needed him. She needed to talk to him, to get an explanation, something.


    But Osbourne walked out, and two other blue-badged enforcers ushered Escott and company to the opposite door¡ªthe stairs.


    On their way down, three more blacked-badge enforcers joined them. By the ground floor, there were ten of them.


    Another blanket scan by a new set of E¡¯s turned that damn badge purple. That meant one thing, the pen. Jan didn¡¯t have to go, she sported a blue badge by then, as well as a lengthy explanation to the record-keeping clerk. Jan believed Karen Blackwell was responsible. Jan believed this was Blackwell¡¯s doing, and Jan believed Karen Blackwell should be locked up immediately.


    Escott turned down the offer of giving a statement. He was the only enforcer ushered into that holding pen, aptly named for the mesh wire that encompassed it.


    He found a free seat in the corner, away from the civilians who no doubt took one look at his uniform and made judgements of their own.


    ¡°My Arma,¡± a child cried. ¡°I want my Arma.¡±


    The kid¡¯s matted hair and dirty clothes looked similar enough to the children beside him. Escott counted eleven of them¡ªmost in tears.


    Another hour passed before someone in a robe stumbled into the pen.


    The excited chatter made Escott pick his head up. Arma embraced most of the children, while others kept their distance. That same crying boy kept on crying for Arma despite Arma being right there. Escott wondered for a moment if the child could see at all. It seemed cruel of Arma to not go and make her presence known.


    Cold and crowded, the pen filled with cries as another boy started to bawl for his Arma.


    Escott finally stood.


    Arma knelt between the two children, whispering, ¡°Please hush. Please.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them?¡± Escott asked.


    The fact that Arma didn¡¯t look up at him meant the woman had spotted him long ago.


    ¡°They want their Arma,¡± she explained.


    ¡°Thought you were Arma.¡±


    ¡°Arma is short for Areal Manager. I¡¯m one Areal Manager. These aren¡¯t my designated lot. They came in with mine.¡±


    Escott tried to process that. He didn¡¯t know much about the people beyond the Veil, just that their way of living differed. He came to one conclusion, though, people were people¡ªchildren were children.


    He reached down to pick one boy up, and then the other. Both were tiny, the other about three-years-old. Though they struggled at first, in time they calmed.


    ¡°I come from a big family,¡± Escott explained. ¡°Wailing kids is child¡¯s play.¡± He sat down and patted their backs. It took ages for them to quiet. When they did, he put them on the ground and went to the door to call out to a few Newbreeds on duty.


    ¡°Hey. Get us a few toys or noise makers.¡±


    The Newbreeds traded a glance.


    Escott said, ¡°Unless of course you¡¯re enjoying all this crying. We have a lost and found, damn it.¡±


    There weren¡¯t many toys, but it was something and he put them down. The boys took to them, though the older ones wasn¡¯t as easily distracted.


    The day progressed slowly after that. Escott gave his meal over to the children when he saw how hungry they were. Arma did as well but only partially. No Sasha.


    Escott wondered if that meant something. Did he confess and he was held elsewhere? The children didn¡¯t wear scanning badges, and yet, here they were.


    He would have puzzled over it some more if Arma didn¡¯t sit beside him, offering the meager remains of her meal.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Escott shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯m good for another few days yet.¡± He pounded his stomach. ¡°We have two guts.¡±


    Arma gave him a curious look and then started on the food. Before them, two of the older boys, around nine or ten, patted the younger children¡¯s back until they slept.


    There wasn¡¯t much to do but talk so Escott fished for something to say.


    ¡°They...they¡¯re good with kids.¡±


    After clearing her throat, Arma nodded. ¡°That¡¯s my lot. It¡¯s not easy to farm well, but I managed.¡±


    ¡°Farm?¡± Escott looked at her. ¡°You¡¯re a farmer? Me, too. Mostly the corn, though. What do you farm?¡±


    Despite the innocuous question, Arma only stared at him. Finally, she gestured to the children. ¡°Them.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Arma pulled back the hood of her robe somewhat. Maybe she was trying to get a better look at Escott¡¯s face. As Escott suspected, the woman was bald. She also had no eyebrows and barely any eyelashes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know much about Topsiders, huh?¡±


    Escott shook his head.


    ¡°Well,¡± Arma said, focusing on the children again. ¡°The two genders are separated. Males are grown together; females tend to the cities and the palace. One lot of children consists of ten. An Areal Manager grows them up, training them and keeping them safe.¡± She paused then confessed, ¡°I am not the...original Areal Manager of this lot.¡±


    That Escott could believe. He judged Arma to be in her early twenties. If Sasha and Ice were a part of her lot, then it seemed unheard of to give a six or seven-year-old a ¡®lot¡¯ to raise.


    ¡°I suppose...that¡¯s why I can¡¯t do this well,¡± she muttered.


    Escott considered it. ¡°How long have you been f...farming?¡±


    Arma glanced at him. ¡°Ten years now. Mouse is my apprentice. My lot used to be well-behaved. Very well managed, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve spoiled them. That¡¯s why Sash and Mouse don¡¯t listen to me. The original Areal Manager never allowed disobedience.¡± She rubbed her head. ¡°Not even from me.¡±


    The door of the pen opened often, people rushing it each time to yell out a protest. And each time after it closed, everyone went back to their seats. Escott didn¡¯t bother moving, neither did Arma.


    ¡°They¡¯ve got Mouse, don¡¯t they?¡±


    They? She must have meant the enforcers.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Escott hated to admit it, but Ice was in a cell on the fourth floor.


    And then Arma said it: ¡°I turned us in.¡± She met Escott¡¯s glare. ¡°Told Sash to run and hide, and then I joined the lines and brought these guys here.¡± Her blue eyes explored the babies who were nearly all asleep with full bellies. ¡°I¡¯m hoping to get them adopted.¡±


    Escott had no words to give. He could listen, but that was about all he resolved to do.


    ¡°Each lot is ten,¡± Arma said.


    Maybe it was supposed to mean something, but Escott didn¡¯t have the imagination for that.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill that Guardian. I want you to know that.¡±


    ¡°And what were you trying to do?¡± Escott asked. His eyes met Arma¡¯s, daring the woman to take up the challenge.


    This so-called innocent and seemingly empty conversation must have been going somewhere. Escott wasn¡¯t sure where, yet, but somewhere.


    ¡°Mouse is sweet on you....¡±


    Escott raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°I know when your people lived underground, you had a big Topsider population. The laws are still in that favor.¡± Arma slowed in her speech but muttered, ¡°And Mouse doesn¡¯t cause much trouble. She¡¯s sixteen and...if...if you¡¯d wait on her another year¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Escott cocked his head. ¡°What?¡±


    Arma¡¯s breath hitched. Finally, she said, ¡°Please. I had ten in my lot. I got here on foot, and it wasn¡¯t easy. I had to take all the darkness from Mouse¡¯s skin to keep myself safe in the heat. I had four with me when I went underground. It took weeks to get here and just before I reach...t...two of my older ones...they didn¡¯t make it. I was trying to dig my way out when the imps pounced them.


    ¡°But...but it¡¯s like they couldn¡¯t see Mouse. I got back to her and Sash in time, but...I lost the other two. That¡¯s when I decided it was too dangerous to risk it with the rest. And then I made a deal with a few underhanded people who said they could get my lot through the Veil. I tried to get Mouse there to get them, but each time the alarms sounds like someone told on us. Each attempt costs money and I¡¯ve got none left.¡± She gestured to the children. ¡°These ones are young enough to get adopted, maybe. But...but Mouse....¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll send her back,¡± Escott agreed.


    ¡°But maybe if she married an enforcer, they¡¯d give her some leeway.¡±


    Escott cringed. The expression on Arma¡¯s face said the action hurt her, but she misunderstood. It wasn¡¯t marrying a stranger that bothered Escott. It was marriage...at all. His last attempt had been fruitless, and he had a bigger problem.


    ¡°Imps mate for life. Chances are, Newbreeds do, too. I...I¡¯m flattered by the offer, but....¡±


    Arma held her left shoulder...where her arm should have been, fidgeting.


    ¡°Is there anyone you know who¡¯s trustworthy? Who won¡¯t...who won¡¯t hurt Mouse? Who might be interested?¡±


    Interested? There was no one at all. Who would be interested in that? Randomly marrying a stranger wasn¡¯t the norm. Especially for free since Arma hadn¡¯t offered payment¡ªnot that it would have mattered.


    Escott debated the proper way to refuse the woman. He would have kept opening and closing his mouth in that attempt if someone familiar didn¡¯t walk into the pen and sit with the other prisoners. Lilah.

 Senses 13

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    Lilah¡¯s aunt Darla wasn¡¯t a real aunt by blood, but as most from the original settlers worked side by side, it just sort of turned out that way.


    She was gentle though, and not as old as Escott¡¯s parents. She was just twenty-four when she married an imp over twenty years ago.


    Unlike other imp to human couples who had children after children, Darla never conceived. She still looked young, though¡ªabout thirty or so. That was an advantage of being involved with an Elemental, or even a false one like an imp.


    But twenty plus years of watching others have children¡ªhelping others have children while never having her own. And in that twenty years, this was the first time her man hibernated. It was also the first time the imp leader, Jerret, hibernated.


    And Darla was pregnant, she had been, without her imp husband knowing. And Darla¡¯d lost the baby...without her imp husband knowing.


    Lilah took no pleasure in their suffering, but she couldn¡¯t look away from them despite sitting in the pen.


    Darla hurried around and brought warm, wet towels after towels to rub against her imp-husband¡¯s leg.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got some sweet milk, too,¡± one of the Newbreeds said.


    Maraton, resting on his stomach, tried to reach for it, but Darla boxed his hand aside. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare. Not after such a deep sleep.¡± She instructed the enforcer to put it on a nearby desk.


    By far, the worst was Jerret who could barely stand. His wife and adopted Yule daughter tended to him.


    ¡°Daddy, you have to tilt your head back,¡± the medic instructed. ¡°If you don¡¯t, you¡¯re going to get a nosebleed.¡±


    Her bronze features contrasted starkly with Jerret¡¯s green skin as he stretched on the chair and did as he was told.


    ¡°And you needed the rest, too,¡± his wife complained.


    ¡°How long now?¡± Jerret asked. ¡°I cannot communicate with them yet. How long now?¡±


    The Chief stepped out of the small crowd. ¡°Since yesterday during the rain.¡±


    Jerret tried to sit up again, but his daughter shoved him right back down in his chair.


    The atrophy was the worst. Smaller imps scurried by, but the bigger ones struggled.


    When Jerret turned and palmed his wife¡¯s stomach, Darla made a sound.


    ¡°You were fit,¡± Jerret complained. ¡°Our first and you didn¡¯t even tell me? I might have missed it.¡± He sat up, slower. ¡°At least that is some good news to come back to.¡±


    Darla stared at them so long that her husband nudged her.


    ¡°Why do you stop?¡±


    She got back to work, rubbing life back into his limbs again. Maraton eyed that cup of sweet milk and his wife warned, ¡°Try it and I¡¯m knocking you in your back.¡±


    ¡°I was just looking at it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a disgusting habit,¡± Darla muttered. ¡°One that I hate.¡±


    ¡°I can get drunk off other things if that¡¯s your worry,¡± Maraton offered.


    ¡°The birth is soon,¡± Jerret observed. ¡°Should you walk around so much?¡± He sat up on his own finally. ¡°Wait...that means you did know of this before I went to sleep?¡±


    His wife¡¯s color deepened. ¡°At my age...at my age, I wasn¡¯t sure.¡±


    Jerret held her stomach again. ¡°It will be fine. It kicks strong.¡± He asked Maraton, ¡°Will you help with the preparations? I do not know how.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes.¡±


    Darla and Maraton traded a glance. Finally, she said, ¡°We¡¯ll be too busy with this situation.¡±


    Maraton politely ignored her and told his leader. ¡°We¡¯ve always helped before. Of course, we¡¯ll help this time.¡±


    ¡°Good. It will cheer everyone up after we have such bad news.¡±


    While Jerret and his wife touched foreheads, Darla got an earful from her husband.


    ¡°Do not be so selfish and petty. Saying no because you¡¯re jealous is childish.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Darla swallowed down her response. Her hands trembled.


    Jerret¡¯s wife seemed ready to say something, but Darla shook her head, her eyes pleading for the woman to shut up.


    Lilah didn¡¯t know what to make of it. Darla even stood and walked to shake Jerret and his wife¡¯s hand, congratulating them on the pending birth. The pain in her voice might have been lost on others, but Lilah heard it clearly. She wondered when Darla would break down and tell her husband what the matter was and why she couldn¡¯t help them.


    Darla didn¡¯t. She held her head high, stood by her husband¡¯s side, touched her own stomach now and then as if in sad remembrance, and she kept her mouth shut.


    Tears stung Lilah¡¯s eyes and she had to look away. Each smile Darla faked¡ªalmost perfectly¡ªeach quiet chide her husband gave her about smiling more to show support cut through Lilah much like it had to have cut through Darla, too.


    But Darla nodded, and Lilah listened when Darla made up with her imp, and Lilah hugged herself when Darla offered to bring the mother-to-be another blanket and tea since the HQ was frigid this time of year.


    The tear that Lilah wiped back was hers alone to deal with, but she made the mistake of glancing at the other side of the pen to find Escott watching her. He seemed ready to get up and come by.


    He did stand, but instead, he went to the door and yelled out. ¡°Get her the hell outta here. Get her outta here now, old man. Or I swear....¡±


    The wiring of the pen shook under Escott¡¯s grip.


    ¡°I mean it.¡±


    Jan hurried to them. ¡°Essy. Keep it down, please. We¡¯re meeting about the Guardian¡¯s body. Please.¡± She caught sight of Lilah and said, ¡°I know how you feel, but her badge was black. We¡¯re working as fast as we can. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Escott might have carried on with his cussing if not for one of the children waking up crying.


    The bald prisoner who tended to them rushed to the child but had little success in quieting the boy.


    Due to Escott¡¯s gentle nature, it came as no surprise that the boy reached for him and calmed once Escott picked him up.


    ¡°They¡¯re filthy,¡± Escott said, ¡°we can ask for a bath for them. How can they be expected to sleep in these rags?¡±


    But the lights dimmed before he had time to make his demands. It wasn¡¯t dark but dark enough to remind them that night had come. Lilah didn¡¯t worry too much, because like Escott, she was allowed to keep her gun. She wasn¡¯t an official prisoner yet, only detained.


    The way everyone was acting made her curious.


    ¡°Well look at that,¡± one of the older prisoners said, ¡°didn¡¯t know we get to have more women in here. Kinda lonely with just the one. Now there¡¯s two.¡±


    Without glancing in the bastard¡¯s direction, Lilah held out her hand and allowed a flame to form. She needed it for a warning to them not to try anything.


    Rather than repel people, it made them curious. More and more men gathered. One even sat down beside her, tugging on her hair as he smelled it.


    ¡°Well look at that. An Elemental? Figured you lot were too privileged to get thrown in here with the likes of us.¡±


    ¡°Touch her again, and I¡¯m taking that thumb,¡± Escott said. He sounded gruffer than usual. ¡°And if there¡¯s anyone in here who¡¯s privileged, it¡¯d be me. Because I¡¯m not only a Newbreed and therefore a minority, I¡¯m the Chief enforcer¡¯s son.¡± A silence fell around the room and he pointed at them, the child still resting in his embrace. ¡°So that means I could literally kill each and every one of you assholes and barely make it out of this with a slap on the hand. If you want to find out, then try it. Touch her again. Just try it.¡±


    One man stood, then another and within seconds, Lilah sat alone once more. She didn¡¯t know what to make of it. Escott was just like that. He¡¯d save his own killer if it came down to it. She cringed at the analogy¡ªshe was that likely killer.


    Even now, he was coming to her rescue when he shouldn¡¯t.


    Hell, he was even coming to the rescue of that bald woman and those children, too. That was typical of Escott. He should have learned to butt out.


    No sooner had she thought that, he lumbered toward her and offered up his blanket.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Lilah refused to take it, to even look at him. She leaned against the wall in an effort to find slumber. Bad enough he¡¯d called her broken, and he was probably right, now with this.... When they figured out that she was the one to poison this imp...Escott would only fight for her and end up shamed, too.


    Eventually, Escott walked away¡ªhim and his damn blanket. The children were restless all night, but that woman...Arma and even Escott were fast to tend to them. Lilah liked seeing Escott demand milk for the boys, though. They really loved the drink.


    At breakfast, she sifted through her tray and was caught off guard when the boy who cried the most, approached her with some food. She thought to refuse, but he insisted so she took the bread from him.


    The child scurried away. One glance at Escott¡¯s tray showed it bare of bread. He didn¡¯t smile at her, but he seemed satisfied with her action. Lilah decided to eat it rather than let it go to waste.


    People came and went out of the pen, but it was getting emptier. Escott didn¡¯t seem to mind. He got a huge basin of water upon requesting it and went to the task of cleaning all the children. It wasn¡¯t easy; the younger ones left the water so dirty that the older boys refused to enter.


    Maybe Escott was showing his power, but the request for clothes was a bit much. He got them, though, not surprising due to his status and at night, he requested another basin for the two older boys.


    It was strange seeing Escott in motion. He came from a big...never ending family. That was a scare, because although Lilah wanted a family someday, she hadn¡¯t looked forward to ¡®breeding¡¯ quite like most imp to human couples had.


    Arma moved so daintily that she seemed weak one minute and strong the next. And although Arma acted standoffish, she was impressed by Escott¡¯s power.


    After the boys went to bed, Escott sat down on Lilah¡¯s left.


    ¡°Are you okay? Nobody hurt you, right?¡±


    Of course, nobody did. Arma sat, a sleeping baby in her arm, watching them unabashed. Lilah felt small under that scrutiny. She was more than a little curious if Escott revealed Lilah¡¯s betrayal to the woman.


    ¡°Escott....¡± Arma said, ¡°He won¡¯t sleep. Could you?¡±


    Escott seemed intent on refusing but when the child stirred, he rushed to intercept them.


    ¡°I got you.¡± Escott walked with the child, patting his back. ¡°Essy¡¯s got you.¡±


    Taking care of them came so naturally to Escott¡ªit fit him so well. Lilah¡¯s gut burned with jealousy. She wasn¡¯t sure that was what it was at first, but...it was jealousy. That would never be them, Escott caring for their child. It would never be them. Not now.


    ¡°Escott,¡± someone called. ¡°We¡¯re going in for one more scan. We¡¯re ready for you.¡±


    Escott met eyes with Arma and reluctantly handed the boy over. The child held on but not for too long.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come back and check on you even if I get cleared, I promise.¡±


    As Escott walked out, Lander lumbered in. ¡°Essy....¡±


    ¡°Lander?¡± The enforcers put an arm under Escott¡¯s and practically carried him away.


    Lander flopped down.


    Beyond the bars, several enforcers checked out for the night, leaving Darla to handle the night shift. No sooner had the final enforcer left that Darla wiped her eyes.


    Others in the pen whispered and joked but for Lilah, and even Lander who also stared on, no one was suffering quite as much as Darla.

 Lows 14

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    Escott sat with his arms folded. He¡¯d stepped into it. Now he had to hold on and hope he could get that leg back.


    ¡°You have her with the medics instead of enforcers?¡± the Chief wailed.


    ¡°What was I supposed to do?¡± Escott asked, cutting his father a glance. ¡°Tuck her away in a cell? The kid was dying.¡± Blue badge on his arm and newly cleared of all suspicions, Escott had decided to visit Ice¡ªit was a good thing he did. Whatever Arma thought she did, it didn¡¯t work. Ice looked like she¡¯d jumped off another building again.


    ¡°That¡¯s when you call and let us handle it. You don¡¯t engage her on your own. You could have gotten hurt.¡±


    Escott appreciated that the old man at least scolded him in the office rather than in front of others.


    ¡°You¡¯ve given this person access to E medics without our say-so, Essy. That¡¯s not how it works. Not when she was there at that explosion. What if the same thing happens again?¡±


    Escott had a feeling the same thing wouldn¡¯t happen. Maybe it was Arma, or whoever, losing a hand, or the men who terrified Ice enough that she jumped. Whatever the reason, these guys were unraveling. But how could he convey that without his father¡¯s head blowing up clear off his body?


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Escott promised. He didn¡¯t mean to sound so miserable but from Lilah to this, he was starting to miss the farm. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    His father calmed in time, eyes sincere as he said, ¡°You¡¯re a softy, Essy. And I do admire that about you. That¡¯s a quality you get straight from your mother and I appreciate it. It¡¯s great for creating stuff, but not for enforcing and I wish you¡¯d leave this.¡±


    Escott sat back, defiant. ¡°Talk to me like a regular subordinate. Are we done here?¡±


    The Chief studied him for some time and said, ¡°Fine, regular subordinate. You¡¯re getting written up.¡±


    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me? For what?¡±


    ¡°For not calling for help sooner for one. Where the fuck¡¯s your enforcer¡¯s badge?¡±


    Touching his shoulder to find it bare, Escott sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been a little disoriented since nearly dying,¡± he admitted.


    His father¡¯s expression softened, but Escott wasn¡¯t having it.


    ¡°Are we done here, old man? I¡¯ve got some things to research.¡±


    ¡°Essy...¡± the Chief said, finally, ¡°prepare yourself for her going back. People like her will try to win sympathy however they can. They said you bit her.¡±


    Escott didn¡¯t appreciate the accusation. ¡°Trying to say I¡¯m in cahoots?¡±


    ¡°No. I just...I just figured since nobody tried to hurt you down there and...and you bit the suspect, that you might have been friends.¡±


    ¡°That and Lander¡¯d transported her.¡±


    The Chief didn¡¯t answer. He didn¡¯t need to. From the moment Lander came into the picture Escott¡¯s credibility was on the line. This only served as a reminder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him drag you down with him,¡± the Chief warned. ¡°Let Lander handle his own problems.¡±


    Escott had had enough. ¡°Lander¡¯s got nobody else. Don¡¯t you ever ask me to turn on him again. I¡¯m going to check on my suspect if it¡¯s all the same.¡±


    ¡°No. No, you¡¯re not. I don¡¯t want you anywhere near her. Go check on your Newbreed crew. Their mothers are about to storm the castle.¡±


    In true Escott spirit, he ignored the man and went to check on Ice, his suspect. Although well-aware of the eyes on him as he passed through the open area of patients, mostly human wives at their recovering imp¡¯s bedsides, he walked with his head held high.


    The whispers made him curious by the time he reached the only room there, guarded by five men¡ªand one woman.


    ¡°Auntie Jan, I didn¡¯t know you were still here.¡±


    ¡°Hey, button. I¡¯ve gotta talk to you.¡± Jan stepped closer to him, whispering. ¡°Your father hasn¡¯t seen this yet, but I¡¯m giving you a heads up. Your suspect needs a few more days, but there¡¯s a push to get her out the door and out of The Fan for that matter. So...I got desperate.¡±


    Escott waited, not liking the sound of this one bit. ¡°And?¡±


    Jan handed the paper over, promising, ¡°I put it on right when she came in. I¡¯ll remove it as soon as she recovers. I swear.¡±


    Right eyebrow raised, Escott grumbled. ¡°Married? Not you, too. You¡¯ve engaged me again to this person? Mar...Marum?¡±


    ¡°Maramin.¡±


    ¡°Maramin. Of course.¡± Escott didn¡¯t like where this was heading. The fact that someone else seemed eager to marry him off to save someone meant that he was an easy chump. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t argue it. He wasn¡¯t going to, but he did put his foot down. ¡°If it¡¯ll buy us some time and you¡¯ll take it off before I have to walk down the aisle, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Jan hesitated. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Escott laughed. ¡°And go ahead and tell my dad. Would love to see his face.¡±


    Escott stepped within the room in time to see Mar...Ice sit up and struggle to take the wire binds off. It¡¯d be a cold day in hell before she could break through. Short of removing that hand, she wasn¡¯t going to get out.


    ¡°Hey. You¡¯re moving?¡±


    Ice paused. Maybe she hadn¡¯t intended for anyone to see her this healthy this fast.


    ¡°When are you sending me back?¡± Ice asked. ¡°Can I see...can I send a message or something first?¡±


    Escott pulled a chair from the wall and sat down. ¡°In a hurry to leave?¡±


    Ice was easier to see this morning. Escott wasn¡¯t sure why. He took comfort in it, though.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t fun coming all this way.¡± Ice scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t have any more brothers to give to the cause, though.¡±


    Escott studied her and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you Topsiders know about us, but you should be aware that we can spot a lie a mile away. Beyond that, you don¡¯t have any brothers. You don¡¯t have any family at all.¡±


    Ice¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°There¡¯s a red line that extends from everyone,¡± Escott explained. ¡°It¡¯ll travel all bloodlines. It¡¯s usually how we find relatives for others. You have not even one line. That means no brothers, no sisters, no father, no mother. None of them alive or dead.¡±


    ¡°I said they died,¡± Ice insisted.


    ¡°Yeah, but when a line is severed, it just sorta...floats around. You¡¯ve got nobody.¡±


    Ice watched him, debating something. Finally, she said, ¡°They were the closest I had to brothers.¡±


    Escott wasn¡¯t quite sure how truthful that was. The we can tell a lie bit was a lie in and of itself. It usually worked, though.


    ¡°Will they send me back down into the tunnels?¡± Ice asked, hands trembling. ¡°Because I¡¯ll take execution instead.¡±


    That was understandable. ¡°No. For that we open a gate and throw you out of the Veil, I think.¡± Escott wasn¡¯t entirely sure if that was true, either, but he wanted to give some assurance.


    The door opened and Winrose paused before entering. ¡°Oh. Hello, Escott. Are you done with the prisoner?¡±


    Ice rose higher in bed, closer to the wall.


    Escott glanced from her to Winrose and back again. When Escott looked at Winrose, he saw a weakling, someone almost adorable. Even those glasses were a riot. He didn¡¯t see a threat.


    The way Ice seemed ready to burrow through the wall both confused and worried him.


    ¡°No. Not yet,¡± Escott said.


    Winrose asked, ¡°Another ten minutes, then?¡±


    The Chief and company would be coming soon no doubt. Instead of leaving, Escott hopped on the bed and took Ice by the arm.


    ¡°Here getting comfy with the new fianc¨¦e so gonna need a minute. Yeah?¡±


    Winrose puzzled over his words but said nothing as he inched out and shut the door.


    Escott didn¡¯t like the idea of leaving Ice alone. When the Chief came in raising hell and cussing without limit, Escott got out of there, though. His intent was to head back down to the pen and find Ice¡¯s friend, Arma, but when he asked for access, finally, he could focus on one person¡ªa fellow Newbreed in the pen who wore a gray cadet uniform.


    ¡°Lander?¡± Escott opened the door of the pen and ushered his friend out. ¡°You need a walk?¡±


    Darla stood to protest, ¡°Essy....¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll stay right here,¡± Escott said.


    Lander laughed as he exited. ¡°Essy. I came looking for you. What¡¯d you think?¡±


    It was true, Lander didn¡¯t sport a badge, nothing at all.


    ¡°Think?¡± Escott stepped back. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m joining the enforcers, obviously.¡±


    Escott raised an eyebrow at him.


    Lander gave up. ¡°Yeah. Okay, okay, but you know, I could be serious one day.¡±


    That eyebrow rose higher.


    Finally, Lander confessed, ¡°For privacy reasons, only enforcers are allowed access to DAWN¡¯s results.¡±


    Escott nodded. ¡°And you wanna get your own.¡± They didn¡¯t get farther than a small desk where idle enforcers played cards.


    ¡°Got my own,¡± Lander said, flopping down. ¡°Haven¡¯t looked yet though. Besides, your new engagement is all over HQ. I ran over here to see what the hell was going on. You and Lilah¡ª¡±


    ¡°You must be out of your fucking mind.¡± Escott needed a minute to fight back the gag. He didn¡¯t care if they were out of earshot. ¡°How stupid do you think I am? Lilah? You think I¡¯d ever consider Lilah again? Even if we were the last two people in The Fan. I¡¯d have to be a fucking fool and this time she should smother me with a pillow on principle alone.¡±


    Lander made a face. ¡°I get that you two have your differences, but....¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    He was smart enough to shut up.


    Escott glanced down at the envelope. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve got your results, you quitting?¡±


    ¡°I....¡± Lander considered it and tried to laugh. ¡°Course¡ªcourse I am. Course I would.¡±


    Another thought concerned Escott. ¡°Wait, my new engagement is all over HQ? Are you serious?¡±


    If the way Lilah watched them was any indication, it definitely was.


    She stood to approach the door of the pen. ¡°Essy....¡±


    Escott zeroed in on her. ¡°Wait, before you say anything, let me lay down postulate at your feet so you can walk all over me again.¡±


    Lilah had the grace to blush. She didn¡¯t meet his gaze as she took her seat once more. Several more enforcers entered the holding room.


    ¡°They¡¯re trying to safeguard this place thanks to your suspect,¡± Lander explained.


    ¡°You mean your suspect, don¡¯t you?¡± Escott¡¯s drive to head out and even find Ice¡¯s friend, Sasha, wavered.


    ¡°Are you off duty?¡± Lander asked.


    Escott was, but he planned to head back into the pen to see to the children. ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with the engagement, though?¡± Lander asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Escott glanced at him and explained, ¡°It was Auntie¡¯s idea.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    Escott sat up, disbelieving his ears. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    As more and more people entered, Escott realized something bigger was happening. Lander was here, maybe of his own volition, but something said otherwise.


    Escott made the mistake of standing and peering out the only window in the room. Far below, cars zipped to a halt. Karen Blackwell stepped out. She wasn¡¯t dragged, she wasn¡¯t cuffed, and she sure as hell wasn¡¯t under arrest, not with the protesters forming almost instantly.


    The Chief entered the room through one door but paused at the sight of them. Escott made sure to sit across from Lander to indicate this wasn¡¯t a jailbreak.


    ¡°Lanny, you can¡¯t really be out of the pen.¡±


    At Lander¡¯s silence, Escott assured his father. ¡°I¡¯ve got him. Just taking a small break.¡±


    The Chief sighed.


    Darla, seated at the main desk, called out. ¡°Got him, too, Chief.¡±


    The Chief paused at the sight of her. ¡°Darla? You still on duty? Get some rest.¡±


    ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m okay.¡±


    The Chief glanced at the window. From this height it was hard to see down to the ground without getting closer, but Escott understood. Karen Blackwell, the one responsible for the poison that took Darla¡¯s chance at motherhood away, was coming, and she was marching through.


    Rather than bring attention to it or go down to greet her, the Chief stayed close and kept his mouth shut.


    The crowd of enforcers safeguarding the building grew, chatting although several stray glances came their way.


    When the Chief caught sight of Lilah, he shook his head. This was...uncomfortable. Lilah¡¯s so-called fugitive father performing scans under foot was...uncomfortable. Her being in the pen was uncomfortable and sure as hell Karen Blackwell storming their building with her supporters was...uncomfortable.


    Especially when everyone became privy to each other.


    Lander rubbed his shoulder. ¡°Essy, you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah...yeah, I¡¯m okay.¡± Escott wasn¡¯t okay.


    But it was the Chief who surprised Escott by grabbing him to stand before dragging him into a hug. He didn¡¯t make any stupid jokes or excuse Lilah¡¯s behavior¡ªsomething he was notorious for¡ªhe only held his son close. That made Escott worry. Someone was in trouble. Either Lilah or Lander or both, but someone was in trouble.


    Escott almost melted into the embrace, but he was too angry. His only show of appreciation was the gentle way he broke his father¡¯s hold and stepped back.


    Karen Blackwell was no doubt in the building by now and Escott said, ¡°They need you down there.¡±


    The Chief didn¡¯t seem intent on going.


    Escott pleaded, ¡°Don¡¯t let everybody worry. I¡¯m okay.¡± He gestured to Lander. ¡°Lanny¡¯ll be here. We¡¯ll stay put nice and safe in the pen.¡±


    At first holding Escott¡¯s shoulders, his father held his throat then his face next. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. I promise.¡±


    He walked away, but Escott didn¡¯t watch him go, instead, he paced.


    Lander took him by the arm again. ¡°You¡¯ll feel better once this is all over with. Sit down.¡±


    But Escott wanted to break down. In fact, he was certain if he wasn¡¯t here, he¡¯d be crying in a corner somewhere. He refused to give Lilah that satisfaction, though, so he sat at the little table, thankful when Lander sat down before him. This wasn¡¯t where Escott wanted Lilah, but equally, her recent snub of his peace offering the day before was still fresh.


    Even Lander looked spooked. Now and then he glanced in the distance at Lilah but didn¡¯t focus on her for long.


    It took Escott some time to realize why Lander was so curious about Lilah¡ªno one greeted her as they entered the room. Even her brother Gus, who passed through with Gwen nipping at his heels, didn¡¯t cast her a glance.


    ¡°Been that way for a while,¡± Lander said. ¡°Not here. But around town. And what she did to you when you were sick is spreading fast. Incredibly fast. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone around who doesn¡¯t know. Word has it Gus-Gus isn¡¯t talking to her, either.¡±


    As angry as Escott still was, he was sad to hear about Gus¡¯s betrayal. People were supposed to stand with family, not leave them. But maybe that was just that family¡¯s nature.


    No. That was nonsense. If Lilah dropped down hurt right now her little brother would rush to her side. He wouldn¡¯t walk away from her without looking back.


    ¡°It¡¯s weird having someone else overshadow me as the outcast,¡± Lander muttered.


    Escott looked to see what he meant. Eyes of fellow enforcers glanced at Lilah, usually accompanied with a headshake and whispers. And while several people mingled, no one went toward her. She sat stoic, though, as stubborn as ever.


    ¡°If we¡¯re gonna talk about this, you¡¯d better hold my gun,¡± Escott said, putting it between them for sport.


    The chatter picked up, and Escott tried to find the source. Winrose entered the already crowded room and requested entry to the pen. That Newbreed managed to look even more feeble than before as he made his way to Lilah.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Escott said without thinking. He met Lander¡¯s blank gaze and explained, ¡°She¡¯s not good with being alone. It¡¯ll be good if she¡¯s got one friend.¡±


    Lander watched Winrose and Lilah unabashed. ¡°You don¡¯t think...you don¡¯t think she¡¯s found someone else, do you?¡±


    Cringing, Escott sat up. He¡¯d thought about that, too, as he lay in bed for two weeks straight, willing his body to mend.


    Turning to face Escott, Lander put his hand over the gun. ¡°Can I give this back to you without someone getting shot in the head?¡±


    Escott didn¡¯t appreciate his friend¡¯s train of thought¡ªhe wasn¡¯t petty.


    ¡°What? You think I want her to die alone or something?¡±


    Lander scoffed. ¡°Looks pretty likely she might right about now.¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t wish that,¡± Escott admitted.


    ¡°So you can forgive her?¡± Lander asked. ¡°Even if she was kissy-face with somebody else?¡±


    Escott didn¡¯t have an answer. He didn¡¯t want Lilah alone. Despite all she¡¯d done and all the time he¡¯d wasted trying to be whatever she wanted, Escott did care about her. He did want to see her happy¡ªmore than anything. That was why he¡¯d turned himself inside out to try and be all that she wanted. Somewhere along the lines he forgot about himself, but he didn¡¯t hate her, even now.


    ¡°There¡¯s no forgiveness,¡± Escott said, sitting back. ¡°That¡¯s the problem. I¡¯m shocked, but not surprised. Does that make any sense?¡±


    Lander took great interest in Winrose, especially when the Newbreed sat down at Lilah¡¯s side. Escott, on the other hand, resolved to ignore them. He had to because while he should focus on Winrose being there for Lilah, he couldn¡¯t help noticing how some of the kids huddled closer to Arma and one even started to cry.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe the nerve,¡± Lander muttered. ¡°People¡¯ll get the wrong idea and talk if he sits in there now.¡±


    But Escott took interest in Lander instead.


    He decided to put his friend at ease. ¡°Leave her to Winrose. He¡¯s just lost his mother, and Lilah can definitely relate. If they can find solace together, I can¡¯t fault them that.¡±


    Lander turned to Escott and asked, ¡°Are you saying you honestly don¡¯t care?¡±


    Escott searched himself for an answer and a sincere one came. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t begrudge her it, no.¡±


    ¡°But Winrose is on your team,¡± Lander argued. ¡°He knows your territory and to do this...to approach the same week you confront her....¡± He glanced back to the unlikely couple. ¡°The nerve.¡±


    That was jealousy talking and Escott knew it for what it was. As far back as Escott could remember, Lander¡¯d had a thing for Lilah. He couldn¡¯t help himself; he was so in love with that family. Escott might have encouraged it if he thought Lander had a chance in hell. Lilah looked down on him and there was no sense in trying to send her into his arms. Even when Lilah made her choice by proposing to Escott, Lander never challenged it because he must have known his interest would never amount to anything. Escott chalked it all up to that jealousy why Lander was so interested in Winrose now.


    ¡°And he¡¯s so weak-looking,¡± Lander protested.


    Escott said, ¡°Lilah¡¯s tough as nails. She doesn¡¯t need someone strong.¡± He snorted out a laugh. ¡°Fuck. I don¡¯t know what the hell she needs.¡±


    The envelope holding the results from the DNA test should have been Lander¡¯s focus tonight, but he instead looked back at Lilah and her only company¡ªWinrose.


    ¡°So you¡¯d give your forgiveness and blessing? Even now?¡± Lander asked, looking back again.


    Escott glanced at the pen but couldn¡¯t stand to see the scene in question.


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    ¡°Because if you want to go over there, I¡¯m behind you.¡±


    ¡°Leave them.¡± Escott said, ¡°I have no ill feelings. They deserve something nice. Just wished they¡¯d keep me outta it.¡±


    Escott didn¡¯t mind her moving on, not even slightly. If Lilah had someone to keep her company through this hit to not only her reputation, but the loss in the family, then all the better. Besides that, Escott didn¡¯t want to tell Arma about Ice¡¯s unhealed injuries. He was afraid Arma might tell him something unfavorable...like the fact that someone...someone strong yet weak-looking might have made those injuries anew. The thought hadn¡¯t occurred till now, and Escott wanted to kick himself.


    Lander faced him, a crease in his brow. Escott struggled to read that expression.


    ¡°You honestly don¡¯t care? You¡¯d let it go?¡±


    ¡°I have let it go,¡± Escott corrected. ¡°So stop looking at them.¡± He considered how he could get Winrose out of there.


    And then Lander said something strange. ¡°And would you forgive it even if it was me?¡±


    Escott blinked once. ¡°What?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for Lander to elaborate, he only cut him off when he said, ¡°I¡¯d kill you.¡±


    Lander¡¯s breath hitched until he tried to smile through the strange expression of half terror, half amusement.


    ¡°You¡¯d give Winrose a pass?¡±


    ¡°Fuck yeah I¡¯d give him a pass, but not you.¡± Escott trembled but fought to calm. He kept reminding himself that Lander wrestled with these feelings for ages and he couldn¡¯t fault the guy. Something else came to mind, something he hoped he was wrong about. ¡°Another Newbreed with nothing to lose taking my girl is one thing. Especially one who¡¯s just lost his only family member. But you...you¡¯re something else. If I found out that you were fucking my fianc¨¦e while I lay dying because of your piece of shit smuggle gone wrong.... I¡¯d kill you.¡±


    Lander stared at him, lips parted, without a breath to give.


    And then Escott saw it, a change in the bastard¡¯s expression. He grabbed the gun off the table and shot Lander in the throat.


    Screams broke out. Some people fell to the floor, others drew their weapons. Escott didn¡¯t care.


    Lander¡¯s wound spread then mended fast, as expected, but that didn¡¯t matter¡ªit hurt.


    Escott brought the gun higher, but Lander defrosted from his shock and ducked in time.


    ¡°You fucker.¡± Escott stood, flipping the table. ¡°You wanna be me that bad? Huh? That what this is?¡±


    Lander drew in ragged breaths as he struggled to stand. He extended his hands, urging Escott back. The gun must have damaged his voice box because he sounded guttural as he begged, ¡°Please, Essy. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. I swear.¡±


    ¡°You swear? Bitch. You swear? How about I swear?¡± Escott darted for him, but Lander jumped back. This was far from over. Escott threw the gun down, opting instead to let his body expand. He rose in height, claws bare. ¡°You fucker.¡±


    Lander blocked the first strike barehanded. He had to turn to catch the second one in the back.


    ¡°Essy, please. Essy.... Essy, I swear, nothing happened. Nothing happened.¡±


    Escott punched him. The force of it made all in the room freeze.


    ¡°Trash,¡± Escott said, ¡°even more trash than everyone thinks.¡±


    A slender frame jumped in front of Escott before he could charge. Escott almost boxed the woman aside but caught himself. He calmed, instead.


    ¡°Aunt Darla....¡±


    Darla moved with Escott, making certain he couldn¡¯t attack Lander yet again.


    ¡°How many more?¡± Darla asked, ¡°How many more of us need to suffer for you guys to realize we¡¯re at war right now and we¡¯re not prepared for it.¡±


    Escott respected her¡ªrespected her situation, but his instinct remained fixed on Lander and a possible swift end.


    ¡°Nothing happened...¡± Lander repeated. ¡°Nothing happened, I swear.¡± It was the shakiest two steps back Lander ever took. ¡°I swear.¡±


    But what did his words matter? Escott spat at the ground, not caring that the acid he¡¯d called up sizzled and faded.


    ¡°Look at you, always sniffing at my heels, taking my scraps, envying my old things, borrowing my clothes you¡¯d never give back. Now this? This?¡±


    His words put a dent in Lander¡¯s otherwise sorrowful expression. Their situation wasn¡¯t new or unknown. Pity drove them together, but Escott had always followed that unspoken rule that ones with everything didn¡¯t throw it in the faces of the have nots.


    Lander didn¡¯t appreciate it one bit. ¡°And what is this, Essy? Huh? You don¡¯t want her. You don¡¯t want anyone.¡± He pointed but didn¡¯t look to see Lilah¡¯s slow rise. ¡°Look at her. She¡¯s gorgeous. Everything about her is so well put together and you¡¯ve been in the presence of that for over two years with...with nothing. Not a damn thing to show for it.¡±


    He waited, but Escott had to wait, too¡ªhe had to know where Lander was going with this. The bastard had nothing more to say, but Escott wasn¡¯t finished.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the same as a bored Yule looking to see what a Newbreed tastes like.¡±


    Lander¡¯s color deepened. ¡°To hell with you, Essy. You knew how I felt. You knew. And you didn¡¯t care. And I¡¯ve put up with it but come on. Let¡¯s be serious. Every single inch of her is perfect and you don¡¯t talk about it. You don¡¯t even look twice. For a second, I thought maybe you didn¡¯t like women, but that¡¯s not it, that¡¯s not it at all. You¡¯re strange. Are you even sure you even have a dick?¡±


    Escott¡¯s body shut down. He stared at Lander long and hard but had no response to give.


    It was Darla who slapped Lander, however. ¡°Show some respect. You two are friends. Decent people don¡¯t attack each other like this.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing decent about him,¡± Escott said, ¡°even his mother didn¡¯t want him.¡±


    Now it was Lander¡¯s turn to lose all form of speech. Escott regretted his words because while he himself didn¡¯t shed a tempting tear throughout this whole thing, Lander stifled a noise before he turned to walk out.


    He couldn¡¯t leave, though. Darla grabbed him. ¡°Lander. Lander, you can¡¯t go.¡±


    ¡°Outta my way.¡± Lander made it to the door, but Newbreed enforcers blocked his path. Nearly everyone in the room was Newbreed.


    Lander looked silly there in his cadet gear. Escott felt sorrier because his friend wanted to leave, but ultimately had nowhere to go. The door opened and he rushed it, but Maraton pushed him back.


    ¡°Calm, little one. Where are you going?¡±


    A child screamed and Escott rushed to the pen to find Winrose standing. Escott thought to go in but Arma called to him.


    ¡°We¡¯re okay. Honest.¡±


    But Escott didn¡¯t like it. He took the key from Darla¡¯s desk and opened the pen. ¡°How about you come outta there, Winnie?¡±


    Winrose glanced from Arma back to Escott again. Finally, he stepped out.


    ¡°Sure. Essy. Was just checking on them.¡±


    Escott nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Something rushed them. Maraton moved so fast Escott barely noticed. Slamming Winrose against the wall by the throat, Maraton extended his arm higher and looked up to him. ¡°What in the hell are you?¡±


    Winrose struggled to speak. ¡°Please....¡±


    Maraton slammed him again.


    Darla hurried to intercept him. ¡°Mara, he¡¯s just a Newbreed.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t one of ours,¡± Maraton said. ¡°Woman, have you lost your mind? This isn¡¯t one of ours.¡±


    Winrose¡¯s face twisted. Darla rammed Maraton and they landed against the cage. Before Escott had time to act, Winrose darted for the window and sailed through, broken glass and all.


    A loud crash came with it; he landed on one of the cars below.


    Maraton grumbled as he stood. ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    Darla¡¯s chest heaved. She couldn¡¯t answer, but Escott could.


    ¡°She was afraid he¡¯d bite you, Uncle. Newbreed venom, remember?¡±

 Flocks 15

    <table width="100%"><tbody><tr><td></td><td> </td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>


    Bad things came in threes. Escott wondered if devastating things came in sixes.


    While he sat through Karen Blackwell¡¯s very brief questioning, all hell broke loose on the other side of the door. Escott tried not to listen in, but Newbreed hearing made that hard.


    ¡°Then who the fuck was Amber Winrose?¡± the Chief screamed.


    Jan sounded short of breath. ¡°We¡¯d have to exhume the body to find out, but each and every Elemental present said they were related. Female human, roughly fifty years of age. But to be fair....¡± Jan calmed, finally. ¡°We have absolutely no records of her being in the original settlers¡¯ group or a returnee from stasis. And no way a fifty-year-old could survive imps and reach here.¡±


    That was true.


    ¡°And she came in before our Guardian went down,¡± Escott¡¯s father muttered. ¡°Fuck me.... How in the hell? A rogue unknown Newbreed, a dead woman and a dead Guardian.¡±


    ¡°The Guardian is not dead,¡± Karen Blackwell told her interrogators.


    Escott forced himself to stop listening to his father¡¯s unrelated conversation and stick to this one instead.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± the enforcer asked. ¡°It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s not?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Karen Blackwell, flanked by her husband and two adopted daughters, sat with her hands folded in her lap. The woman had nothing to fear. ¡°It is not dead. It is merely asleep.¡±


    Two enforcers rushed to the door and tore it open. ¡°Chief.¡±


    ¡°Chief, you have to come in here.¡±


    ¡°Not now.¡± The Chief dismissed them with a wave of the hand. ¡°I have bigger problems than her petty complaints. Take a statement and cut her loose.¡±


    ¡°Sir. She said she¡¯s the one who poisoned the Guardian.¡±


    Wherever the Chief¡¯s panic lay, he made time for this. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I did not poison him,¡± Karen Blackwell told him. ¡°I simply woke him up, made him break your barrier, and then put him to sleep again...in the city.¡±


    Escott tried to wrap his head around that. Other than Jerret, he didn¡¯t know anyone capable of controlling imps. When he stared at Karen Blackwell, though, he realized one thing¡ªshe was serious. If the stories he¡¯d heard in passing were true, that meant that out of all the women with imp husbands, Karen¡ªalthough refusing to acknowledge the fact¡ªwas the first. Hell, the Chief¡¯s hate for her stemmed from the fact that he knew them when she and Tine were a secret couple.


    If anyone could mess up an imp, it¡¯d be a woman with the ability to manipulate an imp lover for over twenty years, having three children for him in secret on top of it.


    The Chief gritted his teeth. ¡°Woman, I have one nerve left and I don¡¯t have time for this shit.¡±


    ¡°Oh. You¡¯ll make time. You¡¯ll make all the time in the world and you¡¯ll take my complaints seriously if you want your precious barrier back up.¡±


    A silence fell over the room as they stared each other down. Jan walked in and tried to reason. ¡°Kiki, think of what you¡¯re saying. You¡¯re confessing to murdering an imp. You know those crimes fall to Jerret, Yule or not.¡±


    ¡°Do not call me that. And secondly, he¡¯s not dead, he¡¯s asleep.¡±


    ¡°So deeply he appears dead?¡± Even Jan was skeptical. ¡°Jerret would have noticed.¡±


    ¡°Jerret was just forced out of hibernation against his will. Being summoned from slumber is far different than being dragged from it. It¡¯ll be another week before he¡¯s normal again.¡± Karen raised her right eyebrow at her. ¡°Do you think this happened overnight? Please. I woke the Guardian up a month ago. It¡¯s just taken this long for him to stand due to the vexing rain that stung him. You are lucky he didn¡¯t run through this city, tearing it apart.¡±


    She sounded disappointed there. No one had a way to counter her words. Even Maraton, the only imp in attendance, had nothing to say.


    The Chief asked him, ¡°Mara?¡±


    Still with mouth agape, Maraton shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s right about one thing, Jerret can call us all awake almost instantly, but the things used to force us from sleep.... It lingers. It¡¯s...it¡¯s possible, but there are countless things that can injure us. Household things that are rather harmless to Yules. But...but I admit, my senses are dull. We can usually sniff it out. I can¡¯t as of now. Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to in a few days. In which time enough Topsiders have broken through to give your enforcers the overwhelming task of seeking them out night and day. The ones who don¡¯t get killed, of course.¡±


    Teeth gritted, Escott¡¯s father said, ¡°She¡¯s full of it. She knows how to play this game. That¡¯s all. Ignore her.¡±


    Karen rose. ¡°You will not disregard me and my case.¡±


    The Chief paused before leaving. He called over his shoulder. ¡°You wanna play this game? Then let¡¯s play it. You¡¯ll distract us and waste our time with your nonsense, and we¡¯ll be even further in the shitter. Unlike the men you surround yourself with, I¡¯m not one of your lapdogs. I didn¡¯t even want to waste time bringing you in. So make your fucking statement and leave.¡±


    ¡°There are strange imps among us and you have to acknowledge that! Imps that don¡¯t adhere to the proper laws of nature.¡±


    ¡°Imps mate once. And imps would rather eat someone than do what you¡¯re suggesting. Stop wasting my fucking time and go look through your own piece of shit estate for some kid with a dimple in his chin. Fuck off.¡±


    The slamming door left the room ringing. Maybe the Chief¡¯s anger clouded his judgement, but it didn¡¯t reach Maraton. The imp stood in deep contemplation. When he walked out, he headed to the right, toward his leader. Jan didn¡¯t know what to say. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Karen Blackwell¡¯s face reddened. A stranger might have thought it was from rage, but it was something else¡ªEscott¡¯s father had hurt the woman and not just her pride. But hurt her to the core.


    The two daughters at Karen¡¯s back kept their gazes low. Mr. Blackwell didn¡¯t appear all that concerned about being there. Hell, he seemed ready to crack a smile at the absurdity of it.


    Something was up, and it was something the Chief was too stupid to see. Karen Blackwell feared unknown imps mucking about¡ªthey¡¯d just encountered an unknown Newbreed. The problem was...they didn¡¯t know of any missing women to give an imp a Newbreed kid. And although Newbreed girls grew fast¡ªvery fast, the boys only outgrew regular humans by a fraction. Winrose couldn¡¯t have been older than Escott himself, and his mother was in her fifties. So where in the hell did he come from and why didn¡¯t anyone notice?


    Without offering them a word, Escott walked out. He had to get more information. None of this was coincidence. Karen Blackwell was out for blood and he wanted to know why. He went to a higher¡ªmore annoying¡ªsource. Gwen.


    Wherever Gus-Gus was, Gwen wouldn¡¯t be far, and she wasn¡¯t. They exited Ice¡¯s room together, Gwen looking glum which was uncommon for her.


    ¡°Essy. Did you hear? Your suspect¡¯s injuries were new. An enforcer must have done it in custody,¡± Gwen began.


    That was probably Winrose. That could wait. Escott cut Gus a glance and sighed with relief when the man walked on without them.


    Gwen tried to follow. ¡°Hey wait. I came to give you a hand.¡±


    Escott blocked her path. ¡°Gwen, listen. Invisible, whatever the fuck, I don¡¯t care how you do it; tell me what¡¯s going on. Do you know anything about why Karen Blackwell¡¯s looking to make us bleed?¡±


    All focus on Gus¡¯s steady retreat faded. She met Escott¡¯s gaze. ¡°Dad told you?¡±


    ¡°Told me? What? No. Told me what?¡±


    He folded his arms, ready for whatever nonsense might come his way.


    To his shock, Gwen dragged him near the wall and whispered, ¡°You take this to your grave, do you hear?¡±


    Escott nodded.


    Gwen hesitated. After she glanced past him, she muttered, ¡°Okay, so three months ago Karen Blackwell busts in here, in tears mind you.¡±


    ¡°How the hell do you know? You¡¯ve only been coming since Newbreeds got recruited. That¡¯s one month ago.¡±


    ¡°I know...¡± Gwen said through gritted teeth. ¡°Because I told you, I¡¯m invisible. I was at home in the study when Dad busted in and started kicking over shit. Eza ran him down and got him to stop breaking the furniture.¡±


    The invisible shit was annoying, but Escott persevered.


    ¡°Karen Blackwell came into HQ to file a rape charge.¡±


    Escott raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Against an imp.¡±


    He was less than impressed. ¡°So she¡¯s...trying to get back at Lander¡¯s dad again? She¡¯s tried everything else. I guess this is the last straw in the bundle of tricks.¡±


    ¡°Not for her,¡± Gwen whispered, ¡°For Princess.¡±


    This time Escott listened with intent. Karen Blackwell being evil was a given but using children as pawn was a low that sent him into a rage.


    ¡°She said she found Princess half naked and she¡¯s checked, and she¡¯s pregnant. She said she¡¯s certain it¡¯s an imp and she wanted help catching a rapist imp on the loose.¡±


    Escott¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s stupid. That¡¯s insane.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And Dad tore into her. A rumor like that could send people into panic. So Dad told her to go home and find her daughter¡¯s boyfriend, whoever he was, and take it up with him and get outta his face. He literally took her by the arm and dragged her out the door.¡±


    Escott prayed he was wrong. ¡°And he didn¡¯t file a complaint?¡±


    Gwen leaned back, insulted. ¡°Essy, an imp rapist? An imp rapist? Do you even know how hard and how dangerous it is to sleep with an imp?¡±


    ¡°Hard?¡± No, Escott didn¡¯t know. He wanted to know how the hell she knew, but that wasn¡¯t as important as the information needed now.


    Sighing, Gwen put her hands on her hips. ¡°Elementals work on positive emotion. They can feed off it constantly. Imps can only taste endorphins and adrenaline in people¡¯s blood. They literally cannot get aroused unless their partner is aroused first. And as they feed on negative emotion, a scared person or a terrified person¡¯s fear would leap to them and put them in a partial coma. It¡¯s...it¡¯s impossible. It¡¯s simply impossible.¡±


    Escott could imagine. Although he hadn¡¯t checked, he¡¯d suspected maybe something similar happened between him in Lilah. He couldn¡¯t admit to anyone that he didn¡¯t have the drive for her he¡¯d seen other imps fall under whenever their wives came to take them home early or for some sort of ¡®surprise.¡¯ The times when Lilah was interested though, he¡¯d reacted.


    But then something else occurred. ¡°Newbreeds can,¡± he said.


    Gwen frowned. ¡°No male Newbreed other than you and Lander have come of age yet.¡±


    Escott¡¯s stomach dropped. ¡°And since Lander¡¯s her son...Princess¡¯s brother and he knows that.¡± He pointed at himself. ¡°She was accusing me?¡±


    ¡°The unmarried Newbreed son of the police Chief. Yes. That¡¯s why Dad nearly put a bullet into her, consequences be damned. But she came back a few times suggesting that maybe there was a rogue imp in here causing trouble. But again, how? And a rogue Newbreed was even less likely.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fucking likely,¡± Escott said. ¡°It¡¯s more than fucking likely, it just jumped out the fucking window for fuck¡¯s sake.¡±


    Gwen went pale. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Winrose. He¡¯s not one of ours. He¡¯s...we don¡¯t know where the fuck he¡¯s from. But he¡¯s not from any imp Uncle Maraton knows.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but his father....¡± Gwen slowed and considered it. ¡°You know, nobody ever asked about the logistics involved in a woman getting impregnated by a thirty-foot imp?¡±


    Escott shuddered. ¡°I never wanted to visualize anything.¡± He came to a conclusion. ¡°So the Guardian isn¡¯t his dad. So how the hell does that tie into Lander?¡±


    Gwen shrugged. ¡°As you¡¯d say, fucked if I know.¡±


    Eyes closed, Escott sighed. ¡°Whoever Amber Winrose was, she was related to Winrose, that much I could see. I saw the line. He was related to her. So let¡¯s assume he¡¯s been after Ice because of that bomb.¡±


    ¡°Ice?¡±


    Escott gestured to the door.


    ¡°Okay. Ice....¡± Gwen considered it. ¡°Then back to the bomb. Everybody and their mother thinks it was Karen Blackwell, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°What if it was?¡± Escott asked. ¡°What if it was Karen Blackwell trying to kill all of us for turning our backs on her plight or at the very most, harming her daughter?¡±


    Gwen scoffed. ¡°You assume Blackheart has that much compassion in her.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t fair. Escott could see it when the woman talked...this was tearing her up. Maybe she was wrong and her thirteen-year-old daughter with the body of a grown woman did find a bastard boyfriend and she got into some trouble. Then instead of admitting it, made some story up. Maybe that happened.


    ¡°If Princess had a boyfriend, how could we find him? Can we ask her?¡±


    Gwen cocked her head, studying him. ¡°Brother, you are aware of the fact that not a lot of guys would go after a mute.¡±


    Escott blinked at her. ¡°That¡¯s a rumor. They never talk, I get it¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. Rosie speaks. Princess can¡¯t. She hasn¡¯t for years. Absolutely meep. Hell. I saw Father Blackwell slap her once and she couldn¡¯t even make a sound when she cried. It was awful. She straightened up before Karen could see her, but I wish she hadn¡¯t. I wish her poor mother could have seen it, so she¡¯d get her imp lover to drag that bastard off into the woods somewhere and eat out his damn heart.¡±


    For a brief moment, an awful thought came over Escott, but he decided to stick to the facts.


    ¡°I believe Karen,¡± he said. ¡°She knows imps. She knows them better than us by the looks of it. Everyone¡¯s focused on the Newbreeds because we¡¯re the kids, but she¡¯s only into real imps. She says the way she found her daughter meant she was with an imp. I believe her.¡±


    Gwen didn¡¯t share that sentiment. ¡°An imp that wouldn¡¯t come back and try to drag her off? That¡¯s horse shit.¡±


    Escott backed away. ¡°I haven¡¯t figured that part out yet. But I¡¯ve figured out enough.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Escott broke into a run. ¡°To beg Karen Blackwell to put our fucking Guardian back while we track down whoever hurt her daughter.¡±


    ¡°Fool¡¯s errand,¡± Gwen yelled. ¡°An imp with a bun in the oven¡¯s coming for his kid. You¡¯d better count on that. They were tossed away as babies. Uncle Mara can tell you; no imp is leaving his baby behind.¡±


    Taking the steps two by two, Escott raced down the stairs. He prayed his father hadn¡¯t thrown Karen out on her ass just yet. He resolved to jump from banister to banister despite the damage his claws would do to the wood.


    Those efforts paid off as he tore the door open in time to see the woman and her posse shuffling out.


    ¡°I believe you,¡± Escott yelled. ¡°I believe you, Mrs. Blackwell. I believe you. I¡¯ll find you your imp. I swear it. I believe you. So please, please sit down and make a statement. I¡¯ll find him. I believe you.¡±


    Gwen took the steps the regular way but made it in time to see Karen Blackwell turn to them with a look of disbelief and hope.


    ¡°How do you plan to find him?¡± Gwen muttered under her breath.


    Escott muttered back, ¡°I have no fucking idea.¡±

 Sending 16

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    The pen remained under lockdown thanks to Escott¡¯s outburst. Lander slumped over in a corner by himself. Lilah watched the floor while Arma stayed busy trying to quiet that eternally crying child.


    Faced with it, a hurricane of emotions came and went. Part of Escott still wanted to beat Lander senseless, he wanted to beat himself senseless. After all Lilah did, he still tried to give her a blanket and some food. Maybe now he could face facts¡ªshe didn¡¯t give two shits about him.


    Arma must have lost faith, too, because she didn¡¯t look in Escott¡¯s direction. The little boy broke free of Arma¡¯s grip and rushed the door, though. When he realized Escott wasn¡¯t coming back in, he sat down and began his bawling again.


    To Escott, this wasn¡¯t how a five-year-old acted. He¡¯d babysat endlessly for his parents; he knew how to handle children, but the way this kid reacted was a bit too pitiful.


    ¡°He just hates being tricked,¡± Arma said, reaching down to pick the boy up again. ¡°Took your sweet time in coming back.¡±


    She walked away before Escott had time to explain or apologize. It wasn¡¯t just that, though, Arma had seen¡ªseen Escott and Lander¡¯s fight, if anyone could call it that.


    None of it really mattered. Lilah wasn¡¯t Escott¡¯s responsibility, neither was Lander, and sure as hell not Arma. All the better with everyone keeping their distance. Escott had bigger things to worry about.


    Still, he lingered there at the door a bit longer, feeling the worst he¡¯d ever felt in his life. He didn¡¯t want to really leave. Instead, he wanted to check on the food rations for the children, maybe see about organizing a bath for them today, too if they chose. And although they received clean clothes, that was days ago.


    Arma refused to look in his direction. Other than the constant crier, none of the kids did, either.


    Escott took it personally but left them there.


    Darla stood before he could leave. ¡°Your father¡¯s looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...I bet.¡±


    ¡°The mayor¡¯s here and so is Jerret. Get up there and show your support. I¡¯m worried. What with Mara and the others going to the barrier to keep the Topsiders out. Jerret still hasn¡¯t regained his ability to communicate with the other Guardians to instruct them to move and close that gap.¡±


    Escott watched the pen for some time before he turned to go.


    ¡°Essy....¡± Darla struggled to say something. Finally, she shook her head. ¡°How could you dream of siding with Karen?¡±


    She seemed ready to bust into tears, but Escott explained, ¡°This isn¡¯t about Karen Blackwell. It never was. It¡¯s about a thirteen-year-old girl who¡¯s got no voice to scream, and she needs us. She needs someone to believe her.¡±


    Darla¡¯s twisted frown might have meant she was of the same opinion as everyone else. ¡°I¡¯ve been married for twenty-three years. I know better than anyone, imps don¡¯t seek intimacy from where it¡¯s not offered. And they never leave the side of their women with child. Whatever you¡¯re looking for, you¡¯re not looking for an imp.¡±


    That might be so, but Escott wasn¡¯t ruling them out.


    ¡°It could have been a mistake; an imp who mistook her for an adult. She looks my age, I get that.¡±


    Darla shook her head. ¡°I doubt it. I honestly doubt it.¡±


    Escott fought back his anger. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because...because she¡¯s¡ªshe¡¯s pregnant. Any mood change and he would have left her there to bleed to death. I just...I just don¡¯t believe an imp would seek her out randomly or that she¡¯d seek one out. And we scanned her when Karen brought her¡ªI scanned her, because I did worry.¡±


    After waiting for what felt like ages, Escott finally asked, ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And the pregnancy is slow to progress. That means it¡¯s likely a human father. An imp husband to human wife¡¯s pregnancy is four months...tops. This would be month three and I bet you it¡¯s not showing yet.¡±


    That information didn¡¯t deter Escott so much as made him feel like he was sinking¡ªgetting way in over his head.


    ¡°I made a promise, Aunt Darla. I haven¡¯t figured it all out yet, but I will.¡± He paused before walking out. ¡°And I haven¡¯t chosen her side. What she did to you....¡± He fought for the right words, but nothing came.


    When she broke his gaze, he stepped out and closed the door. He bumped into a blue-haired E.


    ¡°Escott.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Osbourne.¡± Escott thought to step aside and let the man go speak to his daughter, preferably without talking to Escott about it. ¡°Lilah¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lilah poisoned the Guardian.¡±


    Escott blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    Osbourne scanned the bare hall before mustering up enough courage to repeat himself¡ªquieter. ¡°That¡¯s why I designated her to the pen before someone else got a hold of her. I didn¡¯t even pass by close. I was in the room next to hers. It¡¯s all over her mind. She stabbed the Guardian with something, and she thought it died.¡±


    This was bad. This was beyond bad. This rocked Escott¡¯s world. Briefly he wondered if she just hated his kind all this time. Why would she try to kill a Guardian?


    ¡°It¡¯s not dead though, which is good.¡±


    ¡°The meeting¡¯s just adjourned,¡± Osbourne said, ¡°Harris wants anyone involved exiled. No matter who.¡±


    Escott took a step back. The pain evident in Osbourne¡¯s eyes was crippling. Harris¡¯s words came as a shock, but Escott could hardly say he blamed the man. Messing with an imp Guardian was life and death for The Fan. That was treason.


    A part of him was angry at Osbourne for keeping this secret about Lilah. Of course, if Harris knew he¡¯d have to think of something else. Now he couldn¡¯t go back on his ruling for fear of showing favoritism. If anybody found out and Lilah was tried....This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°That¡¯s why both of you need to move quick and complete your engagement,¡± Osbourne hurried to say. ¡°Imps mate for life, we assume Newbreeds do, too. Jerret¡¯s law is absolute: we cannot deprive an imp of his mate. So please go back in there and get the documentation done.¡±


    Escott knew his face lost all expression. He was too numb. Being bombarded with marriage and failed attempts at marriage all around made him miserable. Osbourne must not have known what his darling little girl did to her fianc¨¦ on his fucking deathbed.


    But how could Escott tell him? This would look bad for Lilah, too. From her leaving Escott to die to actually harming an imp guarding them¡ªshe seemed like a loose cannon or a zealot for sure.


    Escott found himself opening the door leading back to the pen and inching inside under Osbourne¡¯s watchful eye.


    ¡°Good. I wanna be there, but I have to meet everyone for Blackwell¡¯s daughter¡¯s scan. Can you wait till I come back? It won¡¯t be walking down the aisle, but I want to stand by her side when you two exchange vows.¡±


    Swallowing felt like eating sandpaper. Escott waited for Osbourne to rush away before he turned and faced the room he¡¯d just left.


    Darla stood to greet him. ¡°Essy...?¡±


    Escott swallowed again. He had to blink himself awake. ¡°Could you...I know...I know it¡¯s not right and you can¡¯t but....¡± His breaths came shallow. He was afraid he¡¯d pass out. ¡°But could I get inside there?¡±


    The small pen looked insurmountable. The cling from the keys brought him back to reality.


    Darla complied; she must have been fearful enough.


    Escott lumbered in. He nearly pissed himself when the door slammed shut and bolted.


    Marriage. He¡¯d have to marry Lilah to save her yet again. Marriage. Marriage to Lilah. Each step Escott took in that direction, the worse he felt. What would he do? Propose? He gagged. Would he tell her he knew about her assassination attempt with the Guardian and was here to save her?


    And then it hit him. What did he want? He searched himself for a possible answer but could only form one conclusion. He didn¡¯t want Lilah. He didn¡¯t want her. The idea of waking up tomorrow with her by his side was cringeworthy.


    She¡¯d just sit there all smug at his rescue attempt. He¡¯d rot inside daily at having to live with knowing he proposed to her after she left him to die. And Lilah? She wouldn¡¯t act surprised. And why would she? Good ole dependable Escott was always there putting himself last.


    He didn¡¯t want her exiled, but he didn¡¯t want her.


    Something clung to his leg. He peered down at the dark brown eyes of the crybaby.


    ¡°Essy.... You came back.¡±


    Escott picked him up, happy for the distraction to his own idiotic thoughts. He couldn¡¯t marry Lilah. He¡¯d sooner marry a chair¡ªhe¡¯d get just as much emotion from wood. He couldn¡¯t marry her, not even to save the entire world. He couldn¡¯t.


    No sooner had he sat, he turned to Arma and said, ¡°We should get married.¡±


    Cringing, Arma leaned away. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Hear me out.¡± Escott gestured around to them. ¡°They are from your lot, most of them. Just say they all are. Since you¡¯re responsible for them, they fall under your say-so.¡±


    Arma remained quiet. Escott felt foolish.


    At the woman¡¯s feet, two children slept. Who said she didn¡¯t come here looking to abandon them? But she¡¯d come and she hadn¡¯t wheeled them to HQ and run into the night. She¡¯d come, so she must have cared even slightly.


    ¡°We¡¯re not blood,¡± Arma reminded him.


    ¡°They can come under my name,¡± Escott said. He felt foolish again. He¡¯d just offered to take Arma¡¯s eleven-children burden. He hurried to course-correct. ¡°This is to ensure that you don¡¯t get sent back. After a little while when you get back on your feet, you leave. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Arma blinked. She blinked again. Escott hoped she wouldn¡¯t ask it.


    ¡°What about divorce?¡±


    That was a problem. To date, he¡¯d never encountered divorce. Not because it wasn¡¯t possible but because enough emphasis was made that an imp mated, simply would...be. He might ¡®be¡¯ in a separate part of the house hibernating for fifty years, but he would definitely ¡®be¡¯ there.


    ¡°We form weird attachments. I think that only happens when we honestly mate. I¡¯ve never seen imps divorce. The only reason why a spouse of an imp or Newbreed would take exception to a law is because of this problem. But it¡¯s okay. You walk away when you want and it¡¯s fine by me. We just gotta make it seem like we tried. But regardless, it keeps you in the city. Maybe indefinitely.¡±


    And maybe Escott just offered to give a stray criminal a pass she didn¡¯t deserve.


    ¡°I just need for you to be honest with me, because this is a lot to take on.¡± He waited and asked, ¡°Did you intend to kill or injure the Guardian imp?¡±


    Arma¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°I lost two of my boys and nearly a third risking life and limb coming here.¡± Her own words made her pause. ¡°Speaking of limb....¡± Holding onto the bare area of her left shoulder, she shook her head. ¡°Right now I¡¯m praying they close that gap before any Elemental sent to retrieve my lot comes in.¡± Her blue eyes met Escott¡¯s, and she seemed genuinely sincere when she said, ¡°On my life¡ªon the life of my lot, I never intended to harm the Guardian.¡±


    Escott asked, ¡°And the bomb?¡±


    This time Arma¡¯s answer wasn¡¯t as forthright. It came, albeit slower. ¡°Blackwell gave me the bomb, insisted that I use it with the powder. It was discounted and that stuff was supposed to make people confused¡ªsomething like that. And I believed it and I ran after we got Mouse. That¡¯s all I know.¡±


    It¡¯d have to be enough, because an E was going to check.


    ¡°Elementals are going to ask you these questions while they scan you.¡±


    Arma nodded. ¡°I¡¯m an E, too. I can take it.¡±


    Escott figured as much, especially with the way Arma healed Ice and her limitations with one hand missing.


    ¡°These are war-time E¡¯s. They¡¯re soldiers. Taking information at all costs is what they do.¡±


    Arma¡¯s confident posture waned. Escott almost regretted being the cause, but he had to be upfront.


    ¡°So...can you tell me your real reason for coming here...to HQ?¡±


    Sometimes Arma¡¯s features seemed soft despite the strong exterior, now was no different.


    ¡°The enforcer...a Newbreed, he was waiting for us when we got home. The way he moved was unreal. I...I didn¡¯t know what to do. I was afraid he¡¯d hurt Mouse. So I came and I sent Sash off on his own to make do for a while...maybe forever. I¡¯m one-handed, I can¡¯t feed them like this. I need to pay Blackwell and get it all to stop, but I can¡¯t. So I came here.¡±


    Escott considered if that was a good enough answer. But it might have been true. Arma originally expected her remaining seven ¡®lot,¡¯ not an additional four.


    ¡°Well, someone was despicable enough to send four of theirs, and that¡¯s too bad.¡±


    Arma didn¡¯t answer right away, but confessed, ¡°There is no ¡®send some.¡¯ Anyone without a full lot of ten would have to explain it. Either she sent who she could and remained behind or tried to go and didn¡¯t make it. But either way, the six are dead. That¡¯s the punishment for trying to go against the laws.¡±


    One of the boys by their feet shifted and Escott tried to hold it together. When he first sat down, he felt sure¡ªthis was the right thing to do. It felt easy and maybe even funny if his father took it seriously, but all traces of humor were officially gone as of this moment.


    ¡°And I admit, for a split second, I did wonder what it¡¯d feel like to be burden free.¡± Arma tightened the grip on the baby she carried. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what¡¯ll happen to them. Mine were well cared for. But....¡± She glanced at the often-weeping child who slept in another child¡¯s hold. ¡°I worry about the others.¡±


    Escott lost his nerve. His feet shook, he wanted to stand and leave. He sat right there, though, and made his offer again.


    ¡°So let¡¯s do it. You can spend time on the farm for a bit until you get back on your feet again and pay for the gangs to leave you alone.¡±


    Arma¡¯s jaw worked. ¡°It¡¯s a strange offer. I...I never even considered it. Not even once. It¡¯s a strange offer.¡±


    A lot of words described it: crazy, insane, stupid, stupid, and even more stupid. Strange wasn¡¯t one he expected.


    ¡°I¡¯m...I¡¯m not sure what to say.¡± She pulled the hood back to get a better look at Escott. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    As if this was something someone would joke about. But could Escott joke about it? Could he laugh it off and stand right now?


    The deep blue of Arma¡¯s eyes said she was a proud woman and in no way looking to beg, though she wasn¡¯t above it. Escott found his courage to nod.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m serious.¡±


    Arma let out a ragged breath and sat back. ¡°And I...I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve...I¡¯ve never had a companion before. I¡¯ve never even considered it.¡±


    Escott felt lighter at the complaint. He chuckled. ¡°Trust me, your virtue will be safe. Besides, all the better for this partnership because there¡¯s no confusion or actual pressure. We can stumble around through this together. I¡¯m not looking for intimacy, either. Apparently, I¡¯m lacking in that department. So consider this a regular partnership. The look on her face¡¯ll be a bonus.¡±


    Two blue eyes blinked at him as Arma puzzled over his words. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Escott tried to recover, but he wasn¡¯t sure what he said to prompt that stern expression. ¡°What? What?¡±


    Arma cocked her head to the right and said, ¡°Wait, are you saying all this just to get back at that woman over there? You¡¯re toying with our lives for some petty vengeance?¡±


    A wave of dread and confusion washed over Escott who leaned back and tried to take her in. ¡°Um....¡±

 Slow 17

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    Arma and the children were the last ones to empty out of the pen, Escott right behind them. For the past three hours, Escott tried without success to figure out what he should say. In that time he noticed Arma¡¯s wondering eyes. She...she appeared to be looking for something, an alternative choice.


    Maybe the idea of marriage for herself as a way of staying hadn¡¯t occurred, but she was considering it now. She¡¯d be insane to marry a random bastard in lockup.


    Hell, it was insane even when Escott was that likely random bastard, but someone else.... He couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of person would offer to take on eleven children. Again, he tried to push his own picture from that lineup. He was offering. But then he remembered something¡ªsomething important. The non-exile rule only applied to imps, as they¡¯d likely follow their mates even to hell rather than die alone.


    He could squeeze it down to Newbreeds because no one was sure how Newbreeds reacted. Even he didn¡¯t know. Imps were stuck on scent. Scent and territory were big factors in the wives of imps knowing that they¡¯d never shake their imp husband. He might stay out of the way, much like Karen¡¯s imp beau, Tine, but they¡¯d be there.


    Like it or not, Karen Blackwell was untouchable in more ways than one. That¡¯s where her boldness came from.


    So if Arma intended to find a substitute in the five minutes it would take to process everyone out of the pen, she¡¯d have one hell of a search on her hands.


    By the time Escott closed the door, he could see that she realized as much.


    Escott tried to apologize. ¡°Honest, it¡¯s really not like that.¡±


    She ignored him instead and shifted in line while answering the Enforcers¡¯ questions about the children.


    He tried again. ¡°At lease let me say I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± a Newbreed said, trying to get Arma¡¯s attention. ¡°What¡¯s this one¡¯s name? He doesn¡¯t appear to know his family name.¡±


    Escott tried to come to terms with the dismissal. What was his real intention when he first offered? He thought he knew.


    As for the enforcer¡¯s question, Arma didn¡¯t have an answer. Finally, she said, ¡°His family name is the same as all of them. They take on the name of their Areal Manager.¡±


    Escott wanted to interrupt her, to warn her to be truthful that four of those kids didn¡¯t come from her lot, but the glance she cut him made him shut up.


    The process was slow going until it came to a halt. ¡°If you sign off here for adoptions, we¡¯ll see about it.¡±


    Arma reached out but lowered her hand.


    She struggled with something to say. Beyond their immediate circle, other enforcers reviewing the paperwork marveled.


    ¡°All ten¡ªno, eleven. You ever seen anyone make it here with two much less eleven from a lot?¡±


    Others whispered, ¡°Curious to know how she pulled that off.¡±


    Not for long thanks to me. Escott wanted to find a wall to bang his head against.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re in luck,¡± the enforcer said, ¡°the Blackwells are starting to take in orphans. They have a big enough estate to do it, too.¡±


    ¡°Blackwells?¡± Arma lowered the pen, unable to sign. ¡°Are there any others?¡±


    ¡°That aren¡¯t overfull? No. But it¡¯s really nice-looking, don¡¯t worry.


    Arma¡¯s unfortunate situation was her downfall because she turned to Escott and whispered, ¡°Are you still available?¡±


    The desperation in her eyes spoke volumes. Maybe she had come with the intent of turning the children over. Maybe her bad blood with Blackwell made up her mind. But something told Escott that wasn¡¯t it. She¡¯d come to give them away; it wasn¡¯t until his suggestion that she realized she might have a fighting chance.


    With all eleven.


    Escott didn¡¯t back down. ¡°I was serious. And the same rules apply as I mentioned before.¡±


    Arma¡¯s jaw worked. Finally, she nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯d be obliged.¡±


    Stunned, Escott managed to nod. ¡°Okay.¡± He glanced beyond her to the awaiting enforcer and explained their pending marriage and adoption of all eleven.


    The man looked confused at first but then smiled wide.


    Escott didn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡±


    That smile faded. ¡°What?¡±


    One enforcer joined the first and they talked. A third had to come and they relayed the message. By number six, they finally turned their attention to Escott again.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Jan asked. ¡°They said you¡¯re requesting a marriage...now?¡±


    Escott nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, Auntie.¡±


    ¡°Your father¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather he not know. Not just yet.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t marry you to a total stranger,¡± Jan protested.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Escott waited for anyone keen on accepting the challenge. ¡°I¡¯m a Newbreed.¡±


    Jan leaned in, lowering her voice. ¡°Escott, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s a lovely person but doing this to get back at....¡±


    Escott ignored the fact that yet another person thought he¡¯d jump into something like this on a whim. The look was a bonus. That¡¯s what he¡¯d said and meant. Just how foolish did they think him?


    ¡°I¡¯m Newbreed,¡± he repeated. ¡°And I¡¯ve made my selection.¡±


    And then the world ended. It happened with one enforcer running off and yet another, and another. The whole room came to life. That would be fine so long as they got it done before the Chief found out.


    One set of eyes focused on him, Lilah. She watched them, stunned. What he wanted to tell her was that she should fucking leave¡ªrun. Karen¡¯s agreement to help revive the imp Guardian meant Lilah might find some forgiveness, but he suspected her father did something to stop the scans as soon as he heard of Karen¡¯s deal.


    Good. This wasn¡¯t about her, but he wasn¡¯t trying this for revenge, either. She should get out of here before anyone found out about her and the Guardian.


    ¡°The Chief¡¯s down there with the Guardian,¡± someone said.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Escott whispered. He couldn¡¯t believe his luck. No one seemed interested in moving, and he warned Jan, ¡°I¡¯m going by the book right now, but we¡¯ve already mated, and I know my rights.¡±


    Jan seemed disappointed in him. ¡°Essy, of course you haven¡¯t. Come on. This isn¡¯t a game to play.¡±


    He felt equally slighted. ¡°Auntie, this is something I have to do¡ªI want to do. And I¡¯ll be level-headed about it for now but not for all that long.¡± He raised an eyebrow at the woman. ¡°I mean...you have a few policies that I think wouldn¡¯t stand up to reviews. Right?¡±


    Using Jan¡¯s original suggestion with marking Ice as a fianc¨¦e was low, but Escott was willing to take what he could get.


    ¡°I just want to help these kids,¡± Escott said. He glanced past Arma to the enforcer waiting in the wings with cuffs, eager to grab her and send her back beyond the Veil.


    There was a lot of stalling all around but eventually several people caved¡ªJan included who pretended to prepare the paperwork.


    Cleaning, assessing, and processing the children was the only big issue otherwise. Something strange happened when they left Arma¡¯s side...their command of the language all but faded.


    Several people commented on it. One of the older Elementals still left from the scanning passed through but said, ¡°Then she¡¯s an E. I¡¯d check if part of her tongue isn¡¯t gone if I were you.¡± He walked out the door before Escott could get more answers.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    By the time the children were ushered into a new room, their words sounded like gibberish. She¡¯d given them language¡ªArma had given them language somehow. He never imagined that Elementals could do more than throw fire.


    ¡°You¡¯re an Elemental of old,¡± Jan observed.


    ¡°I¡¯m a part of one, yes. I was culled from the power of an Elemental¡¯s hair,¡± Arma admitted. ¡°And if you send me back.... Well, the thought is not pleasant.¡±


    All attempts at reaching the Chief went unanswered. Arma went right into handcuffs¡ªwith Escott out the door with her.


    ¡°You two¡¯re going to get a medical check right now,¡± Jan said.


    There was no use struggling, three Newbreeds brought them down there. That was also where he encountered Rosemarie and Princess, sitting and waiting.


    Someone else came, Darla.


    ¡°Essy. What¡¯s this nonsense I hear about you getting married?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense? Nobody took it seriously, even once?¡± Escott stood. ¡°Well, I am serious.¡±


    Darla helped him sit again. She kept the conversation between them.


    ¡°If you fight this, I think you¡¯ll win, but I want to warn you against it.¡± She searched his eyes for understanding. ¡°I know better than most the difficulty involved. And I¡¯ve never...I couldn¡¯t admit to it because nobody else was going through it, but...the first year Mara didn¡¯t have any drive for me beyond my inclinations. We did mate. We mated often, but...but I could see it¡ªwhen things changed finally. It was like one day he woke up and he was just hungry for it all the time. Medics and even Jerret always warned me here and there that Mara, though nearly fifty years my senior, might not have been able to produce. And I figured it was the same with you because you had a long engagement, but lately I see you squinting.¡±


    Escott raised his right eyebrow in guilt. ¡°I squint?¡± He paused, ¡°Wait, are you saying I have Baby Eyes?¡±


    Darla nodded. ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Oh, for f....¡± He gnashed his teeth and decided to surrender. ¡°That¡¯d explain a lot.¡±


    ¡°So can you wait it out?¡±


    Escott considered her words for some time. Finally, he admitted, ¡°Aunt Darla, I...I¡¯m trying to keep Arma from getting sent back. And my status means the kids are secure, too. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Darla looked between them and said, ¡°Right now, Essy, I doubt you really feel that sorta love that kinda burns in you. But one day, dear, one day you might, and what happens then?¡±


    Thoughts of one day never came.


    ¡°This physical transition you¡¯re going through might take years. And what happens to those kids then?¡± Darla said, ¡°They aren¡¯t your responsibility.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not yours, either.¡± At her stifled gasp, he hurried to explain. ¡°I mean, you care about me, and that¡¯s why you reach out and I¡¯ll admit, sometimes my parents don¡¯t get it and you¡ªyou honestly do, and I appreciate that helping hand. That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to extend, too. I had tons of plans. Figured Lilah and me¡¯d end up with a big family, too. That¡¯s why I got that part of the orchard for myself. But that¡¯s never happening. They need something safe and comforting. They need Arma.¡±


    ¡°Married?¡± a familiar voice asked. ¡°You¡¯re getting married to get back at me? Is that your mature response, Escott?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure where Lilah came from. He was glad she kept her distance, but the hurt was evident in her eyes.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about you.¡± More than anything, he¡¯d hoped to avoid a confrontation with his father, Lilah hadn¡¯t even been a forethought¡ªshe rarely cared about anything lately.


    ¡°And to a hairless E?¡± Lilah asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to ¡®upgrade¡¯ after a breakup?¡±


    Escott rose to his feet. ¡°I don¡¯t know how the hell I didn¡¯t see it all this time, but you are such a snob.¡±


    Her breath hitched. That small word had enough power to shame her.


    Arma still watched the floor from her chair. Escott wasn¡¯t sure how to recover from this. If they took a medical exam and found none of Escott¡¯s venom in Arma¡¯s blood, it¡¯d be more than obvious they hadn¡¯t mated.


    Darla stood, too. She took Arma by the hand, then Escott and led them past Lilah who she cut a glance. Ten minutes later in Jan¡¯s office, Escott pressed his thumbprint against a piece of paper. This wasn¡¯t how he expected it to be.


    ¡°We don¡¯t gotta say anything?¡±


    Jan looked pale. ¡°No. And please don¡¯t say anything, because your father¡¯s going to say more than enough when he comes back.¡± She met Darla¡¯s gaze. ¡°And you¡¯re taking the blame.¡±


    Escott glanced at Arma on his right and waited. When she put her thumb in the ink and stamped the paper as well, Escott¡¯s stomach felt tight.


    Her hand trembled.


    ¡°Here.¡± Escott took a handkerchief from the inner vest of the uniform. ¡°Here, let me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too fancy. It¡¯s not for use,¡± Arma complained.


    It seemed too important to just let her wipe her hand on her pant leg perhaps.


    Their eyes met but neither had anything to say.


    ¡°We¡¯ll give the children some tests and process their names and so on before releasing them. Don¡¯t worry, we have some Topsiders on hand who can speak the language, but not many.¡±


    Arma nodded. ¡°Am...am I free to leave for a few hours until then?¡±


    Darla¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Already? You¡¯re going to leave, already?¡±


    Jan seemed equally displeased, but Escott didn¡¯t care. Arma wasn¡¯t going to run, and even if she was, then so what? That¡¯s what he¡¯d married her for...seconds ago, apparently.


    ¡°Just for a little while. I¡¯ll be back by nightfall,¡± she promised.


    Today, as they exited the room, it was the first time she took the hood off.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotta find Sash and get him the same process,¡± Arma said. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected this.¡±


    All eyes were on them as they traveled.


    Escott was sure it wasn¡¯t because he felt self-conscious about his new marriage. It must have been something else.


    When they reached the door outside, Escott asked, ¡°Have you ever thought of wearing a wig?¡±


    Arma slowed in her stride.


    It was the strangest expression Escott had ever seen¡ªstranger still because she walked away from him without giving an answer.


    He followed after her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much they cost, but I have some money saved if you need it.¡±


    She picked up speed, but that must have been Escott¡¯s imagination. He didn¡¯t realize anything was wrong until she slipped between two passing rickshaws without waiting for him.


    Escott nearly lost sight of her, but he recovered. It finally occurred to him that she was in a bad mood. That was sudden.


    ¡°Hey.¡± When she wouldn¡¯t answer, he gave chase. ¡°Hey. How can you just ignore someone?¡±


    ¡°Ignoring you is my way of being kind.¡±


    Escott struggled to keep up. ¡°If I said something offensive, you could just communicate that without getting silent.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to hear what I have to say.¡± She slid down the steps leading to a lower street.


    He landed right behind her. ¡°Try me.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± She turned to him. ¡°A wig would be great. Should we weave one from your non-existent pubes?¡±


    Brow furrowed, Escott gaped. ¡°Wow. Ouch. For more reasons than one. Were you saving that one?¡±


    She walked on. ¡°Go to hell.¡±


    That was kinda hard considering their new marriage. Rubbing his face with one hand, he groaned to himself.


    The more he walked, following at a reasonable distance, he regretted letting Lilah¡¯s words influence him.


    Elementals. Their power was in their hair. Of course, being bald was a big deal. It meant a lot. It also might have been why usually-calm-and-unfeeling Lilah took offense, too.


    It mattered. And it mattered all the more because E¡¯s wouldn¡¯t freely give up power like that, someone took it. Despite all that, Arma found strength again and again. She was trying to fight her fate.... And now Escott had insulted those efforts.


    He caught up to her but decided to keep his mouth shut. She was looking for Sasha. He¡¯d help and head back.


    His badge buzzed. ¡°Escott! Escott you bastard.¡±


    At the Chief¡¯s voice, Escott cracked a smile. ¡°So you¡¯ve finally disowned me, huh, old man? Be my guest.¡±


    Escott turned his attention to Arma again only to find her...gone.


    She was gone. A wide-open road, and she was gone. Escott considered it for some time.


    ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡±


    A partially closed manhole covering calmed him. She¡¯d gone underground. But there was no point around here. With the lake so close, there¡¯d be limited tunnels to travel.


    He opened the covering and jumped down into it, moments before Arma turned a corner some distance away. Escott thought to go back up and see about the cover but instead dropped to his hands and feet and gave chase. The sound of rushing water echoed throughout. As he neared a light source, he realized it wasn¡¯t water, it was people. Tons of people surrounding a huge dome cage.


    Cage fights?


    How¡¯d I ever miss this?


    Other than some casual fights during festivals, Escott had never encountered real fights like these. Not surprising, Lander sat high up against the wall watching the opponents. No doubt he joined in now and then.


    Escott found Arma standing before a big house of a man. When she pivoted on her heels and headed back the way she came, Escott waited. He was both startled and glad when she grabbed his arm and led him away.


    ¡°Keep walking. Sasha¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Escott stumbled. ¡°Then where is he?¡±


    Two more big men came out of the crowd and Arma steered clear.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Arma picked up speed but came to a halt. ¡°Shit.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Escott asked.


    Arma gestured up high to a glass booth affixed to the ceiling. ¡°I found him.¡±


    Sasha, hair tied up, looked worse for wear as he sat beside someone rather familiar. Mr. Blackwell.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re on speaking terms again, huh?¡± Escott asked. She cut him a glance to which he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, these fights are all fake.¡±


    ¡°Do those bruises look fake to you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he was looking to get adopted into a good family?¡±


    She looked at him for a long while, so long that it became rather uncomfortable.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Instead of answering, Arma set her sights on Sasha again. ¡°What does he think he¡¯s doing?¡± She froze. ¡°Oh shit.¡±


    Escott followed her gaze and stepped back. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± He paused when Sasha stood to take hold of a bare piece of flesh. ¡°I assume that¡¯s your arm?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Arma muttered. ¡°No. No. Not with Sash.¡± She rushed around to the cage entrance.


    She seemed intent on going in. Escott wasn¡¯t sure but if this was anything like a match at the fair, it wasn¡¯t something to take lightly. ¡°Once you get inside, you can¡¯t get out. Not until you fight.¡±


    ¡°I need to get Blackwell¡¯s attention,¡± Arma called back. ¡°Sash isn¡¯t the same as Mouse. I haven¡¯t given him any gifts. He can¡¯t do the same things and if that bastard took him for something else....¡±


    ¡°Attention? With a fight? You have one arm!¡± Escott gave chase.


    ¡°Just stay out of it. He can¡¯t do this much on his own. Go back and see about the children. I¡¯ll come after I¡¯m done here. I promise I won¡¯t run off into the night and leave you an abandoned newlywed.¡±


    When she charged into the cage, the crowd rose to their feet.


    The reception confused Escott at first, and then he realized it¡ªshe was a favorite. He was more than certain this was how she made her money¡ªthis was probably where she lost that arm.


    Sasha froze at the sight of her at first before rushing the glass.


    ¡°Come on....¡± Arma chanted because while Sasha took notice of her and seemed relieved, Blackwell didn¡¯t look in their general direction. The man stood instead and took Sasha by the hand and led him away with the other hand around his waist. ¡°What are you doing, Blackwell, idiot?¡± Arma called over the noise.


    From a distance, Sasha looked mature but at this moment, he appeared more like a little boy when he tried to walk back to that glass.


    Arma moved with them, heading toward the door as they traveled further out of sight.


    Several men and women shoved Escott aside as they piled into the resting area bordering the cage and took seats. He counted twenty.


    One armed or not, Escott honestly felt she could take a good few of them and walk out. But not twenty. A glance at the blackened area high above told him that leaving her to try would be a bad idea. Baby Eyes or no, he counted three men with crossbows hidden in one opening each.


    Without thinking, Escott entered the cage. One set at the fair meant ten fighters. Teaming up meant a faster victory and he could ensure she make it out alive.


    ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t come after me, go after Sash.¡±


    Escott shook his head. Fifteen fighters sat in that cage waiting area, resting. After she entered, five more came, eager to get a shot at her in particular. Escott could imagine her beating more than just a few of them before...and now the odds of winning against her were better.


    Two of them against ten men and she originally expected him to leave her there alone? A part of Escott respected her boldness, another part worried for her sanity. He, on the other hand, intended to make it out of this alive.


    ¡°Look at that,¡± Escott said, ¡°we¡¯re officially doing things as a couple.

 Sentiments 18

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    ¡°I repeat, we¡¯re unable to revive the Guardian. We¡¯re heading back to headquarters now,¡± the Chief¡¯s voice said from the badge of nearly every enforcer in the room.


    Karen Blackwell¡¯s two daughters began to sweat. Lilah waited for them to break into song and perhaps confess. She¡¯d have to confess soon enough, too maybe.


    No such luck. Princess sat watching the floor and Rosemarie stood behind her, hands on her shoulders.


    Darla stepped beside Lilah, but Lilah gave her space...a lot of it. Of course, it had been Escott¡¯s decision to get married, but Darla didn¡¯t have to allow it. If she¡¯d remained steadfast, he would have given up. This wasn¡¯t jealousy talking. A bald Elemental meant a damaged and possibly abused Elemental. That also meant a sort of osmosis could take place whenever they touched someone. They could easily take or give power that way. A fully powered E could do it at will while one with damage needed physical contact.


    Escott called her a snob. She thought about that again and again as she stood in that medic bay waiting on the various E¡¯s passing in and out to give them Princess¡¯s results.


    Lilah wasn¡¯t a snob¡ªshe didn¡¯t think of herself as one. She¡¯d meant to warn Escott not to be gullible and end up getting himself into trouble at a bald E¡¯s expense. But he called her a snob.


    A snob. She was a snob.


    Why did that word bug her so much?


    ¡°Mother says we can¡¯t have an abortion if it¡¯s an imp,¡± Rosemarie said, ¡°but if it¡¯s not, can we have one then?¡±


    Darla lost color. Most enforcers around them were women, now that Lilah thought about it. That was at Karen Blackwell¡¯s request before she went to show off her power over imps¡ªand failed miserably by the looks of it.


    ¡°You.... Why would you want to...? You wouldn¡¯t have to abort,¡± Darla said, her voice a quiver.


    Lilah waited for her to excuse herself, maybe even sign out and take a leave of absence. Everyone would have understood. But to lose a child because of these girls¡¯ mother, and then have them suggest aborting one, Darla¡¯s reaction was understandable.


    Still, she had no place or business talking to Blackwell¡¯s daughters about something like this. Darla should have known better.


    ¡°But if it¡¯s not an imp...¡± Rosemarie began, looking between them. ¡°Then you can abort it?¡±


    Darla kept her mouth shut. A medic came out before she could say anything potentially questionable to them.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready for one last test,¡± the man said, ¡°a female medic is finally on duty.¡±


    The girls stood together.


    ¡°If it¡¯s okay, can she go alone?¡± the medic suggested.


    Princess made one turn and nearly collided into her sister who held her close.


    ¡°We go everywhere together,¡± Rosemarie said. ¡°Everywhere. It¡¯s better if I stay with her. She doesn¡¯t like us being apart.¡±


    The medic blinked at her. ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s a very fast check. It won¡¯t take that long.¡±


    Princess vibrated, opening her mouth. The room shook with the menacing sound that emitted. Rosemarie promptly used her hand to muzzle her sister. ¡°No. Don¡¯t. Hush. I¡¯ll go with you no matter what he says.¡±


    The sternness of her words made the medic lean back. He regarded them in confusion for a moment longer.


    ¡°Can they go together? Is there room?¡± Lilah asked. ¡°If you need one of us to come with her, then let both of them go and we¡¯ll stick close to the entrance. How¡¯s that?¡±


    After considering it, the medic relented. ¡°Very well. They¡¯re lucky we have this many Elementals on hand today, that means for a cleaner read. We have some inconsistencies thus far.¡±


    They were finished twenty minutes later, around the same time as the Chief and company finally arrived back.


    Karen Blackwell didn¡¯t walk with her head held high, in fact, she looked frightened. She must not have counted on the Guardian¡¯s inability to rise.


    That wasn¡¯t the only reason for her fear, though, the medic¡¯s words turned that to terror.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a regular Yule gestation, meaning that the baby is about seven months along. It¡¯s just now starting to show, so you assumed it was a typical speedy Newbreed birth. That is not the case, some people are simply slim and carry small. An original imp birth, a human mother injected with the mutation, would carry for thirteen months. Imp to human pairings lead to the opposite, a very fast birth.


    ¡°With her being a Newbreed herself, should the father of that child be an imp, we¡¯ve estimated that might lead to an extra-long pregnancy as well, or a shorter length like a Newbreed birth. This is a regular and very, very normal pregnancy. We¡¯ve asked several E¡¯s on hand to double check. Each and every one says it¡¯s a normal pregnancy, that they cannot sense anything similar to that of a potential Newbreed. Meaning that it¡¯s likely a human father.¡±


    Karen Blackwell¡¯s jaw hung slack. Each attempt she made at closing her mouth was unsuccessful.


    ¡°But...but.... But she was numb to the touch. She was....¡± Karen lost power, eventually. ¡°But...¡± was all she could utter.


    Now instead of just Princess Blackwell watching the ground, Rosemarie kept her head hung as well.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the other inconsistency,¡± the medic said. ¡°We¡¯ve checked with five imps who have each taken a whiff of your daughter¡¯s blood. Each say there is in fact imp venom in it, and it¡¯s pretty potent.¡±


    Karen shook her head. ¡°None of this makes sense. You¡¯re saying an imp bit her but.... No. This makes no sense. Imps won¡¯t eat other imps or Newbreed. And Newbreed saliva¡¯s poisonous to a real imp. That¡¯s probably why he bit her and gave her too much venom first, to make sure she couldn¡¯t bite him back and the....¡±


    She huffed and puffed, meeting eyes with whoever¡¯d meet eyes with her as she struggled to get a grip.


    ¡°Kiki,¡± Darla began, ¡°she doesn¡¯t have a mark on her. No bite. Nothing.¡±


    ¡°He couldn¡¯t bite her,¡± Karen snapped. ¡°Maybe he was afraid to.¡±


    ¡°But he could sleep with her?¡± Darla growled. ¡°Wake up, you idiot, no imp did this.¡± She waited, challenging Karen to say something to the effect of it being a Newbreed.


    But Karen Blackwell couldn¡¯t.


    Darla wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°Escott¡¯s the oldest Newbreed, and he¡¯s literally now going through the maturing process. So if you¡¯re going to blame him, I¡¯ll think you¡¯ll more than find that he is currently unable to father a child even if he could have sex.¡±


    Lilah must have made a sound, because everyone looked at her. She was sure that wasn¡¯t it, so she stepped back. Escott couldn¡¯t...she had thought the opposite, feared the opposite that she¡¯d end up pumping out one child after another if they started.


    ¡°Then what about the venom?¡± Karen challenged, her eyes red with tears. ¡°What about the venom?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Lander¡¯s venom.¡± Lilah closed her mouth too late. She didn¡¯t know where those words came from. She¡¯d meant to mention Winrose, the rogue Newbreed nobody could explain. Offer him up for scrutiny as a possible factor. But that wasn¡¯t what came out. The way Rosemarie¡¯s face colored told Lilah all she needed to know. She was right, she was more than right. ¡°Lander gives it out as a drug, and it¡¯s a very strong one. You lose all feeling for quite a while.¡± Lilah gestured to Rosemarie. ¡°Maybe something a sister would gather and give the other in an attempt to abort....¡±


    Karen Blackwell¡¯s head turned so slowly, she appeared possessed. But she didn¡¯t look at her daughters, she looked straight at Lilah.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Lilah lost confidence, but not by much. ¡°He puts it on paper and lets it dry.¡±


    Darla stepped forward, begging, ¡°Stop. That is an awful thing to say. It would take a ton to have that effect. So stop.¡±


    ¡°Would it?¡± Lilah asked, remembering how her own body lost power with a kiss. ¡°Because Lander is physically mature and¡ª¡±


    The force of Karen Blackwell¡¯s slap left Lilah¡¯s face burning.


    Silence filled the room.


    Lilah kept her head hung, disbelieving of the strike.


    ¡°Are you suggesting that person had anything to do with my daughter¡¯s injury?¡±


    Heart pounding, Lilah fought to find something to say. She focused more on the words. ¡°You talk as if this occurred more than once.¡±


    The next hit was a punch.


    Lilah held out her hand to break her fall. Stunned, she regained her balance and backed away.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Karen seethed, but something else drew her focus; she turned to Rosemarie.


    The look in her eye made the girl back away, hands held up. ¡°Ma¡¯am...ma¡¯am....¡±


    Rosemarie cowered away. Her little sister rushed to stand between them, but Karen couldn¡¯t even glance at that belly.


    ¡°What have you done to the Guardian?¡± Karen asked. ¡°Because if you¡¯re messing with potions and poisons then it must have been you who gave him something else. What did you give him?¡±


    Trembling, Rosemarie muttered, ¡°Just...just...just sugar.¡±


    Darla¡¯s breath hitched.


    Karen closed her eyes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what else to do. He stood up. He stood up; he was gonna move around. You didn¡¯t say he was gonna move around. Ma¡¯am, I just figured I gave him too much. So I tried to fix it. I just wanted to fix it. So...so I gave him sugar.¡±


    Pace slow and measured, Karen asked, ¡°How much sugar?¡±


    The girl¡¯s posture withered. ¡°Two liters.¡±


    Darla¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°He¡¯s never waking up.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll wake up,¡± Karen said, meeting her gaze, ¡°if we give him food. Anyone looking to volunteer?¡±


    The medic looked between them. ¡°What exactly...?¡±


    ¡°We have to feed the imp to get him up,¡± Karen Blackwell explained. ¡°That would involve another Guardian opening his mouth and dumping a lot of blood and meat down his throat.¡±


    ¡°We have livestock,¡± the doctor suggested.


    Darla shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯d be human. Even Mara cannot eat the meat of Topside animals. He resolves instead to either eat nothing, or plants. But....¡± She shrugged, ¡°We¡¯ve had some mishaps where....¡± She pulled her collar back. ¡°I¡¯ve had to make sacrifices.¡±


    The medic looked between them. ¡°We have to tell the Chief.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t come back with us,¡± Karen muttered. ¡°He took off somewhere else.¡± She stared at her daughters for what seemed like ages and said, ¡°A Newbreed, man or woman, has the strength of five men.¡±


    Relief filled Darla¡¯s face¡ªmost people around shared the same expression; Karen Blackwell was taking back her claim of rape.


    Karen met Darla¡¯s gaze. ¡°But just because she didn¡¯t fight doesn¡¯t mean it was something she accepted.¡± It was one of the few times she looked vulnerable. She didn¡¯t pay Lilah a second glance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your loss,¡± Karen said to Darla, ¡°it was meant for the Renegades. Not you. I hadn¡¯t imagined it would hurt you, hurt any Newbreed.¡±


    Darla¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Is that what you told yourself about the Osbournes?¡±


    ¡°That was a long time ago and many awful things came about. But two years ago, one of our servants attacked a colleague. She bit him in the neck and was halfway through eating him by the time we found them. And she was fast, and she disappeared into the underground below our house.


    ¡°I wanted to sedate her and figure out why she moved like a Newbreed. I made a powdered form, too weak to harm an imp, and not potent enough for an Elemental. Sure enough, she came back in the night. I doused her with it. But she passed out.¡± Karen met the medic¡¯s gaze. ¡°I called the enforcers, but the body disappeared before they arrived. They said there were no missing person¡¯s report for a woman that old. None of the blood matched any DNA strand in the only computer we have, and that I must have imagined it. Until I awoke to find Winrose in my house, saying that I¡¯d killed his child.¡±


    ¡°Killed?¡± Darla asked. ¡°You killed her?¡±


    Karen Blackwell knew better than to directly incriminate herself. ¡°That¡¯s what he said. When I saw him, unchanged, here at the station, I thought to myself how dangerous he could be.¡±


    ¡°How did you keep him away?¡± the Medic asked.


    ¡°Oh, I made an empty threat to him that I¡¯d release this powder throughout the entire underground. One place in particular. Which was impossible for me to do. You see, unfortunately...that powder was stolen from me last year. Not sure how it became attached to a bomb of any kind. But I did report it, and I did come here to report it in person. Not that anyone would believe me.¡±


    The silence that time, came with an uncomfortable shuffling of feet.


    Karen needed a moment before she could turn to her children. ¡°Come, we¡¯ll go home.¡±


    Rosemarie wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°But if it¡¯s a normal child, won¡¯t we abort it?¡±


    Her words stunned Karen. She looked from Rosemarie then to Princess and back again.


    ¡°You do not speak for Pricilla,¡± Karen told Rosemarie. ¡°If that¡¯s what she honestly wants, she¡¯ll have to open her mouth and tell me.¡±


    Princess met her gaze and shook her head.


    Karen sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so.¡± She cast Darla a glance. ¡°Don¡¯t think you all have won a victory today. If she was drugged with imp venom, then the potency could have been high due to a number of reasons. The reoccurring length of the rape, for example.¡±


    The medic shook his head and scoffed. ¡°Other than directly, that much concentration would take years.¡±


    Karen swallowed hard and let out a deep breath. ¡°I suppose it would.¡± Her face set in a frown, she held Princess by the shoulder and attempted to leave.


    ¡°There¡¯s the matter of the Guardian,¡± Darla said.


    ¡°Oh. Yes. The Guardian.¡± Karen looked back at them. ¡°And that new stipulation of exile. Does the mayor honestly intend on exiling a teenage mother? A Newbreed no less. Does he really? Because if so, I¡¯d like to see him try.¡± She made her way out. ¡°I think this child has been through enough. If the Chief or mayor wants an audience with me, they¡¯re welcomed to it.¡±


    Still frozen to the spot, Lilah watched Karen¡¯s retreat, careful to note that no one seemed concerned with the fact that the woman just openly assaulted an enforcer.


    Glances came Lilah¡¯s way here and there, but one thing was clear, she was not that popular, and she won no favors by suggesting that Princess¡¯s older brother¡¯s venom aided in the child¡¯s violation.


    Instead of Darla, Lilah took the rest of the shift off. The cold way no one protested Karen Blackwell¡¯s blows was one thing, Lander¡¯s part in all this was another. Lilah could hardly stand the thought of it when she went home.


    He stood waiting at her door, a strange smile plastered on his face. ¡°Hey.... Essy¡¯s down at the fights. I wanted to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Princess Blackwell and her baby send their regards,¡± Lilah said. Without affording him a glance, she opened her house door and stepped inside. And bolted it.


    Her legs didn¡¯t start to shake until she pressed her back against the door. Each gentle, tentative knock from Lander made Lilah flinch.


    And she¡¯d kissed him. She¡¯d kissed him more than once. He gave his venom to someone else as a drug...and that person used it to rape his thirteen-year-old sister. And Lilah¡¯d kissed the bastard.


    It took her all of ten minutes to steady her knees. Their stairs had no railing, so she kept close to the wall for fear she¡¯d tumble down it. Not that she¡¯d care at this point.


    She needed a shower. She needed several, but the one was enough. Eyes failing to focus until she was fully dressed, Lilah relived the encounters with Lander over and over again.


    A gag left her, but she didn¡¯t vomit. Dressed in a clean enforcer¡¯s uniform, she lumbered to the window and sat down on the sofa there. A radio rested on the sill and she flicked it on, searching for anything¡ªmaybe for that music.


    What she found was Karen Blackwell¡¯s station.


    ¡°I bring sad news, my friends. Now I hear that imps are giving out their venom on papers. If you don¡¯t understand the significance, then I must share it with you. It can render an adult paralyzed. An adult ¡®woman¡¯ paralyzed, too.¡±


    That not-too-subtle emphasis was cheap at best. And the way she refers to it as imps rather than Newbreeds. Lilah supposed that was a good thing, because the number of adult Newbreeds was too low to miss judgement.


    ¡°And I have an announcement. It¡¯s a joyous occasion I must share. My husband and I would like to announce our pending birth.¡±


    Lilah raised an eyebrow. ¡°This woman is ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°At my age...I couldn¡¯t believe such a thing was possible. I pray that it is a boy¡ªI¡¯ve always wanted a boy.¡±


    Click. The radio turned off.


    Lilah sat up to regard it in confusion.


    ¡°That woman¡¯s awful,¡± someone said.


    Nearly jumping out of her skin, Lilah scurried back. Her heart was in her mouth by the time she could focus. ¡°Gwen?¡± She surveyed the hall, more than certain Gwen had been at headquarters. ¡°But...but....¡±


    Gwen shrugged. ¡°You didn¡¯t see me walking behind you? I¡¯m invisible.¡±


    It took a moment for Lilah to swallow down her fear. She rested back. ¡°That is not funny. Why are you here?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t wearing that awful wig at least when she sat down. ¡°Came to check on you. Nobody said anything when Karen hit you. I almost said something, but I didn¡¯t want anyone to see me there.¡±


    The strike still stung. Lilah brought her hand to her face but eventually lowered it again.


    Gwen was a chatterbox usually, so when she stared out the window, silent, Lilah worried.


    ¡°You and Lander, huh?¡± Gwen said, ¡°I can leave if you wanted some privacy.¡±


    The very idea made Lilah cringe. ¡°No. That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± A glance at the window showed Lander standing under the street candle, watching the ground. ¡°Hopefully he¡¯ll leave soon.¡±


    Gwen¡¯s blue eyes watched her. She resembled her brother greatly, though with red hair instead of black. That look of disapproval she wore matched his as well.


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna see him? Not even for a minute? Not even to tell him fuck off?¡±


    ¡°He can hear my fuck off from here, I¡¯m sure,¡± Lilah muttered under her breath.


    Sure enough, hands in his pocket, Lander shifted against the light pole. He was listening. He must have heard Karen Blackwell¡¯s coded message to him, too.


    Lilah didn¡¯t like the look Gwen was giving her.


    ¡°Oh, come on. It¡¯s his fault. He gave someone his venom and his thirteen-year-old sister¡¯s raped repeatedly with it and you expect me to what...what go down there and strike up a fucking conversation?¡±


    Lander picked his head up, but it was a little too late to be just getting the message.


    Hanging her head, Gwen said, ¡°I wanted to be like you. For as long as I could remember. Tall like you, skinny like you. I even wanted the curly hair. For a second, I thought maybe that was where my obsession with Gus-Gus came from. But it¡¯s not. It¡¯s because nothing had the amount of integrity you do.¡±


    The words sounded positive enough, but her voice held a note of disgust.


    ¡°And nobody can. Nobody ever can. Nobody can live up to your expectations, and the ones who can¡¯t are fucking disposable and that means everybody. Right?¡±


    Lilah bit her lip to keep from saying something she might regret.


    ¡°Does Essy know about you two?¡± Gwen waited and when Lilah didn¡¯t answer, she sighed. ¡°So now Karen Blackwell¡¯s throwing out hurtful things like that. Essy¡¯s mad at him. And you...you don¡¯t want him.¡±


    Lilah glanced at the window. The sight of Lander still standing there was one that turned her stomach. ¡°Look at him.... What has he ever done right to deserve all those free passes? Huh? I sat up studying by myself because my parents, despite one of them near dying, had to run after poor, pitiful Lander. He could do anything he wanted, and we all felt bad for him as if he can¡¯t help himself.¡± She shook her head. ¡°His thirteen-year-old sister, Gwen. She¡¯s seven months pregnant and the medics said it¡¯s years of getting venom. What the fuck does that say to you?¡±


    Gwen shed a tear, but then she was always so sensitive. ¡°I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m not so sure he wouldn¡¯t have given over that venom just so he¡¯d get another pat on the back from people who don¡¯t care about him. So no. I¡¯m not going to be strolling around hand in hand with the likes of that.¡±


    Lander eased off the light pole, finally. Gwen also stood. She seemed crestfallen when she said, ¡°It must be so hard for you to be the only saint alive, to never make a mistake, to never cause damage. But you are causing damage. You knew he could hear. And saying all this is just cruel. We¡¯re not playthings. We¡¯re your friends. You don¡¯t have to keep us at arm¡¯s length for fear we¡¯ll hurt you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s honestly not it. How can you...how can you sympathize with Lander?¡±


    ¡°How can you not? How can you possibly not sympathize with him? He caused pain he hadn¡¯t intended. Someone gained his trust, bought his trust¡ªand he was so desperate for that pat on the head you talked about that he gave a piece of himself for it. If someone acted like they liked you and accepted you and all you had to do is give them your spit. Wouldn¡¯t you give it?¡±


    They stared each other down before Lilah finally said, ¡°No. No, I wouldn¡¯t. I have more pride than that.¡±


    ¡°Well how fucking fortunate for you.¡± Gwen slammed the radio down and walked out. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re alone. Karen Blackwell should have slapped you a little harder.¡±


    Her heavy footfall against the steps faded. The front door banged shut.


    Gwen was a bleeding heart¡ªhell, so was Escott. But being friends with Lander never did anybody any good. Lilah was fearful. To her, her own responses and actions made sense, but everyone around her didn¡¯t see it that way. For a moment she feared something was wrong with her. She feared she was making a mistake. And when she thought of Lander and could muster up little to no sympathy, she worried about why.


    Gwen, Ms. Invisible, shined under the light poles as she rushed down the street. She pulled Lander to a halt, an action that startled him enough to shrug her away. Hands in his pocket, Lander barely cut her a glance as he walked on.


    Simply leaving was never Gwen¡¯s style, though. She was a friend no matter what. Hell, Escott was a friend no matter what. Lilah struggled to feel the same way but...nothing.


    When Gwen caught up to Lander again and held his shoulder, though, Lilah felt some relief that the shrugging away of her hand was considerably gentler. Lander was heading home. The way he nodded might have meant Gwen would walk him to make sure he didn¡¯t drown himself in the lake.


    Lilah shook her head.


    She picked the radio up and sat back as she turned it on.


    ¡°Got a new song for you tonight,¡± the announcer said. ¡°One night only at none other than Big Henry. DeGrasse.¡±


    Lilah looked down at the device in her hand.


    ¡°Get your tickets early. Talent like this hasn¡¯t been with us in over twenty years.¡±

 Fate 19

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    Arma took a running start and slid under the lumbering giant. Escott knew why. It wasn¡¯t often that she did a dirty move like this but each time she did, he had to close his eyes.


    He told himself she didn¡¯t grab a man there and twist, but the cry and thud that followed meant she certainly did. And she was always sure to slide under anyone taller.


    After the man fell, she kicked him in the head and throat.


    Still cringing and fighting back the urge to close his own legs when she returned to their area, Escott tried to greet her.


    Saying dirty move didn¡¯t begin to describe it.


    ¡°That¡¯s the fourth time you¡¯ve done that. You know, you¡¯d think they¡¯d start wearing protective gear,¡± Escott said.


    She tossed something down at his feet. ¡°He did. That¡¯s why I had to grab hold harder. I just softened it around the idiot.¡±


    Escott stifled a sound. He knew this was a death match as far as their opponents were concerned but still....


    Arma looked up at the glass booth that had since taken on a black curtain. The worry creased in her face made him worry, too.


    They were fifteen opponents in.


    ¡°Another one¡¯s come,¡± Escott said, ¡°is that even allowed?¡± She didn¡¯t answer and he tried to meet her gaze. ¡°Arma?¡±


    She was tired but refused to admit it. ¡°We should keep going until Blackwell says stop.¡± Despite her words, she didn¡¯t sound too sure. ¡°We had an agreement. He left my lot alone and I¡¯d fight.¡± Her chest heaved as she struggled to rest. ¡°Mouse can take a hit¡ªI gifted her with the ability to. But Sash...he¡¯s just holding Sash to make sure I don¡¯t run again.¡±


    The way she said it sounded as if she was trying to convince herself more than him. Escott stood by her side and looked up at the curtain.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d lost your hand in a fight.¡±


    Arma shook her head. ¡°No. I gave it as a guarantee I¡¯d be back to compete.¡±


    She talked as if she could still reattach it. That sounded more like imp territory, but then it occurred to him. She was an Elemental¡ªwhat imps were supposed to be. Heightened rejuvenation was their natural ability.


    ¡°You¡¯d meant to come back for it.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Arma admitted. ¡°I hadn¡¯t.¡± She touched her bare left shoulder. ¡°I longed to, but.... I figured Blackwell¡¯d found someone who could use it. It¡¯s still got power.¡± She glanced at the next five opponents awaiting their fight. All around them the crowd grew, as did the bets¡ªmany betting against them. It was a profitable fight for now. ¡°Maybe this is enough,¡± Arma said, half pleading.


    The grimace on her face was hard to bear. Escott said it, what she refused to, ¡°But eleven kids came through.¡±


    Arma nodded, ¡°And Sash.¡± She swallowed hard and focused on the curtain again. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know that it¡¯ll ever be enough for Blackwell.¡±


    She looked herself over, but Escott wasn¡¯t having it.


    ¡°No. No more. No more chopping yourself up for parts.¡±


    Her eyes met his. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t come from me, it comes from them, and that¡¯s not something I¡¯m going to allow.¡± Her breathing regulated by the time she gestured over at the fighters. ¡°We¡¯ll keep going. We have to.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ve got the next one.¡±


    But the next one to step into the cage made Escott freeze.


    Arma asked, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a woman,¡± Escott said.


    ¡°So? Planning to propose out of spite again? You can collect us like trinkets.¡±


    He cut her a glance. ¡°Bitterness like that will put undue strain on our marriage.¡±


    She gave him a slight grimace; he was sure it was meant to be a smile if only she wasn¡¯t so exhausted.


    ¡°It¡¯s a woman, though,¡± Escott muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t really fight girls.¡±


    Arma turned to him. ¡°Oh f.... Are you joking?¡±


    Sadly, Escott wasn¡¯t. But what was the alternative, ask the near-dead-from-fatigue wife to do it?


    Escott flexed his back. ¡°Um.... I guess I could try. Maybe I can just wear her down.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare. That¡¯ll take too long.¡± Arma glanced back at the fighter and sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll do it,¡± Escott said. ¡°It¡¯s just the fucking Baby Eyes talking.¡±


    Arma squinted at him. ¡°What exactly is this ¡®Baby Eyes?¡¯ I¡¯ve got a feeling I won¡¯t like it.¡±


    Escott wouldn¡¯t look at her head on as he shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s what we call it when a Newbreed grows fast physically but maturity elsewhere takes time to catch up. Things that are potentially dangerous or deadly, they don¡¯t question playing with¡ªmisjudging jumping from a high building for example. But simple shit, really simple stuff,¡± he corrected himself, ¡°scars us or cripples us with fear. We¡¯re also prone to bouts of extreme anger. So we call it Baby Eyes. Things that should scare us simply don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Hence you entering a cage match without a second thought. Yet, you¡¯re afraid of girls?¡±


    Squinting, Escott warned her. ¡°No. Mine¡¯s a physical catching up. Hence why I couldn¡¯t make Ice out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my fault, and that¡¯s intentional. She gives off an image that gets distorted. That¡¯s why I was trying to send her to that gate naked. Apparently, some imps can¡¯t see her.¡±


    Well that was a relief, it wasn¡¯t Escott¡¯s fault.


    Then Arma said it. ¡°Wait, is your marriage to me a form of...of Baby Eyes? You know, throwing a fit?¡±


    Escott paused before turning to raise his hand to accept the challenge.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Come on. I admit, I was in a fix but when someone dumps you, this isn¡¯t really a logical course of action. No?¡±


    Refusing to meet her gaze, Escott grumbled, ¡°We¡¯re not having this discussion.¡±


    ¡°But darling, couples should always talk about their feelings,¡± Arma teased.


    A bell rang and Escott looked up. He was unfamiliar with what it meant.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    Arma looked around. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    The ringing grew louder¡ªit sounded like screaming until something slammed against the glass booth, shattering it. Flames shot into the air only to plummet.


    That flame stood up and screamed.


    ¡°What in the....¡± Arma¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°Sash. That¡¯s Sash.¡±


    She darted for the door but two more fighters, no doubt confused by the developments, stepped in.


    Escott charged as well, forcing his body to grow. It wasn¡¯t real growth and it¡¯d look intimidating for the few seconds he wanted it, but he prayed it worked.


    Claws and teeth bared, Escott leapt in Arma¡¯s path.


    ¡°Shit, not another imp,¡± one said and doubled back.


    Body trembling, Escott forced himself to keep that image just a bit longer. Without it, they had no chance of getting out and Sasha¡¯s screams weren¡¯t letting up.


    Arma kicked the woman in the stomach. ¡°Move.¡±


    Clawed hands grabbed her.


    Escott nearly passed them by, but then he saw the woman¡¯s face. She looked older close up. Yet her small sharp teeth put him in the mind of a Newbreed infant.


    When she tried to bite Arma in the leg, Escott kicked her in the face.


    She rolled over but landed on her hands and feet. That was his confirmation. There was no time to deal with her or get her to stop so Escott put his broader body in front of Arma and shoved everyone out.


    He grabbed Arma and turned with her in his embrace before the woman could attack.


    Escott let go and Arma rushed back and shut the cage door in time, locking the Newbreed in.


    ¡°What in the hell,¡± Escott marveled. The strange Newbreed¡¯s clothes looked normal, too¡ªnormal enough. Yet she banged her head against the cage again and again, almost senselessly.


    ¡°Sash.¡± Arma struggled, pushing her way through the crowd. ¡°Sash.¡±


    Some people had already doused the body with water by the time they arrived. Arma turned her face away. Escott paused as well when he saw what became of Sasha. The kid moved, just a little, but it was enough.


    ¡°He¡¯s still alive.¡± Escott hurried out of his shirt. He didn¡¯t have much fabric, but he ripped it at one side and used it to cover Sasha¡¯s face before scooping him up.


    High up, Mr. Blackwell stepped in the path of the broken window and waved at them.


    He threw something down, something charred.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Arma picked up her burned arm. Her eyes shimmered and for a split second, Escott feared she¡¯d go after Blackwell. Instead, she put her arm to her shoulder, but she had no success.


    Escott got into motion, rushing through the crowd of spectators who moved aside to give him room. When he glanced back and saw Arma¡¯s torn expression as she followed, he swallowed down some of his panic. She was following. She wasn¡¯t going on some stupid attack for revenge. That was good, because he had no idea what to do with the crying child in his arms.


    Going up with Sasha wasn¡¯t an easy course of action. Escott had never heard someone cry like this. It wasn¡¯t loud or tortured, but it didn¡¯t have to be. He wanted to pick up speed but feared hurting him more with any sudden movement. He¡¯d use the underground and find an emergency post.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t go that way,¡± Arma said, alarmed.


    Escott ignored her. He¡¯d never traveled this area but in theory it should help them cut across a lot of the town.


    ¡°We can¡¯t go this way,¡± Arma said again.


    Like before, Escott picked up speed. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to listen to her, it was just that he didn¡¯t want to listen to any more of Sasha¡¯s crying. Even those sounds died down. At one point he feared the boy had stopped breathing so he slowed.


    Nothing looked like this...it was flesh, rising up and down. Just flesh.


    Something scurried by. Escott felt relief for a moment and then nothing at all. No Newbreed greeted him.


    He saw Arma as tough but if he didn¡¯t know any better, he¡¯d think she cowered behind him.


    ¡°Please. Take Sash alone if you have to but find him help. And don¡¯t bring him down here. Please.¡±


    Escott spun around to curse her out. The two ghoulish women lowering from the ceiling made him freeze.


    Arma read his body language. She met his eyes. ¡°One?¡± she mouthed.


    ¡°Two,¡± Escott mouthed back. He finally realized she¡¯d reattached her arm, though it didn¡¯t move.


    Both women pounced. Arma stopped one with a punch to the chin. The other caught fire when she bit into Arma¡¯s arm.


    At those screams, Escott started to run, consequences be damned.


    ¡°Not that way!¡± Arma wailed.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Escott to find out why. He careened to a halt.


    When he¡¯d thought he¡¯d never seen anything quite as horrific as Sasha¡¯s injuries, he was being fucking na?ve.


    ¡°What in the hell...?¡± Escott gasped. Surrounded by small children, a woman...he thought it was a woman, lay flat on her back. Two of the babies fed from her bare body. Some bit into her flesh while the bigger two fed from her breasts. ¡°Oh hell.... What is this?¡±


    Arma swallowed hard. ¡°Something I don¡¯t care to see again. Do yourself a favor, hero. Don¡¯t try to help her. Mouse found that out the hard way.¡±


    Escott thought to approach, but the babies, crawling like miniature imps, gathered. When they blinked in unison, he thought better of it.


    ¡°Fuck me....¡± Chest heaving, he struggled to think. ¡°We¡¯ll travel the tunnels to HQ,¡± Escott said.


    ¡°We can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Arma shivered. ¡°The enforcer. That Newbreed enforcer. He...they...something¡¯s below the HQ tunnels that I don¡¯t want to encounter again. He¡¯s who I expected to see down here.¡±


    Escott often ignored the red lines leading out of people, there were so many that spending time on them could consume his entire year. Something like that was Gwen¡¯s hobby. Now, though, Escott allowed himself to see them. Sure enough, all these creatures shared a line with that woman on the floor. Another line extended, gathering together in one direction. He turned to looked back at the women recovering from the fire. The lines met them but kept on.


    ¡°Children.¡± Escott said. ¡°They¡¯re his children. Amber Winrose wasn¡¯t his mother. She was his daughter. And your bomb killed her. That explains why you guys can¡¯t shake him.¡± He focused on the naked woman again, her distant expression haunted him. ¡°She¡¯s gotten venom...often.¡± He tried to count the offspring. ¡°Each time he mates with her he must bite her to keep her under.¡±


    Arma fought back a gag. ¡°That¡¯s what you guys do?¡±


    Escott shook his head. ¡°No. But I¡¯ve heard.... Sometimes if we mate, we can¡¯t control the amount, but afterward, our wives should grow a tolerance. It¡¯s like he just keeps biting her.¡±


    ¡°Not only him,¡± Arma muttered. ¡°All of them.¡± She shivered in disgust. ¡°If we have to fight.... I cannot...will not burn babies. So let¡¯s turn back.¡± Her eyes settled on Sasha and began to water. ¡°Sash....¡±


    They had to leave, now. Fast. If she fell apart on him midway, he couldn¡¯t carry them all out. Arma was tough, but she was standing before a boy she cared about and felt responsible for.


    ¡°This way.¡± It headed to HQ. They could take their chances, the red lines led away from it.


    Arma planted her feet. ¡°No. No. I cannot.¡±


    Escott wasn¡¯t convinced but at a time like this, Arma wouldn¡¯t refuse without good reason. He spun around, looking for direction and said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll go up top.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how he¡¯d manage that, even walking around with Sasha was difficult.


    One dark tunnel seemed poorly used. Escott took a chance. When Arma followed, he calmed. Some light shined down in the distance, accompanied by one of the sweetest sounds possible¡ªhis father¡¯s cussing.


    ¡°That fucking kid. I swear, when I find him. The ass whipping he¡¯s getting is a long time coming,¡± the Chief shouted as he climbed down from the surface. ¡°Getting fucking married. Married. Then not having the balls to stay. Now you go mucking about the Blackwell¡¯s estate. And this is not the time for this shit either.¡±


    ¡°Dad...¡± Escott called up to him.


    The Chief paused then continued his descend. ¡°Oh, so now it¡¯s Dad now? Huh? It¡¯s Dad now? What the fuck you doing under the Blackwell¡¯s house? I knew I¡¯d find you in the dumbest place possible.¡± When he jumped down, he froze dead in his tracks.


    Heart pounding out of his chest, Escott shivered. ¡°What¡¯do I do with him? I can¡¯t put him down. I...I can¡¯t even bite him to help the pain.¡±


    Without another word, the Chief scaled the ladder again, barking orders.


    ¡°Get a stretcher down here. And I need as many E¡¯s and medics as HQ can spare!¡±


    Escott thought to alert his father to the woman in the tunnel, but he stayed focused on Arma and Sasha instead. He¡¯d come back for her. If he was right, she¡¯d been there for a while, and wasn¡¯t going anywhere any time soon.


    Luckily the journey to the medical building was a fast one. He lost sight of Sasha after they arrived, and medics pushed him aside and took hold of the gurney.


    Standing outside the building, Escott looked up to the logo. Big Henry. The largest medical building in the entire Fan¡ªdesigned and rebuilt by Lilah¡¯s father. High above it, toward the very top, long inactive apartments illuminated. Someone closed the window.


    Escott nearly lost power. Arma wasn¡¯t better off. He¡¯d never imagined seeing her crying. Someone like her didn¡¯t cry. And there they stood¡ªtwo idiots out in the cold night doing absolutely nothing. The day was long gone.


    Arma held his hand. It was no doubt more for her own comfort than his, but he needed it. They had a high volume of E¡¯s at HQ. Hopefully they were still there as the enforcers¡¯ building wasn¡¯t that far away.


    ¡°That bastard used my hand to burn him,¡± Arma blubbered. ¡°So they might not be able to fix him.¡±


    That¡¯s when Escott realized that she had her left hand, but it wasn¡¯t restored. Though she could move it, the fingers didn¡¯t seem to work, and the skin was badly burned.


    ¡°You need a medic,¡± Escott insisted.


    She stepped closer to him. He didn¡¯t think of much, he just held on. This wasn¡¯t the same woman who¡¯d just bested eight fighters on her own. She looked small standing there despite her height. When she tried to break his hold, he tightened his grip.


    ¡°We should go in,¡± Escott said. ¡°He¡¯ll need us.¡±


    ¡°You take care of it,¡± Arma replied. She wiped her eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯m finding Blackwell.¡±


    Escott grabbed her arm so fast she winced. He was more than serious when he met her gaze.


    ¡°Blackwell¡¯s wife has an imp lover who¡¯s older than most imps here. He¡¯s an accomplished engineer and he¡¯s strong as fuck. He may spend his days shoveling shit in the sewage treatment area, but he¡¯s not to be fucked with. We cannot, cannot, cannot attack the Blackwells. Ever.¡±


    Arma¡¯s oncoming tears faded when she sucked in a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m going after Blackwell.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re not. You¡¯re not going to commit suicide like this. What Karen Blackwell wants, is what Karen Blackwell gets and that¡¯s because of her imp. So no. We¡¯re going in there, and we¡¯re going to stand by Sasha because as scared as we are. And take it from me who¡¯s been on that deathbed, he¡¯s a thousand times more frightened.¡±


    Her next attempt at breaking his hold was equally unsuccessful.


    ¡°So what? They get away with whatever they want?¡±


    Escott wanted to assure her. Words of hope came to him but sunk in the back of his throat along with the bile threatening to come up each time he blinked and imagined that charred body.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got E¡¯s. They came from all over the city and if we¡¯re lucky we can get them mobilized here. But we absolutely aren¡¯t going anywhere else.¡±


    She wouldn¡¯t step foot in the direction of the building. High above, hover bikes dropped people off. That didn¡¯t matter. Escott and Arma were heading into that medical building if it was the last thing they¡¯d do.


    Five minutes later, the Chief came out looking like a ghost. ¡°Escott....¡±


    Escott steeled himself. He slid his hand down Arma¡¯s right arm until he gripped her palm. He wanted to hold her up.


    ¡°You guys should come in.¡±


    That was no easy task as Arma planted her feet.


    ¡°And I need to see about Mouse. And the other kids....¡±


    That¡¯s what her words said, but the tension in her grip meant she¡¯d run after violence.


    Escott used as much power as he could without hurting her physically to hold her around the waist and right bicep. The struggle to that door was ridiculous. He found it selfish. He found it petty. And when he finally picked her up and walked through that opened door, he found her quiet. She didn¡¯t struggle or move.


    She deserved her revenge, but there was none to be had¡ªnot from the Blackwells.


    They sat where instructed, Arma by herself watching the floor. Escott tried to get close, but she¡¯d scoot over so he left her. She wasn¡¯t trying to rush back outside at least. She sat...defeated.


    For Escott, the harder part was having to admit what happened knowing full well his father would give him the same ¡®you can¡¯t fight the Blackwells¡¯ speech. It wasn¡¯t fair and it was too great an insult to humanity.


    When the Chief sat beside him, the old man didn¡¯t say anything for quite a while.


    ¡°It was the Blackwells,¡± Escott said. ¡°Did you know they had a fighting ring?¡±


    The Chief let out a sigh. ¡°Yes. Because I was the one who made it.¡±


    Escott picked his head up. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°For fun. For sport. Harris and me¡¯d fight with some of the imps down there. It was nothing serious. But then the family got bigger and there was no time for it. Tine took it over as a place for Lander to play. And whatever Tine had...Karen had. It¡¯s changed over the years thanks to her. Hell, Tine was the main attraction a few times¡ªa guaranteed loss, of course. For anyone looking to spar against a real imp.¡±


    Snorting out a laugh, Escott wanted to spit. No wonder Lander hated and disrespected his father so much. The man was a pet.


    ¡°Figured it¡¯d shut down eventually, but....¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still there,¡± Escott assured him. ¡°Mr. Blackwell runs a tight show as you can see.¡±


    The Chief muttered, ¡°E¡¯s have scanned your friend. He can¡¯t talk but from what they see...he was beaten pretty bad. He grabbed a hold of some E arm and made a wish to die. And then he caught fire. So can you elaborate?¡±


    Arma made a sound.


    Escott shook his head and told his father, ¡°No. I can¡¯t elaborate.¡±


    ¡°Well then I can¡¯t charge Blackwell.¡±


    ¡°Like you ever would.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I would.¡± His father sat up. ¡°What do you take me for?¡±


    ¡°A coward, that¡¯s what.¡± Escott didn¡¯t mean it, but he was too proud to take it back. He fought for something to say. ¡°You¡¯re not going after them because you¡¯re gonna say the burns are self-inflicted. Right?¡±


    The Chief glanced at Arma, no doubt at her charred left arm.


    ¡°Are you saying it isn¡¯t true?¡± the Chief asked his son.


    Escott didn¡¯t have an answer at first. Finally, he said, ¡°But he was beaten beforehand.¡± They¡¯d fought for hours. Hours upon hours and all that time Sasha was gone. How long had his suffering gone on that he had to try and end it on his own?


    ¡°When the E¡¯s heal him, they won¡¯t be able to leave specific scarring. They¡¯ll heal it all, including those bruises. I¡¯m sorry but without you telling me in full detail what happened, my hands are tied.¡±


    Disgusted, Escott stood and flopped down closer beside Arma. Their shoulders brushed and he risked looping her right arm in his.


    ¡°Escott,¡± his father called. ¡°If you have something to say, this is the time to say it.¡±


    Still refusing to meet his gaze, Escott shook his head. ¡°Got nothing to say. Just tell us whether or not he¡¯s going to make it.¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯ll make it. It wasn¡¯t an injury intentionally made by an Elemental or an imp, so our E¡¯s can heal it. It¡¯ll take time, but they can do it. Hate to say it, but it was a blessing that the arm wasn¡¯t attached to the E at the time of injury. Physical pain is one thing, physical pain with a thought for injury cannot be fixed by anyone but the E to have caused it. So we¡¯re working hard. It¡¯ll just hurt...a lot.¡±


    The man waited; maybe he worried and needed some assurance Escott was still among the land of the sane.


    ¡°There was a woman.... Two clicks from the tunnels under Blackwell¡¯s estate. A woman paralyzed by venom...nursing scores of strange-looking Newbreed babies.¡±


    Quiet greeted him so he met his father¡¯s gaze. What he found was confusion and mistrust.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Escott challenged.


    ¡°Anyone telling me of imps behaving perversely, then I¡¯m gonna need a long think on that. Humans do that, not imps.¡±


    Escott marveled. ¡°Are you so prejudiced?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m just that old.¡± The Chief sighed. ¡°You got lucky with your guess about Blackwell¡¯s daughter, but I was right. It wasn¡¯t an imp. She had imp venom in her, no doubt from her dumbass big brother somehow, but that baby¡¯s human, through and through. So some deviant imp underground keeping a woman captive? Fuck. I¡¯m gonna have to see that to believe it.¡± He turned to go but paused. ¡°And that¡¯s the last fucking time you go over my head with any case¡ªespecially one involving the Blackwells.¡±


    Escott didn¡¯t mask his disappointment. ¡°If it was your daughter¡ªif it was Gwen or somebody, you¡¯d want people to at least hear you out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare wish something like that on your sister.¡±


    A commotion some distance away drew Escott¡¯s focus. He didn¡¯t think much of it until Lander lumbered behind the rushing medics.


    ¡°Chief, come in here,¡± a medic called.


    The Chief yelled back, ¡°One minute.¡±


    ¡°No. Come now. You¡¯ll want to come now. Right now.¡±


    The door slammed shut and the Chief complied. Lander backed away, dropping into a nearby chair.


    Escott didn¡¯t know what to make of it and didn¡¯t particularly care. Lander was no longer his business.


    The Chief walked into the room then walked right back out to Lander and demanded, ¡°Get in here.¡±

 Fathers 20

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    ¡°What a waste of flesh,¡± Arma muttered.


    Escott thought she¡¯d meant Lander¡ªhe even set to automatically defend his former friend¡ªbut Lander was in that room.


    ¡°Who?¡± he asked.


    Arma met his gaze then watched the floor again. ¡°I almost pissed myself when I saw him fall,¡± she admitted. Eyes fixed on the charred fingertips of her left hand which refused to take on any color but black, she caught her breath. ¡°What would have happened if you weren¡¯t there?¡±


    Deep down, Escott was sure she would have managed just fine alone.


    ¡°He went to get my hand.¡± She wiped her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just flesh. I wasn¡¯t planning to do more than go home.¡±


    She talked as if she wanted to leave, something he was sure she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about them...if you wanna run...¡± Escott began.


    ¡°I¡¯m a seedling. There¡¯s nowhere to run. If I die, I go back to the E who created me.¡± She rubbed her head. ¡°And she doesn¡¯t like me all that much. Even less so when I stole her lot she created me to tend in her absence.¡± She swallowed hard. ¡°But I¡¯d resolved to go back. Blackwell¡¯s injured Sasha.... That means he no longer cares what I have to say. Maybe I can...I can make a trade with him if he¡¯d leave the boys alone.¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± Escott said, ¡°You¡¯re not a piece of meat. You matter. You matter enough for Sasha to go back and try to win back your weapon.¡±


    She managed to make a fist with her left hand. He¡¯d guessed about the function of that limb, but her silence said he¡¯d guessed right.


    When she pressed her face into his neck and leaned into him, he extended his arms, confused at first. And then her arms wrapped around his waist and he felt both flattered and terrified. She was taking a leap of faith with him, but he was too stupid to know what to do in return.


    He decided to mimic her action. Surely that would be enough.


    Medics emptied out of Sasha¡¯s room and rushed to the next one over. Escott frowned. How many medics could one person need? Sasha was just as critical, too. Lander exited and sat down in his previous chair.


    The army of Elementals, Lilah¡¯s father included, made Escott¡¯s stomach drop. Something was up.


    ¡°Lilah.¡± Osbourne rushed to him.


    Escott struggled to find something to say.


    Arma sat up and Escott leaned away. He was dead meat.


    Osbourne stared at them, jaw slack at first. In time, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Lilah?¡±


    The man¡¯s mounting rage stole Escott¡¯s power of speech.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t she here with you? She should be here.¡± Osbourne stopped a rushing enforcer and demanded, ¡°Find Lilah. Tell her to get her ass here now. She should be here. We need everybody. She of all people should be here.¡±


    When Osbourne hurried away, Escott finally breathe easy. Not for long, though, over half of Sasha¡¯s medics abandoned him to that other room.


    Arma eyed Lander. ¡°It¡¯s worse than ours, apparently. I guess we shouldn¡¯t complain.¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± Escott said. ¡°It¡¯s not bad till you see family showing up.¡±


    Escott wasn¡¯t one to let his curiosity get the better of him. He resolved to stay out of it. He wouldn¡¯t ask one person what the hell Lander¡¯d gotten himself into this time.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he your friend?¡± Arma asked. ¡°Everyone seems to love you. He can¡¯t be any different.¡±


    Escott considered her words. They made him suspicious. And then he thought about it and they made him wonder. He¡¯d known Lander forever. He¡¯d known Lilah forever, too. Lander never let him down. Yeah, Lander¡¯d gotten him into trouble again and again but...never let him down otherwise.


    Deep down he knew he¡¯d forgive the poor bastard sooner or later. With all that went on today, he just wasn¡¯t sure if tonight should be that night.


    Against Escott¡¯s better judgement, he decided to listen in. He tried to pinpoint one or two voices among the chaos.


    ¡°No one understands why. That¡¯s the problem,¡± a medic said.


    That was pretty much the chorus going all around. Escott lost concentration when Tine busted in and people rushed him.


    ¡°Oh shit,¡± Escott muttered.


    Arma asked, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Family. I guess it¡¯s gotten serious...at least for Lander. It¡¯s gotta be bad.¡±


    Escott didn¡¯t listen in on the conversation with Tine. He lost his chance when the aging imp lumbered to his son and sat by his side. Lander turned his face away. Tears streamed from his eyes, but he said not a word.


    Eventually Tine had to give up. ¡°He won¡¯t talk to me. Is his...is his friend here?¡±


    Escott slumped in his seat. ¡°Oh shit. Don¡¯t...don¡¯t, please don¡¯t.¡±


    They did. They headed his way.


    ¡°Oh fuck,¡± Escott said. He surveyed the hall, trying to find a means of escape.


    ¡°Essy,¡± Tine said. The quiver in his voice was hard to bear. ¡°Lanny¡¯s.... Lanny¡¯ll talk to you. Can you talk to him? Please. Get him to...to tell us what happened?¡±


    Escott covered his face. ¡°Sir, I....¡± He gestured to Sasha¡¯s room. ¡°I¡¯ve kinda got my hands full.¡±


    ¡°Essy, please.¡± The Chief seemed ready to cry. ¡°Please.¡±


    That unexpected reaction made Escott straighten up. This was serious. What the fuck had Lander done?


    ¡°There¡¯s no getting out of this one if he doesn¡¯t talk,¡± the Chief muttered. ¡°None.¡±


    Escott rose to his feet, unintentionally dragging Arma up with him. She seemed reluctant to go but now, instead of her clinging to him, she looked like she wanted to guard him.


    Sooner or later she¡¯d have to find out that whenever Lander got in trouble, it was rarely just his own problem.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him. Everybody stop with the doom and gloom,¡± Escott muttered.


    He barely made it to Lander before his friend jumped to his feet and hurried to him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bite her. I swear. I didn¡¯t bite her, Essy. You¡¯ve gotta tell ¡®em that I didn¡¯t bite her. It was just stupid. It was stupid. It was stupid.¡±


    Escott caught hold of him and pulled him into a hug. That seemed to be happening a lot tonight. Holding him tight, Escott whispered, ¡°They¡¯re trying to help. I¡¯m trying to help. Bury the hatchet with your dad, let him help you. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Forehead pressed against Escott¡¯s chest as he cried, Lander gave his confession. Hearing it was equally hard as it was for Lander to get the words out. He stuttered through most of it.


    How he didn¡¯t kiss the girl, even when she¡¯d offered. And how he¡¯d made sure with her again and again it was okay. And even how everything was fine until she begged him to stop. But when he got to the part about the blood when he did and how they tried to contain it until she was too weak to even stand...that part was hard. And then when she begged him not to take her to the medics because her parents would find out...that part was hard, too. And the guilt he felt for waiting so long to finally bring her. That part was the roughest.


    Escott tried to pat Lander¡¯s shoulder as his friend¡ªhands fisted in Escott¡¯s shirt¡ªbawled unabashed.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t bite her. I swear. I didn¡¯t bite her. And I checked and made sure. I swear.¡± Lander whispered, ¡°I swear. I swear.¡±


    The Chief had a hard time speaking for once. ¡°That doesn¡¯t tell us anything we didn¡¯t already know.¡±


    ¡°It tells us one thing,¡± Tine said, ¡°he didn¡¯t finish.¡± He turned and made his way back into the room. ¡°He¡¯s left an impression. Is there anyone who can force it away?¡±


    Before Tine could enter completely, the Chief dragged him by the throat. ¡°What the fuck are you saying, cunt?¡±


    Escott gasped. ¡°Dad. Dial it back.¡±


    ¡°You shut the fuck up.¡± His father turned on Tine. ¡°Huh? What are you suggesting?¡±


    Tine seemed equally as beaten up as his son. ¡°I meant without...I meant without that.¡±


    The Chief shoved him aside and stepped within the room. When Tine followed, he was considerably slower.


    Silence lulled around them¡ªsilence that made Escott queasy. He didn¡¯t want to guess if he was right. He couldn¡¯t meet Lander¡¯s gaze when Arma stepped closer to him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk,¡± she said.


    ¡°Essy...¡± a familiar voice called.


    Escott was less than pleased to see his Eza there, not with questionable shit like this happening. ¡°Hey. What are you doing here?¡±


    Eza didn¡¯t answer at first but said, ¡°Came to kick your ass. What else? You should get your family. We¡¯ll¡ªthey¡¯ll take it from here.¡±


    When Eza and Arma traded a glance, Escott swallowed hard. He wanted to introduce them but not at a time like this.


    ¡°Go on,¡± his Eza said, ¡°I¡¯ll come by and make you guys breakfast. Promise.¡±


    Rather than endure any more of this, Escott nodded. Arma took him by the hand and dragged him out instead.


    When she tasted the night air, she sucked it in. Escott caught a glimpse of Lander as the door to his would-be girlfriend¡¯s room opened and Eza shoved him in.


    For a split second, Escott considered going back.


    ¡°Is it far from here? You know they¡¯ll worry,¡± Arma said.


    She had a point. When Escott let her drag him, though he pointed the way, he felt lighter.


    ¡°That was...your...?¡±


    ¡°We say Eza,¡± Escott explained. ¡°My mother. The only female imp I¡¯ve ever met.¡±


    Arma nodded. ¡°So the other girl imps are still underground?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know...nah. She¡¯s the only one.¡± Escott found himself slowing until Arma pulled him to a halt.


    He glanced back to the tall building.


    ¡°Worrying about your friend?¡± Arma asked.


    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know enough about mating to be of any use to them. What I need to do is find Gwen. She knows every damn thing.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°He left an impression,¡± Arma explained.


    Escott hurried after her, intrigued. ¡°You know what happened?¡±


    ¡°No. But I know how E¡¯s fight. If we make a wound, if we leave an impression, it¡¯ll bleed indefinitely. A stronger E might be able to stop the bleeding.¡±


    ¡°Oh good. I was worried.¡±


    She didn¡¯t say anything at first but confessed, ¡°But not forever. Only the one to make that wound can stop it. But with how scared he is, I can¡¯t imagine how he can convince himself to stop it. He¡¯d have to think of safety and feel safe. I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll happen now.¡± She glanced back at him and said, ¡°But your Eza seemed so cool and collected.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s got enough panic situations she¡¯s had to fake calm for. The closest thing Lander¡¯ll get to a mom at this point.¡±


    Arma tried to smile, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. She slowed in time and asked, ¡°Do you want to go back?¡±


    Escott shook his head. He honestly didn¡¯t. From Lilah to Lander, it was just too much now. ¡°No. The kids¡¯ll worry. Besides, they¡¯re gonna love it, I know. It¡¯s really huge. My area¡¯s the corn. Did I tell you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned it.¡±


    They arrived at the enforcer¡¯s HQ in time to see Karen Blackwell take off her gloves and try to imprint a form.


    ¡°How long before I get an answer?¡± she asked.


    Jan sighed with relief. ¡°Well, you can ask right now. There they are.¡± She met Escott¡¯s gaze. ¡°Essy. Down at the medical section....¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I just came from there. No worries. They¡¯re handling it. What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    Karen Blackwell took a step back. ¡°Just extending a generous offer to adopt a few of your brood.¡±


    Escott caught Arma before she could step forward. He turned to face her. ¡°Cool it. She can¡¯t do anything without us.¡± He told Karen Blackwell, ¡°Thanks for the consideration, but we want ¡®em all. Every last one.¡±


    She stared him down for a moment and raised her head high as she walked away.


    He called after her. ¡°Lander¡¯s¡ª¡±


    The door closed before he got another word out, not that he was all that surprised. Lander was never a topic she ever broached or acknowledged.


    Arma trembled. ¡°Was she trying to take them as payment? I thought you guys didn¡¯t do things like that.¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Escott soothed. ¡°No one¡¯s gonna take them. Look.¡± He gestured at the paper. ¡°It¡¯s just a formal request. See?¡±


    Escott had never gotten such an enthusiastic greeting in all his life. Even his own family was never this happy to see him. He spent the next ten minutes prying children off his leg so he could try and walk.


    Arma looked relieved, though worried. Escott wanted to convince her that he was serious about letting them get a place to stay. The grim look on her face most of the night convinced him she¡¯d no doubt walk away before he woke up¡ªtaking the kids with her. And why not? She had a plan before Escott came into the picture. And she was safe. She didn¡¯t hurt them, and even though his father¡ªand even Gwen¡ªaccused Ice of being a whore, nothing Escott saw indicated that. Arma had gifted her with the ability to take a hit...for fights.


    Escott wasn¡¯t sure why, but he wanted Arma to stay. He was used to a big family¡ªhell, he still lived with his own even though he had that free space on the farm. There was no point being there without someone else.


    Each time he focused on her, he knew trying to convince her was useless. Still, he did what he¡¯d set out to do, and maybe for once it was okay not to be looking after someone¡ªnot Lilah, not Lander...and not Arma and her ¡®lot.¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d do now, but there¡¯d be something. Besides, he had a feeling Lander needed a friend real soon. Escott decided not to enable him like before but to be there to talk him down from any ledges.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Escott said, ¡°we¡¯ll catch a few taxis and head up there to my spot on the farm. I want to show it to you before you change your mind.¡±


    Arma hesitated. ¡°Listen....¡±


    ¡°Nope. Just look at it first. Come on.¡±


    Jan made the call but relayed the price for the taxi and Escott¡¯s spirits sank.


    ¡°Okay. I guess we¡¯re walking.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a wagon, but it¡¯s Newbreed powered,¡± Jan said.


    Escott sighed with relief. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    ¡°We can push it together,¡± Ice said, walking out of the hall, Darla ready with the keys for the cuffs. ¡°I knew you¡¯d save us.¡± She focused on Arma and seemed torn. ¡°How long can you stay with us?¡±


    Arma hesitated but said, ¡°I don¡¯t have to leave. I¡¯m...I¡¯m okay, too.¡±


    As soon as the cuffs were off, Ice rushed her, lifting her off the ground. Once Ice put her down again, she asked Jan, ¡°Do I have to sign anything?¡± Her face reddened, which made her skin shine bright. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how this all goes.¡±


    Jan raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°Mouse,¡± Arma began but paused. Escott looked between her and Ice, waiting for her to offer the good news.


    Slowly it dawned on him; Arma couldn¡¯t.


    Escott did the honors, keeping his tone level when he said, ¡°I married your Arma. So everybody under her care gets to stay.¡±


    He expected the same excited chatter as the other kids gave. What he got was a look of confusion.


    ¡°What?¡± Ice asked. ¡°Wait. What?¡±


    Arma swallowed hard. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this later.¡±


    ¡°Talk about this?¡± Ice said. ¡°You married him. You knew how I felt...and you married him? What¡¯s supposed to happen now?¡±


    Escott tried to step between them. ¡°I¡¯ve got a nice place. I have a big family, too, so don¡¯t worry, you can bunk alone. I would have killed for that chance at your age.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± Ice said, meeting his gaze before focusing on Arma again. ¡°When you two sleep together, I won¡¯t be able to hear it.¡±


    Escott shut up.


    Arma¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my idea, but it¡¯s done. So let¡¯s talk about this later on. Please. Besides, this is not all that easy to explain. He can¡¯t...he couldn¡¯t return any feelings for you. It¡¯s...it¡¯s complicated.¡±


    But while she motioned toward the door, Ice didn¡¯t seem capable of moving.


    ¡°You knew how I felt...¡± she whispered. ¡°You even thought he was weird. Didn¡¯t you say he was stupid and simple?¡±


    Arma met Escott¡¯s gaze. He was less concerned with her previous opinion of him, and more so with this showdown.


    There was no sense in arguing. Escott ushered the kids outside. He found the wagon without trouble and they climbed in.


    When Arma didn¡¯t exit, he opened the door. ¡°Are we going?¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± She waved back at him. ¡°Wait. I¡¯m still talking to Mouse.¡±


    Funny, Ice wasn¡¯t talking to her. She only watched the floor, her face twisted into a frown.


    ¡°You knew how I felt.¡±


    Arma whispered, ¡°It wasn¡¯t my idea and what¡¯s done is done¡ª¡±


    ¡°And what do you care about him? The only use you¡¯ve ever found for men is to beat them up. And don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t. I see you and the way you operate. It¡¯s like you seek them out so you can humiliate them. Now your humiliation¡¯s extending to me.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Arma shook her head. ¡°No. I came here to give you a fighting chance. I gave you my rejuvenation, a piece of my tongue and until recently I took off my left arm to give you a fighting chance, Mouse. We¡¯re out here because of you. Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t throw this chance away.¡±


    Within the foyer they argued, but in the wagon, the other children tried to calm the young ones who cried. There weren¡¯t any dry goods at the farm, but they¡¯d be surrounded with more than enough Newbreed mothers with big families all but too eager to meddle and help out.


    ¡°Arma. They¡¯re hungry. We can¡¯t wait any longer.¡±


    ¡°I know, but...but you talk to her.¡±


    Escott didn¡¯t think that was fair. It would be unfair to convince Ice at a time like this. She was hurting, and more than just a little confused.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± Escott said. ¡°Meet you up there, then. It¡¯s the only damn farm in town.¡±


    He set off. Judging from how badly Arma wanted Ice to join them, he expected her to stay. He was not even halfway down the road before she ran to catch up.


    ¡°Can I help you carry them?¡±


    Escott shook his head. ¡°Nope. Might be best if you hop on, too. That way I can run.¡±


    She walked beside him, instead. He thought that was defiance and a stubborn decision at first, but with each step, he could see that maybe it was something else.


    ¡°She¡¯ll come around,¡± Escott said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯ll come around.¡±


    Arma wouldn¡¯t meet his gaze. ¡°About what I said...about you being simple....¡±


    ¡°Hey. If you forgive the wig thing, I can forgive this.¡± He tried to nudge her, though that was hard from this low positioning. The ring around his throat hurt, but there was no helping that.


    They reached the house late. A few Newbreeds must have told their mothers because a good five women with big pots awaited them. Escott appreciated the reception. He would have liked his own Eza being there, but this was okay, too.


    Other farm Newbreeds came, most to point and laugh at Escott, but he didn¡¯t care. Mostly because they also helped wash and feed the children and set the house up. The place was filthy. He hadn¡¯t remembered leaving it like that.


    ¡°It collects dust over time, Essy. Your engagement started two years ago, remember?¡± someone reminded him.


    Every fussy piece of advice, every time someone bumped him aside and took over the housing needs, he gladly let them. The house was finally livable around midnight or so.


    He put out all the candles and stepped out onto the mound to look up. The entire Fan sat shrouded in the Veil at all times; everywhere but the farm. From here they could see the sun...and especially the moon.


    ¡°They¡¯re such an imposition,¡± Arma said. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    While he watched the sky, pleased as hell with how things turned out¡ªit could have been much worse¡ªshe watched the city.


    Escott wasn¡¯t sure why until he saw the once sleeping Guardian rise.


    ¡°Wow. I¡¯ll never get used to that,¡± Arma said.


    ¡°I can do without it,¡± Escott muttered. The giant imp...was chewing something. ¡°They¡¯ve fed it.¡±


    Arma looked at him, doubtful. ¡°I thought they only ate people.¡±


    ¡°They do.¡±


    ¡°I guess they found some dead bodies somewhere,¡± she said, hopeful.


    Escott shook his head. ¡°No. It was alive. I¡¯d bet you anything it was alive. Let¡¯s pray it doesn¡¯t try to feed more.¡±


    Three other Guardians rose and Arma¡¯s breath hitched.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Escott said. ¡°Look. Their leader¡¯s calling them awake.¡±


    It was a wonder to behold. One by one each Guardian rose. Jerret stood on a building, fanning them back. The imp leader was big, even bigger than Escott¡¯s six-foot-five frame, but he looked so insignificant standing there in front of all these giant imps lumbering back.


    The regular sized imps were out and about, rushing here and there when a Guardian tried to grab someone.


    Escott¡¯d never seen anything like it¡ªhe might never see anything like it again. With all the imps roaming the streets, Escott took special interest when they gathered and headed toward the farm.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming here,¡± Escott observed.


    Instead of answering, Arma took him by the hand. ¡°This marriage isn¡¯t real, and I know what¡¯s coming is rough. I should have let you stay there instead of taking you out. But I did what they wanted.¡±


    Escott looked down at her. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your...your Eza asked me telepathically to take you out of the medic hall. So before anything else happens, know that I thank you. Know that I¡¯m grateful for what you¡¯ve done. And know...if you need us to leave when the sun comes up...we¡¯re gone.¡±


    He puzzled about her words but before he could inquire for more, Darla¡¯s pale figure, riding on the back of an imp, rushed toward them.


    Without thinking, Escott stepped before Arma to guard her.


    ¡°Essy.¡± Darla jumped before the imp had time to stop. ¡°Essy, you have to come. You have to come now. Right now.¡±


    Escott blinked at her. ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s so darn late. Can...can this wait?¡±


    But Arma already rushed back into the house to wake up the two older boys to let them know they were leaving.


    ¡°Can someone stay with them?¡± she asked as she hurried back to them. ¡°Even one person?¡±


    Darla nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll stay. I¡¯ll stay just please get him back there. Get him there now. Lander... couldn¡¯t. And...and it¡¯s about time now.¡±


    Escott looked between them. ¡°Whenever either of you two care to shed a light, I¡¯d really appreciate it.¡±


    And then Darla said it, the only one word she needed to say. ¡°Gwen.... It¡¯s Gwen. And you need to go.¡±


    Something inside Escott shut off. He started to fall, but before he hit the ground, he turned on his hands and feet and raced toward the city.


    No. This wasn¡¯t happening. Escott felt the same as he always did as his claws hit the cobblestone. He should have taken it easy; he didn¡¯t want to damage the street...or himself. He broke into a run though, one that was hard to maintain without a bike. He had to rip open the first manhole he could find and travel the tunnels that way. The medical building felt a lifetime away. He surfaced again, barely missing a racing car as he checked his location.


    Partway through the running his mind shut off. He couldn¡¯t think of anything. Not even as he surfaced one last time to the sight of the big building.


    Some idiot stood outside, wringing his hands. It was Lander.


    He jumped in front of Escott. ¡°I tried, Essy. I really tried. I tried. I couldn¡¯t, but I tried.¡±


    Escott shoved him aside and nearly ripped the door off as he stormed in. A sea of familiar faces wet with tears greeted him. Everyone down to his newborn baby brother was there. His mother took up root on a chair; the Chief stood by the door.


    Nobody said a word. Someone should have said something.


    ¡°What¡¯d he do?¡± Escott asked, barely managing a whisper. He didn¡¯t wait for a response before rushing into that room.


    Gus-Gus stood from his chair and sighed with relief. ¡°Essy.¡±


    Escott told his feet to move, to walk, but he could only stand there.


    Whoever lay in that bed didn¡¯t move a muscle. The blood on the floor was the worst part. Why didn¡¯t anyone try to stop it? Or...or clean it up? Several stained rags and buckets against the wall might have meant someone did but why didn¡¯t they do more?


    ¡°Essy¡¯s here,¡± Gus said, sitting again. ¡°Look. Look, he¡¯s here.¡±


    That familiar chuckle, though weak, sounded hollow. ¡°Did he bring my wig?¡±


    Escott trembled as he tried to approach.


    Gus stared at him, willing him to come closer, hating him for not finding the courage to even move. Escott could only stare at them.


    Ignoring him, Gus held Gwen¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m gonna let go just for a minute, just for a minute and get your family to come back.¡±


    But Gus didn¡¯t let go. He stood as if he wanted to leave, but he didn¡¯t.


    Her tight grip on his hand loosened.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t how I¡¯d imagined the first time to go. I knew if I didn¡¯t wait on you something bad would happen.... But he noticed me.¡± She sniffed. ¡°I¡¯m not invisible again, am I, Gus?¡±


    ¡°No, sweetheart. You¡¯re not invisible,¡± Gus answered.


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t hear Essy. So I figured....¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gus assured her. ¡°You¡¯re not invisible.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good. I hope he comes.¡±


    The Chief stepped in. Nobody else did. And they stood there. They all stood there a good twenty minutes before Gus stifled a sob.


    When Gus held her face and started to pull it this way and that, the Chief took one step then two, tears in his eyes.


    Gus blocked him. ¡°I have to do this now before she turns to stone.¡±


    She won¡¯t turn to stone, you idiot. She¡¯s not an E.


    When the Chief stopped moving, Escott¡¯s feet finally obeyed him. He walked. He moved. He stepped forward. Gwen did turn to stone, albeit slowly. The serene expression Gus fashioned for her looked fake. Gwen never looked like that. It should have been a grin. Her big fat grin that she always wore.


    A chorus of sobs all around, but Escott couldn¡¯t focus on any of them. It felt like a dream, a strange dream he couldn¡¯t shake.


    One cry stood out above the others. Escott turned to see who. He finally noticed how unkempt the idiot looked. He was covered in blood, too.


    Escott marched to him, took him by the back of the hair and dragged him down the hall and out the door. He tossed Lander down.


    ¡°Essy. I¡¯m sorry. Essy. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt her. I swear.¡±


    ¡°Stand up,¡± Escott said, feeling cold. ¡°You should stand up like a man and say that to my face. You want to apologize, then stand up.¡±


    Lander stayed on the ground, crying.


    ¡°Stand up!¡±


    Arma was slow to dismount the imp that let her ride on his back. Karen Blackwell arrived, too. Inside and out of the building, the crowd was insurmountable.


    Escott calmed himself. ¡°If you want to tell everyone...then stand up.¡±


    Lander whispered through the tears as he struggled to his feet. ¡°She agreed. And I didn¡¯t bite her. This was my first time and I messed up and I couldn¡¯t...I couldn¡¯t again after...they even asked me to try and¡ªand finish. But how¡ªhow could anyone ask that? And I couldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Because you didn¡¯t love her. She was just something for the moment. I get it,¡± Escott said. ¡°I get it. I bet you any money she followed behind you trying to save you like she¡¯s always trying to save everybody. Never staying out of trouble, never minding her own business. I get it. So apologize to me, Lander, if you want. But stand up and do it.¡±


    Trembling, Lander met his gaze finally. ¡°I¡¯m so¡ª¡±


    Escott whipped his claws against Lander¡¯s throat. The cut was good and clean. Lander¡¯s eyes held shock as the blood shot out of him.


    He didn¡¯t try to hold it or heal like it eventually would.


    Escott waited for him to work up the nerve, the actual fucking nerve. The second Lander tried to approach, Escott punched him with all his might, knocking his head clear off. His body turned to stone and as it collapsed to the ground, Karen Blackwell let out a cry and collapsed with it.

 Matters 21

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    Big Henry had twenty-eight floors¡ªtwenty-eight, the age when all the good stuff happened.


    Lilah met resistance on the ground floor, so she climbed up to the fifth, and then finally found an open window and an elevator.


    Number twenty-eight. The private floor. Maybe the richest floor in all the Fan. At least her father didn¡¯t do mediocre.


    Despite the journey taking her up, each second she stood there, she felt down. By the time the final ping sounded, there wasn¡¯t much left of her.


    DeGrasse.


    She needed to find DeGrasse. She needed to find her father and an explanation.


    The short hall led to a large door. Feet feeling unsteady atop the plush red carpet, Lilah willed herself to calm. She didn¡¯t ring the doorbell, she didn¡¯t knock; she held the knob and twisted it. It didn¡¯t yield so she allowed the metal to heat.


    Another twist broke the damn thing off and she was slow to lower it to the ground. It could stay right there until she was finished.


    Despite all that effort, the damn door creaked. It brought the otherwise quiet room to life.


    ¡°Darling? Are you back so soon?¡±


    Lilah stepped over the lingerie. She sidestepped the clothes littered on the floor. From the grand pillars of the miniature kitchen on the left, to the glass doors of the balcony on the right, she reached behind herself for the baton¡ªa gun would be too damn fast.


    Someone raced toward the door, closing a robe.


    ¡°Darling, I¡¯m in no mood for games.¡±


    Lilah struck, the bitch caught it, right at the throat. She also yanked it away and struck back. Lilah barely leaned away in time; it grazed her nose.


    Two brown eyes regarded her in confusion but closed with a firm punch.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    Lilah kicked the woman¡¯s feet with a jump, sweeping her legs from under her. A stomp to the baton sent it flying high enough for Lilah to snatch it and slam it down again.


    DeGrasse rolled away in time. When she tried to scurry back, Lilah stepped on the robe to anchor her.


    She would have struck if not for the other woman sitting in a chair by the sofa.


    ¡°Stop. Please stop,¡± the injured woman gasped. When the woman by the sofa stood, DeGrasse raised her hand to keep her back. ¡°No. Stay there. This is a misunderstanding. I promise.¡±


    ¡°But Lee, she has a weapon....¡±


    ¡°Mother, please. Please stay there.¡± DeGrasse yanked her robe free and lumbered to her feet. When she turned to Lilah, she did so with a newly forming black eye. ¡°If you¡¯d kindly leave....¡±


    Lilah¡¯s readied fists shook. She wasn¡¯t leaving. She wasn¡¯t going anywhere.


    That much realization dawned in DeGrasse¡¯s eyes.


    A small shortwave radio on the kitchen counter roared to life. ¡°Lee. Lee, if you¡¯re coming. This is the time to come.¡±


    Lilah stared at it; the sound of her father¡¯s voice bothered her greatly. Her own badge flashed, and that same voice erupted.


    ¡°Lilah, this is your father. You need to come to the medical building as fast as you can. You need to come now.¡±


    She took the badge off and shoved it in her pocket. DeGrasse was small, shorter than even her. The old-fashioned bob of hair suited her lean face. She was young, though, and Lilah might not have taken a second glance if this woman didn¡¯t look too familiar...right down to the AoE characteristics.


    A small scan of the room left a pit in Lilah¡¯s stomach. The pictures missing from her home. Here they were, decorating these walls.


    As soon as she focused on the woman again, she recognized who she was looking at, the person...the woman before her stopped pretending they were strangers.


    ¡°Well...what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Is this some kind of joke?¡± Lilah asked. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be dead. I buried you. In more ways than one. And now I find you here in this posh hotel, alive...young.¡±


    She looked so different without the illness. Lilah¡¯d forgotten this face.


    DeGrasse held Lilah¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯m having a very hard time coming to terms with this myself, so I¡¯d appreciate you not mentioning the age change. That wasn¡¯t my choice. And it came at great expense.¡±


    ¡°Somehow I doubt that.¡± Lilah still hadn¡¯t defrosted from her fighter¡¯s stance.


    Gesturing back at the other woman by the sofa, DeGrasse said, ¡°She¡¯s my mother. She sired me. Ten years ago, when I got sick, your father used his own lifeforce to keep my body alive.¡±


    ¡°And you couldn¡¯t tell me any of this?¡±


    ¡°Darling, if you¡¯d only put those down....¡±


    She meant Lilah¡¯s fists. It took some time to stand properly instead of looking for a fight.


    DeGrasse tested her eye and sighed. ¡°My mother, the E to have created me from her power, was in stasis. When she came out finally, your father sent me back to her.¡±


    ¡°He killed you.¡±


    In time, DeGrasse said, ¡°That wasn¡¯t supposed to be in the report. The Chief promised.¡±


    ¡°The Chief kept his promise, but I was there when father stabbed you. I was there crying, trying to keep from crying out. I was there tending to your body as if it was...as if you¡¯d cared, as if it was you. And I put you in the ground months ago. I was there. I was fucking there so tell me why you felt the need to put me through that.¡±


    Lilah¡¯s badge sounded again, but she held it steady in her pocket.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t supposed to see that. We didn¡¯t know if it would work. We didn¡¯t even know if...if my mother would allow me to form again. We didn¡¯t know what to expect because despite her being in stasis, I wasn¡¯t. My new body was aged.¡± She extended her arms then lowered them again. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected that. And...adjusting¡¯s been rough...for everyone. Mostly because of me. So we wanted to tell you we¡¯d attempt it, but we couldn¡¯t without knowing it would work.¡±


    ¡°And once it had,¡± Lilah said through gritted teeth. ¡°A call would be too much?¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    DeGrasse swallowed down her response and lowered her gaze. ¡°Ten years. Ten years withering away in a body barely functioning. Once I got over the shock. I...I just wanted him. I just wanted your father around and nothing. Hell, he¡¯s so worried that he¡¯s brought my mother here to make certain I don¡¯t make another attempt to throw myself from the balcony again.¡± She let out a sigh. ¡°He gave me what little he had left of his youth, and for a while there...I guess we forgot we got old. And I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry you saw all that. And I¡¯m sorry...sorry we¡¯ve been absent.¡±


    They¡¯d been absent for years. Nobody and nothing else mattered beyond this illness. Not Gus-Gus who longed to help. Not even Lilah who tried to remind them she was still very much around.


    ¡°Lee? How is your eye?¡± the woman asked.


    Tentative fingers to her cheek, DeGrasse called back. ¡°Mother, if you¡¯d give me a moment....¡± At the silence, she set her sights on Lilah again. ¡°I didn¡¯t intend for any of this. I crossed Karen Blackwell, and she poisoned me. Your father kept right on reviving my body, and it took a lot out of him to do it day in day out for ten years. So when...when freedom and a new start came. We¡ªI just...I just wanted to forget for a minute.¡±


    ¡°Even us?¡±


    A tear fell from DeGrasse¡¯s right eye as she nodded. ¡°Even you. Everything. Every obligation. Every job assignment. Every damn thing. Just everything for a while. For a short while.¡±


    ¡°And then what?¡± Lilah asked, fighting back her own tears. ¡°You were going to show up next year? A year after that?¡± She didn¡¯t get an answer. ¡°When exactly where you going to reveal yourself to us? Were you ever going to reveal yourself?¡±


    DeGrasse colored and admitted, ¡°For a second there...I thought maybe I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Lilah¡¯s breath hitched. A slap to the face would hurt far less.


    ¡°Oh, Lilah.¡± DeGrasse sighed. ¡°What are you doing here? Lilah, my perfect, always play it safe, never doing what you want always doing what you think mommy and daddy expect, but you don¡¯t realize that they don¡¯t care Lilah.¡±


    A tear fell down Lilah¡¯s cheek that time, but she held the others back. To be mocked.... To have her very real pain and anguish...mocked.


    ¡°I was glad when I heard about you and Escott breaking up.¡± DeGrasse¡¯s eyes closed. ¡°So, so glad. Because he was your biggest safety net.¡±


    Lilah struggled to breathe. Her chest felt heavy, her insides crushed.


    ¡°You¡¯re laughing at me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m crying for you,¡± DeGrasse said. ¡°I¡¯ve been crying for you for years now. This is older than the sickness. You are a snob, but you have every right to be, because I raised you as a snob and your father spoiled you rotten put on top of it. I recognized it for what it was. So no...no, I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d meet you again after I finally accepted this new body. No. I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d try to be mommy to you instead of a patient. And no, I didn¡¯t consider it only because of selfishness. I considered it because of you. Even Gus-Gus agreed. You took on too much, you always do. You play your life so safe that you¡¯re practically the definition of a volt.¡±


    Another tear escaped and Lilah held a nearby chair to steady herself. She let go again for fear of looking weak.


    ¡°Gus has seen you?¡± she asked.


    It took a lifetime before DeGrasse said, ¡°Yes. Gus saw me. He saw us. He figured your father was up here. He didn¡¯t mean to run into me. And after he had a good cry...he told me to stay here and be well.¡± She shook her head. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll tell me that.¡±


    Lilah hated her. No word could describe it better. She hated them both.


    The radio sounded again.


    ¡°Lee, you¡¯re fucking scaring me. Answer.¡±


    Before DeGrasse could step forward, Lilah blocked her path. ¡°No. You don¡¯t get to answer. Nobody else gets your time before I do.¡± The sound of her own voice, quivering and weak, turned her stomach, but she refused to budge. ¡°Nobody else gets to take the very, very precious little time you afford me. Do not touch that radio.¡±


    DeGrasse stood her ground. ¡°Nothing good will come from this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got something to say.¡±


    ¡°Then say it.¡± She stood bold. ¡°Then say it, Lilah. Open your damn mouth and say what it is you want. Do what it is you want. Go wherever the fuck it is that you want. Stop trying to fit a perfect form that no one even wanted you to embody. For fuck¡¯s sake.¡±


    Lilah gritted her teeth. ¡°Stop swearing. You never swear. You never swear, so stop swearing.¡±


    The look in DeGrasse¡¯s eyes told Lilah her words had betrayed her.


    ¡°You were trying to be like me?¡± The woman rubbed her face with a sigh. ¡°Darling. That¡¯s not me. I played the I¡¯m dying, but I don¡¯t mind role for the benefit of you and your brother but rest assured, at night I cried myself to sleep in my husband¡¯s arms. I didn¡¯t want to die. I didn¡¯t want to die at all. The time when life finally made sense, when we formed a family, less than a year later the underground started collapsing and all life faded.¡± She calmed and said, ¡°I fell in love with your father again when we had to rebuild, but...but I hated putting him through all this. I hated putting all of you through it. I thought if I kept out of sight, you could enjoy life. But you didn¡¯t. The more I stopped going out, the more you did, too.¡±


    Teeth chattering, Lilah confessed. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be right. I just want to be proper. I just want to be strong. I am strong,¡± Lilah said. ¡°I always felt like you failed to see that.¡±


    ¡°You are the weakest person I¡¯ve ever met in my life.¡±


    No harsher words had ever cut Lilah in two.


    ¡°The weakest.¡± DeGrasse marveled. ¡°You have fire in the palm of your hand, my darling, and I bet you can count how many times you¡¯ve wielded it on said hand.¡±


    Lilah¡¯s posture wilted.


    ¡°You¡¯re smart, you¡¯re well-trained, but you are afraid of being alive and you can¡¯t be alive without making a fucking mistake.¡± DeGrasse stepped forward and challenged. ¡°Tell me I¡¯m wrong. I dare you.¡±


    Each attempt Lilah made at opening her mouth only came with a sob. She shut it again.


    ¡°And poor Essy. Not realizing that you lean on him, and you tug him this way and that because he¡¯s the one person alive you know won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    Unable to hold her gaze, Lilah hugged herself. ¡°Now I know what you think of me. I supposed it would have been better if you¡¯d remained dead, after all.¡±


    Two arms held her tight. She wanted to shove DeGrasse back. She wanted to punch her. She didn¡¯t mean to break down.


    ¡°Oh my darling, this isn¡¯t what I intended for you. This isn¡¯t about what I want. I wanted you to be bold and smart. Not pine away like some bitter old noblewoman. No. I¡¯m not going back. You need something else to focus on. You need to take care of yourself now. You alone. Not us. Not poor Essy. Just you.¡±


    Lilah struggled in the hold but with little success.


    The radio sounded again and just like that the embrace faded.


    ¡°No,¡± Lilah warned. ¡°If you touch that radio, I¡¯ll never forgive you.¡±


    DeGrasse studied Lilah¡¯s face and then glanced back at her own mother and said, ¡°I know you probably won¡¯t.¡± She met Lilah¡¯s gaze again. ¡°And why would you? I was like that. And now, nearly forty years later, I¡¯m looking to start over. I¡¯m looking to get to know someone I didn¡¯t forgive, either.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Lilah begged. ¡°Please....¡± She wasn¡¯t sure what she was asking, maybe for more time...but something.


    ¡°And you¡¯re welcomed to that same anger,¡± DeGrasse said, ¡°careful it¡¯s not all you end up with after you¡¯ve pushed everyone away.¡±


    Her fingers gripped the device, but Lilah felt gutted.


    ¡°Darling, I¡¯m here,¡± DeGrasse said with so much composure she nearly fooled Lilah. ¡°How is everything? Can I still come?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± her husband said. ¡°No. It¡¯s too late. She¡¯s gone. She¡¯s fucking gone. And I can¡¯t find Lilah, but I¡¯m coming home once I do.¡±


    ¡°Oh, love, I¡¯m so sorry. And listen, before you come, I just want you to know that I rushed to get this and hit my eye on the chair. I don¡¯t want you storming the castle thinking I¡¯m hurting myself.¡±


    ¡°Your eye...? You¡¯re hurt?¡±


    DeGrasse hesitated. ¡°Just a tad.¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t supposed to leave you alone.¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°You stay right there. I¡¯m coming right now. Don¡¯t you dare move, Lee. I¡¯m coming right now.¡± His voice cracked before it faded.


    DeGrasse rubbed her brow. ¡°Fuck.¡± Head still hung, she swung around to face Lilah. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on everybody. Your father¡¯s had to make the most massive adjustment in history. He didn¡¯t ask for any of this and could have run and not look back, too. And now I¡¯ve upset him. Consider for a second that when he had to stab me, he didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d ever see me again. So while the mountain of sympathy I have for you diminishes down to a hill, I¡¯d like to ask you to do the one thing I cannot do for you: go and live your life.¡±


    Lilah trembled.


    ¡°And do it now before your father comes here.¡±


    A hover bike engine sputtered and stopped on the balcony. Lilah thought to look, but the tears and anger written on DeGrasse¡¯s face was enough. Lilah wasn¡¯t wanted. Without saying another word, Lilah turned and hurried out.


    The door slammed firmer into place once she was gone.


    ¡°Lee? Lee, where the fuck are you? Lee.¡±


    ¡°Love. I¡¯m here.¡± DeGrasse still rested against the door. ¡°Oh darling, please don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine. I promise.¡±


    ¡°Did you cut yourself again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Honest. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Silence followed and then.... ¡°What the fuck happened to the doorknob?¡±


    DeGrasse gasped. ¡°I...I was.... Oh darling, don¡¯t, please don¡¯t. You don¡¯t have to cancel work. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°They can give me another fucking month. And that goes for the fucking show, too. I knew it was too soon. I knew it.¡±


    Five minutes later, the door opened and DeGrasse¡¯s mother inched out. The door across the hall couldn¡¯t have led far; most of the expansive flat took up the entire floor.


    The woman paused at the threshold and said, ¡°I¡¯d never expected to see the sun again much less living above ground. I hope we can meet on better terms.¡± She glanced back at DeGrasse¡¯s door. ¡°But this is my second chance, too, and I can¡¯t let it pass. Take care.¡±


    And she left. Lilah stood there, feeling like a fool. It took everything in her to march into that elevator, put her badge on, and ride it down to the bottom. She was going into work. That had to be better than this.


    When it reached one, she noticed the top button no longer lit up. She pressed it to be certain. Button two took her up again, button one took her down, but those lit up. Another press of number twenty-eight meant absolutely nothing. The elevator wouldn¡¯t rise.


    Sucking in a deep breath, Lilah wiped her face, brushed her hair back and wore the coldest expression she could muster as she stepped out.

 Sayings 22

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    Not many things frightened Lilah in life¡ªtill now she¡¯d thought herself immune to fear but seeing Lander¡¯s head roll to a stop made the world turn gray. There was no feeling there.


    Karen Blackwell¡¯s collapse was silent¡ªshe crumpled like a discarded puppet. A car engine broke through the night and shut off. Rosemarie and her sister pushed through the crowd but halted, even their heavy breathing faded.


    Tine was the last to push his way through, a sketchbook in hand. He was the first¡ªthe only one¡ªto defrost and approach his son¡¯s stone body.


    There was no way he could have known who it was¡ªthe statue had no head. But he knew, though and he knelt beside it.


    No one moved, no one said a word as Tine, sketchbook in hand, tried to gather the listless figure up with little success. Putting that book down would have been the logical thing to do. He¡¯d brought it as if anticipating his son¡¯s routine jail time.


    When it became clear to him he couldn¡¯t pick Lander up, he instead pulled at the arms. His movements were slow and deliberate. Somehow, they helped because the statue took on a crouched posture, not so different from how Lander¡¯d fallen.


    Tears in his eyes, Tine looked around and took the shaky steps needed to reach the head. He reached out, but Escott stomped on it, cracking it in two.


    Tine darted for him. The crowd came to life. Enough people held would-be attackers back, attackers who were more plentiful where Escott stood.


    After stumbling to his feet again, Tine gathered up the pieces and brought them to the body which he tried to pick up yet again.


    No one dared approach Escott who still huffed and puffed with each second that went by.


    Tine put a kiss on one of the broken pieces and crouched up around the cumbersome stone in his arms. He rocked back and forth but then he did something unexpected¡ªsomething that shocked Lilah and surely everyone there. Tine spat at Escott¡¯s Eza¡¯s feet.


    Escott¡¯s right eye twitched. He didn¡¯t take up the challenge. Maybe he¡¯d remain calm and everyone still standing could make it out of this alive.


    ¡°Arrest him,¡± someone said. Karen Blackwell shoved Rosemary and Princess aside as she rose to her feet. She barked at a nearby enforcer. ¡°You¡¯ve witnessed what he¡¯s done. Arrest him. Arrest him!¡±


    ¡°What happened to your sister was unfortunate,¡± Tine said, muttering against Lander¡¯s remains. ¡°It was unfortunate.¡±


    Lilah swallowed down her panic. The tone didn¡¯t sound apologetic, it sounded antagonistic¡ªmaybe a grieving father¡¯s way of provoking an attack, whether for an excuse or an act of suicide. This was bad.


    As slow as she dared for fear of startling either of them, Lilah reached for the gun at her back.


    Tine still watched the ground as he continued, ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate. And even more unfortunate because she wasn¡¯t someone he would seek out. She initiated this, got herself killed, and you blame him. I guess that¡¯s easier than admitting to what she was.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Escott moved so fast an audible gasp broke out. Lilah was too late. Escott pounced before she could react. Tine didn¡¯t retaliate.


    One sweep of Escott¡¯s claws sent a guttural cry echoing into the night as Karen hugged Tine and the ruin close, shielding them.


    ¡°No. No. No. You can¡¯t have him, too. No! No.¡± She took the next strike the same, but there wasn¡¯t a third¡ªRosemarie blocked it with her right shoulder.


    When Princess rushed to stand before all of them, her belly poised before her, Escott finally stopped.


    He stepped to the right, but she met him. Rosemarie held her hand and stood by her side, shielding Karen Blackwell.


    Maybe all the years of giving birth to Newbreed children had some lasting effect, maybe it was having an imp lover that caused Karen¡¯s fast rejuvenation, but she did heal, albeit slowly.


    She lost power, though Tine didn¡¯t reach for her¡ªhe didn¡¯t let Lander go.


    Rosemarie and her sister rushed to Karen¡¯s aid. ¡°Mrs. Blackwell. Mrs. Blackwell,¡± she called. ¡°Are you all right? Mrs. Blackwell?¡±


    ¡°Tine....¡± Karen struggled to move, but the pain forced her down on her belly again. ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s....¡± Rosemarie didn¡¯t appear to have an answer.


    Tine wept, sketchbook and rubble in his hands, a broken statue in his embrace.


    ¡°He¡¯s...he¡¯s alive.¡±


    When Karen finally managed to get to her feet again, her fancy frock torn in the back, she kept close to Tine while eyeing the enforcers. ¡°You¡¯ve made an enemy today. You all didn¡¯t even do us the courtesy of handling this proper.¡±


    Some people watched the ground, some watched Tine because no grown man¡ªor imp¡ªshould ever cry like that, but Escott eyed Karen.


    ¡°Where do you come from? Where do women like you and Lilah come from? You piss ice water. You believe your own lies. You feign humanity for a second and then it¡¯s gone.¡± Escott ripped the badge off and threw it on the ground. ¡°You want to kill me? You¡¯re welcomed to try because I¡¯d be more than happy to send you to hell with that useless excuse you spawned but didn¡¯t throw away properly.¡±


    Words like those should have had Tine up and fighting, but he cried more. He also wouldn¡¯t let go of the body.


    Lilah watched, as did others, as Rosemarie and Karen Blackwell dragged Tine to the car. Though Rosemarie managed to pick him up and toss him inside, Karen shrieked and rushed in as well, checking him over. He still held parts of the statue though the bigger pieces were gathered up by Princess Blackwell, big belly and all.


    More than once, the thought occurred to Lilah to help them¡ªif even to get the pieces in. She wasn¡¯t sure if that was right. She wasn¡¯t sure how it would look. She wasn¡¯t sure if those actions would be seen as choosing sides.


    She lost her chance when Arma stepped out of the crowd and motioned for Princess to stand. Arma gathered most of the pieces up. The first enforcer she looked to for help threw his badge down, much like Escott had. That caused a domino effect. A pile of badges littered the cobblestone soon after.


    Escott¡¯s Eza stepped from the spectators and helped Arma, careful with keeping the pieces together. They all went into the back of that car with Tine who was inconsolable though Karen Blackwell tried.


    When the Chief helped with the last of it, Escott finally relaxed from his fighter¡¯s stance. That was a comfort because Lilah feared he might ram that car and tip the grieving family over. It would be terrible and beyond forgiveness, but she wasn¡¯t sure what to think any more.


    Arma helped Princess into the front seat. Rosemarie started the engine and tried to hold her head high as she backed up and sped off into the night¡ªthe new weight of the stone making the car sit so low that it dragged on the ground with each bump.


    Lilah watched them, but Arma watched her.


    Equally curious, Lilah waited to see what this bald E would do. Arma walked to stand beside Escott, but she said nothing. And twenty minutes later when Escott lumbered into the street, heading back to the farm, Arma walked beside him.


    Other people left as well¡ªnamely, every Newbreed enforcer on staff.


    Imps worked in a pact system, the leader being the final authority. If Newbreeds had a leader, no one would dispute Escott¡¯s claim to it. That was made all but too clear in how fast the Newbreed division dissolved. Literally overnight, they were all gone.


    Something else was unbearable about the night¡ªthe Chief and his spouse who refused to look at one another.


    Escott¡¯s siblings were the last ones to leave, all bawling as they walked home. The Chief and his wife remained to care for Gwen.


    By the time Lilah figured everything out and worked up the courage to go see her, she found Gus-Gus crying at Gwen¡¯s bed side. The window period for a body to solidify wasn¡¯t long. Gus used that time to turn Gwen¡¯s corpse to make her appear to be sleeping¡ªa big grin on her face.

 Farmers 23

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    Escott walked into the lake and sank. He couldn¡¯t swim; never learned; never wanted to learn; couldn¡¯t stand the feel of water in excess as it was a thing of loathing for most imps. And as he stood there, his heavy body plummeting like a rock, he started to swallow water.


    He swallowed more, taking it into his second stomach and then the main one until he couldn¡¯t anymore.


    Each time he closed his eyes he saw Lander¡¯s head rip off his body. A second later came with Gwen¡¯s smile. And then Lander¡¯s and then all that blood all over again.


    The world went black, the world went white, the world could fucking burn for all he cared. Smile, smile, crack. The feeling of satisfaction with that final blow didn¡¯t compare to the sense of loss that followed. He regretted it. The second he made that hit, he regretted it.


    Lander was like a brother...a dumb little brother who never meant anyone any harm. But then Gwen¡¯s smile came to Escott and he felt cheated twice. Where was he to save her? What was he doing when she was being forgotten and then dying? Taking care of some people who weren¡¯t his business¡ªweren¡¯t his responsibility?


    He decided to take one more gulp of water. The next image was that of his father¡ªthe crushed look on his face. And then Eza. And then his brothers and sisters who looked up to Lander as one of their own. Burying one of them was hard, burying two.... Escott wouldn¡¯t do that. He wouldn¡¯t do that to them.


    With that, he turned and marched out of that fucking lake, his gut heavy from the water.


    Arma greeted him with a sigh of relief. ¡°My maker be damned, what were you thinking?¡±


    Escott opened his mouth to answer but no less than three liters of lake water spilled out of him. He had to call up his second stomach, too, which unfortunately had some food a week old.


    Heave after heave made him feel as if he¡¯d break in two, and then there was nothing left. He half wished he¡¯d stayed in there so he wouldn¡¯t have to feel as if he was rotting from within.


    People had seen. Escott never lost his temper, and people had seen. When he lumbered up to the hill to see the crowd of Newbreeds by his new, useless house, he stared on. They came to wish him well, maybe. But he hated them. Their families were whole. And thanks to Escott¡¯s own blood, no one was even lost when Karen poisoned them.


    Escott was the oldest of sixteen children...now fifteen, and it still felt as if they were all gone, and he was alone.


    No less than twenty-four families and their kids waited at his place¡ªand yet...he was all alone.


    From here he could make out the lights from Blackwell¡¯s mansion. Thoughts of Tine were the worst. Escott hadn¡¯t always looked up to his own father. A time or two he¡¯d thought Lander had lucked out by having someone so patient and well-mannered. Tine never took payment for the unfavorable jobs he did that nobody else wanted to do. Partly he did them as a way to belong to the group but even more so, he did them as a way to pay everyone back for anything wrong Lander had done at the time. Be it accept an invitation and refusing to leave well after it was over because he didn¡¯t want to go home, or something he¡¯d broken or fucked up.


    Tine had nothing but his son. Even his woman wouldn¡¯t acknowledge him in public. He had nothing.... He only had his son, and his dumb piece of shit son was now gone. It was more than obviously an accident. Would it have been so bad to let Lander deal with the shame and the guilt forever instead of...?


    Escott leaned over and made another heave but to no avail.


    Screams broke out from the house. Escott was slow to rise to see what might have caused it. Newbreed mothers panicked, dragging their grown children out of the house. Arma¡¯s lot soon came storming out, too.


    Arma asked, ¡°What is going on?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Escott headed across the field. ¡°But I hope it¡¯s deadly and I might luck out with an accident.¡±


    He barreled up the pathway in time to catch something that darted out of the house. It was a...a toddler, a small one with long arms and a cleft in his chin that was too wide.


    ¡°What in the...?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it bite you, Essy. Don¡¯t let it bite you,¡± a woman screamed. ¡°There¡¯s another one.¡±


    Escott caught that one, too. He had a total of three, almost identical save for size. Two he had to hold at the throat which wasn¡¯t hard, but the third one lost power as soon as he was caught.


    They looked familiar.


    ¡°The creatures from under Blackwell¡¯s house,¡± Arma observed.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Escott agreed. ¡°But what¡¯s it doing up here?¡±


    ¡°I suppose...we disturbed their nest?¡± Arma asked.


    Escott debated what to do with them.


    A Newbreed rushed out, her arm swollen to twice its normal size. ¡°One got me. One got me.¡±


    Escott froze. She was maybe sixteen¡ªabout the same as Gwen. Sick with himself, Escott willed his feet not to run away. And then he understood it. In this very moment...he understood Lilah and the decision she made to break up with him and leave him on his deathbed. But everyone was looking at him as if asking for direction¡ªhe couldn¡¯t run. But he wanted to.


    Arma eased him aside. ¡°Let me look at it.¡± She crouched down before the tearful teen and took hold of the ripe bruise. ¡°If it¡¯s venom, I can get it. Please wait. It might burn.¡±


    The scream that came out of the Newbreed¡¯s mouth said more than might burn. When the wound went down, though, Escott sighed with relief.


    Blackened left hand extended, Arma snapped her fingers and a greenish orb formed. She held it up for inspection. ¡°That is rancid.¡±


    The girl¡¯s mother rushed her, checking her over from head to toe. Escott couldn¡¯t blame them.


    Alarms and bells sounded. He almost reached for his badge but remembered his choice. He surveyed the crowd of Newbreeds who seemed to share his reaction of automatically getting into battle mode.


    ¡°These critters are fast. Should we go help, Essy?¡± someone asked.


    But one glance at some of the mothers said what Escott was compelled to.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°We can¡¯t risk anybody else getting bitten. Let the enforcers worry about it themselves.¡± He looked to where the farm and the city met. ¡°For now...I think we¡¯re going to need a fence.¡±


    Arma and a few others protested. Some even went beyond the border and into the city to inform the enforcers, but Escott found the first manhole he could and dumped the three creatures down into it. They landed on their feet and played with one another before skittering away. Sure enough, they followed the path with the many strings; they were probably going back to their mother.


    Escott thought to go down there but each attempt he made only filled him with dread. He didn¡¯t want anything to do with the city or those in it.


    It wasn¡¯t easy to find sleep, but Escott forced himself to, sitting outside under a tree. He reasoned that he¡¯d watch out for any more of those strange creatures, but that wasn¡¯t it; he didn¡¯t want to close his eyes and see Lander¡¯s death again and again.


    Arma¡¯s lot rose early. Escott worried they would complain about the farm or even the food¡ªthere weren¡¯t many sweets. The children loved it. They chased one another around for some time. Most of Escott¡¯s siblings came around, too, which wasn¡¯t common. He welcomed it. Being able to see their faces made him feel better. Strangely enough, he longed to see the Chief and Eza but dared not say it for fear they¡¯d chide him or worry.


    It took only a day for him to hear enough faint whispers to realize not everyone approved of his behavior.


    ¡°And poor Tine. He never hurt a soul. The way he attacked him,¡± someone whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m just glad Karen finally defended him.¡±


    ¡°I was shocked, too. Figured she¡¯d be glad to be rid of him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all stupid. Of course, she got in over her head with that cutthroat Blackwell. Good riddance. Not sure how she¡¯ll handle his debts now.¡±


    ¡°I hope that¡¯s not why she kept Tine around.¡±


    ¡°Such nonsense,¡± an older woman interjected, finally. ¡°Karen is foolish. I think until yesterday, she honestly believed she could carry on like this forever.¡±


    Another mother whispered, ¡°And oh those cuts must have hurt. I¡¯m not sure I could even take one much less two and you all know how much I adore my Arthur.¡±


    Many choruses of agreement left Escott feeling hollow. Still, when he passed around the back of the house to where they sat shelling peas, the women quieted. There were thoughtful offers for drinks and several how are you doing, Essy? all around.


    He didn¡¯t blame them for feeling as they felt; he tried to make sense of it. He had to soon; Gwen¡¯s burial wouldn¡¯t be long off.


    It came two days later¡ªthe first time his parents stood in the same room together since her death.


    Arma¡¯s lot didn¡¯t have much in the way of clothes, but they washed and looked presentable. Escott didn¡¯t rise from his chair despite his nice suit. He didn¡¯t want to go. He wasn¡¯t going to go. And the longer he sat there, the less energy he had to attend.


    Instead, he lumbered out to the newly started wall, and went to work putting the crude cement and stones down. He didn¡¯t know what to make of Arma when she came out and instructed her lot to help him.


    The entire town went to that funeral it seemed. And not just Newbreeds¡ªthe mayor went, too.


    Escott strode to the highest hill to watch it all. It lasted long. He couldn¡¯t make out where Gwen was put to rest, nor did he want to. Still, Arma worked into the night with him, and sure enough, the mothers came back to help feed the children and put them to bed.


    It was only when they worked alone that Escott realized something about Arma¡ªshe wasn¡¯t suited for hard labor. She was fast, and from what he¡¯d seen in the fights, she could more than hold her own, but the tedium of the stone fence took its toll.


    She hated it.


    He wasn¡¯t sure he was right, but they ate in silence and she went to her room¡ªthe smallest one in the house. After a few minutes alone, Escott followed and raised his hand to knock on the door.


    Heavy breathing came through the cracks. He wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it so he knocked.


    The noise paused. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You decent?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Her ragged breaths came and went yet again.


    Escott entered the room to find her doing pushups. She did a good twenty before pausing to look up at him.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    He opened his mouth to say something but eventually closed it and the door as well. She hated it; she hated the farm.


    As he walked the short hallway to the boys¡¯ room, he peered in. Some slept on the floor, though the bunk beds were still unfinished. It didn¡¯t really matter if she hated it, for her lot, she¡¯d stay; and that was enough.


    A week later Escott awoke to find Arma busy at the wall. The areas she built looked unsteady and poor. Today, too, he¡¯d have to go back and redo them.


    When she threw the tool down and cursed, he felt thrust aside, too. She hated it¡ªshe hated the farm. He tried to make sense of it. The children moved like a well-versed unit. One even slung the baby on his back as he worked. Throughout the day several boys traded, taking turns in caring for him.


    Even Maxi, the small crybaby went about his chores with a satisfied smile. They knew farming, maybe better than Escott and his Newbreeds. And they didn¡¯t mind the work, so Escott started to wonder...what happened to Arma. She said she was a farmer, too. How could she be dissatisfied?


    That answer came an hour later as they shared breakfast with one another. Escott brought his feet up to find purchase on the wall as he tilted his head back and swallowed a portion of his food down without chewing¡ªit was the only way he could eat it lately. The kids went through all that trouble making it, he wanted to eat.


    ¡°My spot here¡¯s humble. Maybe it doesn¡¯t have as much stuff as you¡¯re used to, but you don¡¯t seem to like it here.¡±


    Arma matched his posture, her elbows on her knees. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it...it¡¯s that I...I¡¯m not meant for it.¡±


    She gestured out at the small crowd of children who gathered around one another chatting. They were assigning chores again. They rotated almost daily.


    ¡°They work the land,¡± Arma said. ¡°There¡¯s one boy with a five-year lead who overseas it. I didn¡¯t have one old enough, so Mouse became my overseer; only girl one in my area, Sasha was another overseer from a neighboring lot. They got sweet on each other and when we ran, Mouse begged him to run, too. Sash came with the four he could. And here we are.¡±


    Escott hesitated. ¡°So you don¡¯t work the land, too?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She scoffed. ¡°No Areal Manager does that. We tend to the guns and protect our lot. One of us is enough to care for ten and we lived in a rather dangerous area. We manned the cannons and stop other clans from stealing our livest....¡± She paused and corrected herself. ¡°Stealing our lot.¡±


    Slave traders. Escott had heard things in passing¡ªrumors about Topsiders and their strange laws.


    ¡°So you just made sure your lot worked?¡±


    Arma considered it and nodded. ¡°My lot...they aren¡¯t mine.¡± Their eyes met. ¡°The Elemental that made me, she needed more help with watching our home. So she cut her hair and fashioned me, and I came to be.¡±


    ¡°Made you?¡± Escott wanted details but this wasn¡¯t the time.


    Maybe she sensed it but when she cut him a glance, she said, ¡°I can¡¯t say livestock, because Mouse taught me that¡¯s not true. When I came to be, I did everything asked of me without question. When I was told to exact punishment by breaking a limb of someone unruly, I did. But Mouse taught me¡ªshe taught me what my people did.¡±


    Slavery was the worst, but Escott hadn¡¯t counted on what Arma said next.


    ¡°They ate them.¡±


    ¡°Beg...beg your pardon?¡± he stuttered.


    Arma took great interest in the bread in her hand. ¡°My lot...once they were old enough, they¡¯d...they¡¯d travel to the main city where my mistress¡ªwho made me¡ªwould auction them as food.


    Escott thought to eat the remainder of his meal but paused when the previous portion threatened to come back up. Did Arma¡¯s people actually eat humans? It was rumored that Topside was ruled by corrupted Elementals of old, but nothing ever mentioned that.


    ¡°They weren¡¯t always that way,¡± Arma admitted. ¡°But somewhere in the time that lapse since the Elemental uprising, people became...strange. When the time came to sell one of my lot, Mouse refused. She got angry, so my mistress punished her boldness¡ªshe allowed Mouse to stay but resolved to sell the entire lot¡ªeven the baby. I was ordered to injure them all. For refusing, I...was punished as well.¡± She rubbed her smooth head with a miserable frown. ¡°But that was also to ensure I wouldn¡¯t cause my mistress any more trouble. I tell myself this but deep down, I know, she removed all of my hair for vanity¡¯s sake.¡±


    And they¡¯d escaped. An Elemental with little to no power, and she escaped. Escott had to face facts: this farm was no place for an enforcer of any kind. Leaving it only to come back wasn¡¯t so bad but leaving enforcing to farm...this...this was something else...this was coming from action into the quiet. Of course, she hated it. She was a fighter, not a farmer.


    ¡°I want to give you your freedom from us¡ªfrom me,¡± she said at length. ¡°If you¡¯d let my lot stay, I...I can pay rent and they won¡¯t be in your way. I¡¯d rent space from you.¡±


    No doubt using money from fights to make those payments.


    ¡°We can¡¯t get divorced yet; you won¡¯t be able to stay if we do.¡±


    ¡°Nobody needs know,¡± Arma said. ¡°This was a mistake. It was wrong to marry for this reason. So let¡¯s make it right and you can get some space.¡±


    Feeling numb, Escott clammed up. He tried to sum up his mixed feelings. She wanted her freedom¡ªand who could blame her after his attack on Lander?


    Rather than fight this, Escott downed his meal and muttered agreement to giving up. ¡°I¡¯ll go down there today and explain it. And then they can annul it.¡±


    ¡°And you can find companionship.¡±


    Maybe...but that wasn¡¯t something Escott cared about at this moment. So he ignored her words, and when she stared at him confused and said clearly, ¡°Can we do it today?¡± he went about tearing down and rebuilding the wall instead of answering.

 Critters 24

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    ¡°Hathaway...oh my goodness.¡± Jan gasped.


    She crouched down and Lilah did as well.


    ¡°Sorry?¡±


    Jan shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡± She looked up and froze. ¡°Boys....¡±


    ¡°Got it, Auntie Jan,¡± someone said.


    Sure enough, an enforcer caught the little boy¡ªcreature who fell from the ceiling.


    ¡°That¡¯s twenty-six males so far. And...two females,¡± Lilah observed. ¡°That just doesn¡¯t seem right.¡±


    Even now, a week later, the girls, though as low on reasoning as their brothers, had grown. If Lilah didn¡¯t know any better, she¡¯d say they¡¯d taken on another year.


    Jan said, ¡°Maybe the girls just learned to walk faster and...just wandered off?¡±


    Their Newbreed crew vanished overnight¡ªeveryone left when Escott did. Lilah hadn¡¯t thought it would affect the force, but it had. When the Chief stepped down rather than issue an arrest warrant, it certainly did.


    Escott¡¯s offense would fall to Jerret; everyone knew what that meant. Imps grew back limbs, imps healed. Most crimes meant a cut to contend with, but the final punishment was death. A life for a life. By imp law, Lander caused the death of one of his own fellow Newbreed¡ªhis life was forfeit. As far as the imp leader was concerned, the business with Escott was finished.


    Not all Yules agreed. So now the Chief was gone. No one was there to fill the spot, yet, though Lilah secretly wished Jan would try and get it. Jan was smart, compassionate, and fearless. Her jokes were horrid, but she always had something positive to say.


    ¡°Arthur Ether Edmond was the only one willing to let his kids work here. But only four,¡± Jan said. She gestured up at the two enforcers in thick gloves, holding the boy¡¯s mouth open while another brought a glass bottle by his fangs. ¡°At least until we can test and confirm that their venom isn¡¯t deadly to Newbreeds or imps.¡±


    Two enforcers slammed a small cage shut.


    Lilah hated being called cold, but she could admit it to herself now, two months after Lander¡¯s death, nothing really shook her. Even Lander¡¯s passing was less troubling to her than her feelings toward it¡ªor lack thereof. Especially when she found out about Gwen. And yet...seeing these children in cages was hard to endure.


    All of them cried for the listless woman on the floor¡ªtheir mother. They tried to reach for her. Some even dug into the ground to hide below her.


    A part of Lilah hoped they could figure out how to help the woman and then revive her again, but the longer they stayed down there and witnessed the children¡¯s feeding, the less likely that recovery seemed.


    Besides that, they were all feral¡ªmany with physical characteristics which were either underdeveloped or overdeveloped. Only a mere ten percent seemed ailment free, but their growth was so slow that to date, they had yet to find one who could speak.


    Something else concerned Lilah¡ªJan knew this woman and knew her by name.


    ¡°Who was she?¡±


    Face crimson, Jan shook her head. ¡°Can¡¯t say I know.¡±


    Lilah waited, staring at her in hopes of breaking her resolve.


    Finally, Jan said, ¡°When we abandoned the underground, anyone left behind was considered dead. I...I guess she won an imp¡¯s affection.¡±


    This surely couldn¡¯t be what an imp¡¯s affection looked like.


    ¡°W¡ªwhy are there so many lines?¡± one of Arthur Ether Edmond¡¯s sons asked. ¡°And they¡¯re coming through the babies twice. You notice that?¡±


    Another Newbreed came by and yet another. One finally called to Jan, ¡°Auntie.¡± He paused when he saw Jan and Lilah rise to stand side by side.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Jan asked.


    The youth shook his head. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m mistaken.¡±


    Long ago Lilah could see red strings all around. She begged her father to teach her how to block them out. She hated them because while she saw them extending specifically to families. There was even one leading from her to Gus-Gus. There weren¡¯t lines leading from them to either of her parents.


    That was a question she wanted answered. Today, she decided to let those lines form again.


    It was still there, the same line she saw extending from Gus, but this time it came from Jan. She dared not ask why, but that line meant Jan was her blood relative. Her parents weren¡¯t.


    Now she could see it when she looked at the children and the woman on the floor.


    ¡°The lines do extend twice.¡±


    Jan, whose husband was also an E¡ªa rather strong one¡ªunderstood.


    ¡°Please....¡± A guttural whisper came. ¡°Please....¡±


    Lilah rushed to the woman¡¯s side, unsure what to say or do. ¡°She¡¯s talking, Auntie.¡± To her surprise, Jan didn¡¯t come close¡ªnot until Lilah looked back at her. ¡°Auntie?¡±


    Stride unsteady, Jan lurched toward them and crouched down.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Lilah, this is my Auntie Jan, we¡¯re here to help you,¡± Lilah said.


    ¡°Jan.... Blond hair and beautiful Jan, is that you?¡±


    Teeth chattering, Jan nodded. ¡°Hathaway...how are you?¡±


    A tear escaped the woman¡¯s closed eyes. ¡°Is he gone? Is he gone?¡±


    Lilah waited for someone else to do something. Jan was perfect in almost all things. She was compassionate usually, so much so Lilah often thought it would be Jan¡¯s downfall. But she did nothing today. Lilah glanced from her to the shivering body before them and made a hard decision¡ªshe held the woman¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯re here to help. We¡¯re here to help, but you need to help us understand what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Kill me. Please kill me. Kill me before he comes back. Please. Please kill me.¡±


    Silence filled the tunnel save for the rattling cages of the children. The meager enforcers on hand traded a glance.


    Jan remained mute, a strange expression of woe and disgust written on her face.


    ¡°Who, ma¡¯am?¡± Lilah asked. ¡°Who are you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°My son.¡±


    Lilah scanned the four cages, packed with babies and tried to pinpoint which one was the source of the woman¡¯s distress.


    ¡°Please...please kill me.¡±


    Rather than her shoulder, Lilah reached down and tried to hold the woman¡¯s hands. There was no life. Closer inspection confirmed her suspicions, the entire arm was limp.


    ¡°It¡¯s been broken,¡± Jan whispered. ¡°All limbs. Look at her feet.¡±


    Lilah didn¡¯t. The purple discoloration was one she¡¯d resolved not to witness.


    ¡°He¡¯s left an impression. Only he can fix it,¡± Jan said. ¡°She cannot walk or move. He¡¯s made sure of that.¡±


    ¡°Please. Please kill me....¡±


    It came as a distant chant through the sobs. Jan helped Lilah up and led her away. ¡°Could it be that...that...that Winrose is her son? And that¡¯s why so many of these babies are reacting so strangely. Their makeup isn¡¯t diverse and it¡¯s causing trouble?¡±


    Lilah cringed. ¡°That¡¯s awful.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°That¡¯s the only explanation I can come up with,¡± Jan said. ¡°I just can¡¯t imagine what else could have happened. She was involved with an imp. She was stuck underground. From what I hear, diehard imps reject imps who take human mates. She raised him alone and...and things got bad.¡±


    Lilah felt sorry for the woman just lying there. Who knew how long she had been there. That bastard Winrose didn¡¯t even bother to clothe her.


    ¡°And we do have to find out, because some Newbreeds¡ªthe ones with imp fathers¡ªare mature enough and want to date or settle down. They¡¯re panicking.¡± Jan sighed. ¡°We need to give them answers. Darla¡¯s scheduling a safe sex class this week. She could use the info.¡±


    Something still nagged at Lilah. ¡°Still can¡¯t understand what happened to all the girls. Even if some walked away, you¡¯d think there¡¯d be more.¡±


    Jan scanned the tunnel. ¡°It is what it is, button. S¡¯not like they¡¯re invisible.¡±


    Invisible. That word left Lilah cringing. On a whim, she asked the nearest Newbreed. ¡°What do you do on the farm if you hear an imp but can¡¯t see him?¡±


    All eyes fell to one Newbreed who came forward. ¡°That¡¯s where I come in, ma¡¯am. Just dial the eyesight back and listen for a heartbeat. I¡¯m the best at it.¡±


    ¡°Do that now, then.¡±


    After regarding her in confusion, the Newbreed complied. To Lilah¡¯s horror, he thrust a hand by her throat and caught hold of something.


    A screech came with the naked female creature he yanked forward. That terrifying action prompted the other Newbreeds in attendance to do something similar. The one ¡®best at it¡¯ caught five more. The females were bigger, though they found some young. Most shivered in fear as they were dragged out of hiding.


    Jan was too stunned to speak.


    Lilah shared the sentiment and said, ¡°Put out the word to all Newbreeds, this invisible thing¡¯s no joke.¡±


    ¡°Poor Gwen,¡± was all Jan could mutter.


    The four Newbreeds looked up. ¡°What is that?¡± one asked.


    ¡°A powder?¡± another answered.


    Jan brushed her arm off. Lilah needed a minute to see it; a thin mist filled the tunnel, released from tiny tubes in the ceiling.


    Babies cried out and the cages rattled.


    One of the Newbreeds opened his mouth then tasted it. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the medicine Aunt Darla gave us last month? Are we getting another dose?¡±


    Medicine? The only thing Darla gave out to each and every Newbreed child was a lower concentration of Karen Blackwell¡¯s poison¡¯s antidote generated by Escott¡¯s blood to ensure no one need worry.


    ¡°Lilah,¡± Jan called. ¡°Help me. This thing killed Winrose¡¯s daughter almost instantly. These babies probably don¡¯t have a resistance.¡±


    But by the time Lilah reached, two or three of the once rambunctious babies lay still.


    ¡°Hurry up,¡± Jan screamed. ¡°Get all the babies out. Get them all out. Don¡¯t touch their teeth but get them all out. Move. Move.¡±


    Hathaway¡ªif that¡¯s what her name was¡ªwasn¡¯t as fortunate to get help.


    ¡°We have to leave her,¡± Jan said, hurrying to help carry a cage. ¡°We can come back. She¡¯s human. She should be fine. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They made it out with only a handful of the babies still breathing, a great majority of them in deep distress. Nearly all females succumbed to the poison. Another hour passed before they had the free manpower to go down and help the mother.


    Lilah slowed in her stride at the blood. The woman¡¯s throat had been cut, but Lilah couldn¡¯t tell how.


    A medic checked and confirmed, ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡±


    Crestfallen, Lilah crouched down and said, ¡°We¡¯ll get her up, and get her clean. We¡¯ll put her to rest with respect.¡±


    Now seemingly endless amounts of red lines no longer led to the woman. Nothing led to her at all. If she were alive, her children would be easier to track¡ªnow they¡¯d have to fend alone. Lilah considered it and concluded maybe that wasn¡¯t such a bad thing. This woman lying alone with no one feeding, at least she was finally free.


    Winrose was still out there, but with these red lines gone, he¡¯d be harder to find. That would have to come after they tended to his young. And at least one of his children currently in custody could lead them to him.


    One of the newer enforcers still had a hard time shaking the image of the listless woman before him. ¡°Who would do this?¡±


    Who else would it be? The one with the poison; the one whose house rested right on top of this tunnel¡ªKaren Blackwell.


    More mist fell and it made Lilah wonder just how often it did. It would keep the critters back but not Winrose.


    Lilah paid Blackwell a visit the same day, not at all too pleased when she knocked on the door. Karen was busy with another guest but would see her shortly.


    Lilah¡¯s blood boiled by the time she was allowed to enter the study. She froze at the sight of her own picture sketched on the wall. A few more sketches lined the room.


    ¡°Should I stay?¡± someone asked.


    Karen sat down at her desk and shook her head. ¡°No. See yourself out.¡±


    Tine crawled out from the shadows and walked out on all fours.


    Before he could leave, she called, ¡°Tine? I...I didn¡¯t mean to say it so coldly. I apologize. All right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± He kicked the door shut behind him.


    Lilah stared at it in shock. The imp. An imp was in Karen Blackwell¡¯s house.


    ¡°I hired him to help us until Winrose is caught,¡± Karen said.


    ¡°I suppose you have to get the protection now that you¡¯ve started an all-out war on his brood. You didn¡¯t have to hurt those children.¡±


    Karen sat back. ¡°They are dangerous, and they¡¯ve infested the city. You¡¯d be wise to acknowledge that.¡± She sat up. ¡°What is it you want?¡±


    Lilah opened her mouth...stunned. What did she want? She wanted to come up here and give Karen a piece of her mind. Her eyes settled on a sketchbook on the woman¡¯s desk instead, and she lost power. Karen had Lander¡¯s belongings. It seemed out of place to keep them. Everything about that was awful¡ªthe two girls got legitimacy and it was easy to see that Karen¡¯s disposition changed nearly overnight. She was gentle and affectionate. Now Tine was here. Escott¡¯s attack put fear into her¡ªnot an attack against her, but against her ragtag family she refused to acknowledge.


    In the last two months, Lilah didn¡¯t allow herself to think of Lander. She missed Gwen like crazy, but Lander was something else. At this very moment, she thought of her own parents and how they now pretended she didn¡¯t exist¡ªnow they lived their lives without obstacles. But children weren¡¯t supposed to be obstacles. Karen Blackwell would even give her grandchild legitimacy¡ªalbeit indirectly. But what of Lander? That wasn¡¯t fair.


    ¡°I want you to honor your son,¡± Lilah said. It wasn¡¯t her place to demand anything of them. ¡°You announce all these things on your radio show, yet you left him out. Why?¡±


    Karen Blackwell folded her arms. ¡°You act as if I didn¡¯t care what happened.¡±


    Lilah often thought that Karen didn¡¯t. This was a private study, yet Karen filled it with Lander¡¯s drawings but not his picture. Hell, even Lilah¡¯s own picture was here, apparently.


    ¡°Patience was never his forte,¡± Karen said. ¡°After I got the girls, I¡¯d planned to get him. And not just him, but to hire his father as a helper or worker, and of course accommodate his only son. But I couldn¡¯t after he said such awful things about him in court. I couldn¡¯t justify hiring an awful imp like that. And even now when Mr. Blackwell went missing.... That was a chance, too.¡± Her brown eyes settled on the desk before her. ¡°But it¡¯s too late now.¡±


    Lilah had no response to give. When Karen slid the sketchbook forward, Lilah flinched.


    ¡°These are his latest ones. Perhaps you should have them.¡±


    Intent on refusing, Lilah changed her mind when Karen Blackwell cocked her head to the right. The woman expected Lilah to shun it. Why wouldn¡¯t she? Lander died in disgrace. His face wasn¡¯t fit for the walls by the looks of it. He could be easily forgotten¡ªjust a whisper in passing here and there until no one remembered. And Karen expected Lilah to refuse that book.


    Lander made mistakes¡ªawful ones that caused others suffering. But he was someone¡¯s child, and parents were supposed to see past the bad and to the good. Karen Blackwell wouldn¡¯t look, and Tine must have accepted these pictures as being enough of a tribute. They didn¡¯t seem enough, though.


    Lilah took the book and turned to leave but paused at the door. ¡°You will honor him. You should honor him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late,¡± Karen said.


    ¡°No...no it¡¯s not. It¡¯s not too late at all.¡± Lilah walked out into the cold night air and felt miserable. This didn¡¯t get better as she passed the medical building and tested the elevator to find that it still wouldn¡¯t rise to the top floor. Short of climbing it...there wasn¡¯t much she could do to meet DeGrasse and her father again.


    She got home just as Gus readied to leave. It was rare he¡¯d come home at all¡ªLilah worried he¡¯d moved out. He had an apprenticeship at that medical building. Being an E meant he could work earlier than Yules; healing came naturally to Elementals. The job was hard, though, and maybe it was taking its toll because Gus looked awful. His hair was gone¡ªcut so short she barely recognized him. He must have seen their parents. He must have seen their father and gotten help.


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe what happened today,¡± Lilah began, desperate for the inclusion.


    Gus waited till he was down the steps before he said to her, ¡°Aunt Darla came in today and miscarried before even having the exam. She¡¯s coming in tomorrow and I have to tell her that not only has her current pregnancy failed, but that there¡¯s still a growth. That means we have to take her womb out. And all this without telling one peep to her husband. So tell me again how you¡¯re having a bad day....¡±


    Lilah lost power.


    Gus slammed the door behind him.


    The next day wasn¡¯t much better. Breakfast was so quiet it was painful. No Gwen to show up out of nowhere and chat her ear off. No Essy to fend off. Nothing. She made the mistake of opening Lander¡¯s sketchbook.


    Another portrait of her stood out on the first page. The second and third were that of Escott. But it was the final page that made Lilah lower the book. It was them¡ªher and Lander sitting under a tree. They looked like lovers. The likeness was so real she shed a tear.


    Three months ago, this picture would have made her laugh from the absurdity. Now she didn¡¯t find it even one bit ridiculous. She relived that night more times than she¡¯d care to. The words from Gwen, to the words she herself had said toward Lander. Each flashback to it made her even more ashamed.


    But to find this picture, too....


    From the sofa by the window where she sat, the radio on the sill, she stared down at the light post where she¡¯d seen Lander and Gwen last. Her eyes watered.


    She turned on the radio more in an effort to keep her thoughts from wandering. Secretly, she was looking for Karen¡¯s broadcast. Acknowledgement of Lander would be a long ways off but she hoped. One name caught her attention and she stopped and went back to the channel.


    ¡°... DeGrasse for a charity event to fund some new programs at Big Henry. Also, the local enforcers want to remind you all, enforcer wages are going up. So if you¡¯ve ever been interested, this is the time to sign up. Ms. DeGrasse, thank you for joining us.¡±


    ¡°Mrs., actually, we¡¯ve just made it official today.¡±


    Lilah sat back. The joy in the woman¡¯s voice cut her through.


    ¡°Pardon me for asking but what do you say to the critics who question your new husband¡¯s fast marriage mere months after his wife¡¯s death? They were a very well-known couple.¡±


    That was a damn good question. Lilah waited, as did anyone listening because DeGrasse fell silent for a long while.


    She said, ¡°Well...I suppose¡ªI suppose I¡¯d have to say no one should judge. My husband¡¯s been through quite a bit. If I make him happy now, that¡¯s what should matter.¡±


    The announcer didn¡¯t voice any agreement, instead, he said, ¡°What have you got for us this evening?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m known for my dancing, but I hope the song will bring a few people. I¡¯m new, but I¡¯d love to get a chance to fund our charity. The orphanage hasn¡¯t much money now without a steady director since Mr. Blackwell went missing.¡± Before the interview finished, she hurried to add, ¡°And I can¡¯t emphasize enough how badly the enforcers need new blood.¡±


    Lilah listened with a numbness reserved for the dead. When the music started, she turned the radio off. From here she could see Big Henry. The busy lights indicated the show was in full swing.


    One tear came and to her surprise, another followed and another still. Her eyes settled on that light post and she allowed herself to succumb to it. She longed for her family, for Gwen, and as hard as it was to admit, she longed for Escott, too.


    It was late when she returned to that damn medical building with the intent of climbing it from the outside if she had to. She was going to see them; she was going to get some answers.

 Late 25

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    Escott put the last stone on the wall and stepped back. It looked good despite having children as its architect. Today, too, as he remained outside far longer than he should, he listened for any conversation in passing.


    In the last two months, he¡¯d found it a useful way to discover fights or any other worries the children hid. That wasn¡¯t the only reason he did it, though. It was sneaky and underhanded, but he no longer cared.


    He did it to spy on Arma.


    As he sat, the cold wind picking up, he put a radio down and tuned it. Even with that, he could still hear them¡ªhe could hear a lot better lately.


    ¡°His voice has changed, too,¡± Arma said, ¡°and he¡¯s taller.¡±


    Pots clung and clanged. Escott¡¯s Eza still worried for him, almost to the point of sickness. ¡°That might mean the Baby Eyes are about done.¡±


    ¡°Is that really a thing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really a thing. We¡¯ve just never seen it happen so late, but nearly every one of them go through it. That¡¯s why I worry. The way he¡¯s handling it...it¡¯s almost cold. It¡¯s not like him. Has...has he cried or?¡±


    Arma laughed. ¡°Escott? No. Nothing. I can¡¯t even imagine it. He wakes up before the sun and goes to bed after the moon. I worried at first, but he eats and that¡¯s usually how I gauge things for my lot¡ªif someone¡¯s not eating, it¡¯s time to worry.¡±


    Escott snorted under his breath. Perhaps that would be the time to worry after all. From here he could see the gates of the cemetery and a gray spec that was two months young.


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t said anything,¡± Arma said, ¡°but I wonder, is it really all right for us to stay here? He¡¯s so generous, but I don¡¯t want to take advantage of that. Sometimes he snaps at the children, even little Maxi who he usually lets cry for as long as he wants.¡±


    More clangs came and went. ¡°Helping others gets his mind off things. It...it makes him feel better. I wish he¡¯d go down and see her. Her resting place was very good. For me...when I saw her there, that was the first time I stopped feeling so angry.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I can ask him. Now that the fence is nearly done. He won¡¯t have an excuse, I bet.¡±


    A long pause followed before Eza said, ¡°But you¡¯re not staying?¡±


    Arma didn¡¯t answer right away. Eventually, she said, ¡°Blackwell was my worry, but I haven¡¯t seen anything from him. He has a long memory. But Sash¡¯ll recover soon and that¡¯s one more mouth to feed and I cannot ask that in good conscience. My lot cannot read and cannot speak the language without me present. That won¡¯t sustain them. If we stay, perhaps we should rent the structure. That still means work for me. I farmed, but I didn¡¯t farm land. I cannot do much here. The children are better and faster than me most days. I fight. That is my trade.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, if you two go your separate ways, hopefully Essy¡¯ll come home rather than stay here alone. This house¡¯ll be a waste then, so see about that rental.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I....¡±


    Escott adjusted the radio, tuning them out. The song playing wasn¡¯t half bad and he listened for a good while. He didn¡¯t want to stay out too late¡ªit was important to keep routine.


    And they were on a set routine. Arma came out with Escott¡¯s dinner, regular like clockwork. This wasn¡¯t the first time Eza had made her promise to get Escott down to that grave, but this was the first time Arma actually mentioned it instead of hinting.


    ¡°I passed it by yesterday. It looked very nice¡ªas nice as a grave can look, I suppose.¡±


    Escott¡¯s gut burned. He tried to eat past it.


    Arma turned the radio down. ¡°And I hadn¡¯t expected to see her grinning like that. But your Eza forced someone to change it. Luckily, they could have moved fast enough to. It¡¯s rather elegant.¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± Escott said, finally. He could barely stand to swallow down his meal. ¡°I¡¯m not going, so just stop.¡±


    He put the plate to rest between them and picked the radio up again. Drowning her out wasn¡¯t his intent; he just needed something else to do so that he could avoid her gaze.


    ¡°Nobody blames you for what happened,¡± Arma said at length.


    ¡°Why would they? None of it was my fault. My meddlesome little sister lost her life trying to give a pity fuck to my loser best friend.¡± He meant to sound bitter, but it came out making him look and feel like an asshole.


    Arma didn¡¯t take the bait. ¡°Blame you for what happened with your friend, I mean. I don¡¯t think even he blamed you. For him, living with that was too hard. The second you cut him, he knew, and he accepted it. You should know that.¡±


    In all this time, two months and counting, she¡¯d never told him. She¡¯d also never pushed it. A small conversation here or there was the most they had around one another.


    Arma was different from Lilah¡ªArma made bad jokes. She also kept her mouth shut and kept to the farm. And Escott could admit, she wasn¡¯t very good, even at cooking. Most of the kids handled breakfast. They in fact worked around her. And in that time, Escott had come to find that Ice, or even Sasha who was from the separate lot that combined with hers, must have taken care of the cooking and regulating of the group. What did Armas do? Punish and protect basically.


    Today, Escott felt ill-at-ease. He didn¡¯t necessarily want her to go. Not for the housing issue. He wasn¡¯t prepared to ask her to stay, though.


    Arma eased closer, and Escott saw why¡ªLilah¡¯s bike came to a halt a good distance away. She was closer today, but he waited to see if she¡¯d turn back like she had a dozen times before.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Escott wished she wouldn¡¯t come. Seeing her pause and debate coming to give him a simple gesture of condolence was already painful to endure.


    Communicating with her wasn¡¯t something he looked forward to, either. It was rude and forward, but Escott wrapped his right hand around Arma¡¯s waist and pressed his face against her neck.


    She stiffened. The shock would wear off eventually, and Escott could find something to say but first he wanted to make sure Lilah left. Sure enough, the bike revved, and she was gone by the time he looked.


    Escott took his hand back and worked with the dials on the radio.


    ¡°You should let her comfort you,¡± Arma said.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know how to comfort anybody, not even herself.¡± He paused to say sorry but instead kept focused on the uneaten meal. He wanted to finish it. It wouldn¡¯t be hard to just tilt his head back and swallow it whole like he¡¯d done for weeks now.


    Arma¡¯s hand came to rest over his before he could make the attempt.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any siblings, and I think of the two of my lot that I lost trying to come here whenever I wrestle with how to approach or respond to you. And I can tell you what I told Mouse, that denying they ever existed was the worst thing we could do for them. And I¡¯ll tell you now, saying the awful things you do about your sister, not seeing her, it¡¯s a disgrace and it might be one you eventually regret.¡±


    Escott slipped from her grip. He resolved to ignore her and she let him. She wasn¡¯t going to leave, not with Sasha coming back tomorrow. Maybe she knew he was listening and that was why she¡¯d said those things to Eza. Staying busy with the farm kept Escott¡¯s mind from being idle too long.


    ¡°I think they were both lonely and made a mistake. And I don¡¯t think it¡¯s what you call it, and even if it was, that¡¯s none of your business.¡± Arma leaned to the right, trying to meet his gaze. ¡°She was your sister and a friend. And she¡ª¡±


    ¡°And she died for nothing.¡± Escott met Arma¡¯s gaze. ¡°Every night I sit down here for a few seconds and look at that cemetery and the urge to saunter over there never occurs. And do you know why? Because if she was still alive, I¡¯d just take her for granted, anyway. If she was here right now, I¡¯d still ignore her and tell her to go the fuck home rather than come around with her gossip. All right? That¡¯s what would happen. And she did something stupid and she didn¡¯t think of us when she got herself killed and wrecked this fucking family. So no. I don¡¯ think calling it all what it wasn¡¯t will make up for this. It was stupid.¡±


    Arma opened her mouth to speak so Escott turned up the radio. He downed his dinner in one go, forcing his throat to expand. Imps could do it much easier and faster, but this was better than nothing.


    Escott put the plate down as Karen Blackwell¡¯s voice screeched out of the device in his hand.


    ¡°I wish to convey some good news that it is a boy and he¡¯s big and healthy. It is a bittersweet moment as I must confess something to you all. My husband...has been missing for two months now. We¡¯ve searched high and low. The enforcers have informed me that some fighting broke out at the gate that night the imp Guardian rose unexpectedly. Someone said they saw him rushing there to help our feeble enforcers. That is so like him. I didn¡¯t want to believe it, but two months has confirmed our suspicions. I only pray that my darling husband will know how beautiful our first child together is. Why I remember....¡±


    Escott fought back a gag as he lowered the volume. He didn¡¯t make it too quiet for fear Arma would say something. And this was bad. Blackwell was gone. Died fighting? That could be...no doubt fighting off Karen¡¯s imp lover who fed him to the Guardian. That was unexpected on Karen¡¯s part but something Escott could understand and respect. The man should have been dead ten times over for what he did to Princess.


    This was Arma¡¯s free pass.


    ¡°Lastly, I¡¯d like to give my very late condolences to our Chief Enforcer whose darling young daughter passed away due to an unknown illness two months prior. She will be missed.¡±


    Breath hitching, Escott stared at the radio.


    ¡°Is everything a lie? Is everything a fucking lie to these people?¡± He stood and sent the radio crashing into the fence.


    Arma stepped before him. ¡°Hey. Please. Please. I don¡¯t think she meant it out of disrespect. Please. But people wanted to know what happened and no one said. And besides that, at least she¡¯s not blaming an imp or a Newbreed.¡±


    ¡°She couldn¡¯t, because of her own damn son being involved.¡±


    When he tried to walk around Arma, she held on tighter. ¡°No. No. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it.¡± Arma tried to meet his gaze with little success. ¡°Essy....¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Essy. You¡¯re not supposed to call your husband by a casual name.¡±


    They both froze at his words. He wanted to take them back. He hadn¡¯t been sure about his weird fixation with her. He¡¯d even resolved to ignore that, too. But he wanted her to stay.


    ¡°Then what can I call you?¡±


    ¡°You have a nickname for every other fucking person. You can find one for me, too.¡±


    Her final attempt to meet his gaze broke his resolve.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with you,¡± Arma admitted. ¡°It hurts to see you like this and I want to leave you to it, and you wear this anger well but...but it doesn¡¯t suit you. What happened wasn¡¯t your fault. And the death of your friend...it¡¯s okay to regret that, too.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no regret.¡± Escott tried to break free. He could easily do it and she wasn¡¯t holding him all that tightly, but he felt defeated. ¡°I don¡¯t regret it,¡± he said again. ¡°I don¡¯t regret killing that lonely, pathetic loser trying to take advantage of a nice nobody he ends up killing in a twisted act of irony.¡± His body trembled, but he hoped she realized it was because of the breeze and nothing else. ¡°If he¡¯d bitten her...if he¡¯d bitten her, she wouldn¡¯t have panicked. He wouldn¡¯t have absorbed that fucking emotion and stopped part way. And she wouldn¡¯t have died. But he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t bite her for whatever stupid, stupid reason, and I hope he rots in hell.¡±


    Arma let him go, and as small as the action was, Escott felt like a chasm formed between them.


    She stared at him for so long that he felt frail. When she tried to walk away, he grabbed her arm.


    Escott waited, but she didn¡¯t face him again. His breathing grew ragged.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t bite her because he wanted to be sure she had her freedom,¡± Escott admitted. ¡°And when they asked him to try and....¡± He sucked in a deep breath then let it out. ¡°Finish...and he couldn¡¯t....¡±


    This was a point of contention even now because while his father had been vehemently against it, his Eza had begged Lander to try. Escott stood now, unsure who was worse for taking which stance. The other big irony being that of his parents, he hadn¡¯t expected either to take the stance they¡¯d chosen.


    ¡°Because that loser was insecure...both at the start, and at the medical center. And that insecurity cost them both their lives for no good reason.¡± Escott let Arma go. ¡°She was insecure, and he was insecure and neither deserved what happened but saying that now is utterly useless.¡± A tear ran down his cheek as he laughed. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t say it to either of them.


    ¡°I picked on her about her looks even though there was nothing to pick on. And I never told him to go after Lilah instead even though he was a good guy and she was the problem, not him. I didn¡¯t say shit. I made fun of my sister, and I allowed myself to get engaged to the woman my best friend loved. And he had to stare into my face each and every fucking day forgiving me and acting like I was the better pick and that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t have a fucking chance. Not realizing that Lilah¡¯s so damn coldhearted.¡±


    The trembling became too much, and he had to sit. Arma sat with him.


    Sitting up was a chore so Escott decided to brace his forearms on his knees.


    ¡°And I regret not going in there to see her and stand with her like she wanted in the end. But what¡¯s the point in saying all this now? What¡¯s the point in saying everything now when they were alive, and I never would have said them? And of course, everybody noticed me before Gwen, and I reveled in that. I had to. In a family this big, it¡¯s easy to get lost. But I¡¯m the oldest, I¡¯m the most important, and I told myself that again and again. And my father was the Chief and my fianc¨¦e came from a good family. So why the fuck would I ever have to admit how meaningless that all was? And why say it now when they¡¯re gone? When I can¡¯t say it to them?¡±


    Arma held his shoulder, and then ran her fingers through his hair. Escott fell over.


    He fell over, his face in her lap as he cried. And when she pulled him closer, he only cried harder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave. You don¡¯t have to leave.¡±


    Arma muttered through a sniff. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want...I just...I just wanted you to know that I would if you wanted me to.¡±


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t leave. I would have let you walk right the fuck out of here without telling you I wanted you to stay. So don¡¯t leave. Everybody else is gone.¡±

 Boom 26

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    One month and twenty-three days, and Lilah¡¯d had enough. She grabbed hold of another peg and made the mistake of looking down to the very sound drop below.


    Big Henry.


    This building wasn¡¯t the first to bear that name, and like its predecessor from the underground, it was designed to be climbed from outside, for whatever stupid reason.


    And as that elevator no longer worked, Lilah climbed it per its design, much like a petty criminal. It took a lot longer than she expected and the air grew thin the higher she got.


    The madness that fueled her on this insane journey played tricks on her¡ªa time or two she felt she was being reasonable. That was a lie.


    Here and there, various safety nets came into view.


    In theory, she supposed someone could jump from one to the other again and again in the face of an emergency. Miss one, though....


    She looked down at the drop yet again and sucked in a deep breath. She wasn¡¯t going to plummet. In fact, a direct fall might be fine. A fall from the edge or corner of the building was a steady drop.


    No. She¡¯d go down in that elevator. There was no need to think of such morbid things. Her life nearly ended when she finally reached the top only for a hover bike to zip by, missing her by fractions. She ducked in time. The last of her father¡¯s blue hair faded into the night as he descended.


    Finding the energy to drag herself over the balcony was no easy feat, but Lilah managed it eventually, gasping, her body burning from the fatigue.


    Fists clenched and more than enough colorful words at the ready, she marched to those glass doors.


    They were locked.


    Lilah tried again, and yet again to no avail. They were locked. After climbing so far¡ªand trying so hard¡ªher efforts faded...with a fucking door.


    One gentle tug made her cry out and she slammed her fist against the glass with a sob.


    Someone slid the curtain aside. The older DeGrasse regarded her in sadness and looked over her shoulder. She said nothing as she slipped out rather than open the door wide.


    ¡°What are you doing here, little one? You¡¯ll cause your mother to be upset. The last time lasted for days,¡± she whispered.


    Mother. That was something Lilah had yet to contend with. What type of mother allowed her children to mourn her?


    ¡°So she still considers herself a mother?¡± Lilah asked. ¡°Because I want to speak to her.¡±


    The look on the woman¡¯s face wasn¡¯t one Lilah could say she¡¯d seen often in life¡ªit held disgust. DeGrasse¡¯s mother closed the door and used her body to guard against entry.


    Lilah waited. And when it became clear she was expected to make her way back down again outside this building, she teared up.


    ¡°I have a right to see her.¡±


    ¡°But that is the issue,¡± DeGrasse¡¯s mother replied, ¡°you cannot see her.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying that. They are my parents and I want them back. How can they just shut away? We have a right¡ª¡±


    ¡°There are no rights here, and that is the issue.¡± DeGrasse calmed her breathing as she confessed. ¡°I gave birth to a daughter and she was killed. In an act of desperation, I begged a poacher to cut my hair. All Elementals created from pure power like that need an actual body¡ªa fresh one. We call those Elementals seedlings. But someone tampered with her abilities as a baby as a way to punish me. I could not raise her, and she grew to hate me.¡±


    Her words left Lilah feeling numb. She searched for some of the energy and venom she¡¯d arrived with.


    ¡°And now she¡¯s not only died with a sliver of a chance at rebirth, but she¡¯s come back into a strong body, a whole new world, a whole new life and with me as a confidant. Dear, having you throw careless words around like an infant is far too dangerous.¡±


    Lilah found herself trembling. All the way up here, she didn¡¯t have to contend with the madness down below. Up here, her parents lived, albeit differently from before. Up here she almost expected to find Lander sitting on a sofa with Gwen beside him showing off her new wig.


    No. She didn¡¯t expect to find them here, but hell, she didn¡¯t expect to find anyone at all. Not this ancient Elemental granny who looked nearly her own age and sure as hell not a young, carefree mother where her dying one once was. And to be rejected by this person¡ªthe person she most admired....


    But if this miracle could happen, then it was okay to dream, at least for the journey, that things could be normal again.


    Lilah shed a tear. It wasn¡¯t one that she¡¯d expected.


    ¡°Oh, child.... You must go back down.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Lilah wept. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of heights. It took me twice as long to climb this.¡±


    The door opened and a slender body stepped out. ¡°Mother,¡± Degrasse said. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll talk to her.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Please wait inside. Gus-Gus is still pretty upset.¡±


    Lilah¡¯s breath hitched. Sure enough, the older Elemental opened the door too wide, revealing Gus with his hands to his face.


    The next tear came with a stifled shriek as Lilah tried to remember her upbringing and manners.


    ¡°Why? Why is he here?¡± Lilah demanded. ¡°Why him!¡±


    DeGrasse was careful to close the door. She approached with a march so strong Lilah cringed¡ªpreparing for a strike against her.


    Despite the height difference¡ªDeGrasse was short¡ªthe woman embraced Lilah who collapsed under the touch.


    ¡°I only want your time. Ten years waiting for a chance to talk to you¡ªwaiting for my turn and you won¡¯t even see me.¡±


    Sitting beside her, DeGrasse pulled her close. ¡°I understand that you¡¯re angry and upset, but you can¡¯t keep doing this to yourself. How could you have climbed all this way? What if you¡¯d fallen?¡±


    ¡°Like you¡¯d care.¡±


    The small body holding hers hove a sigh. ¡°Of course, I care. I simply cannot take care of you right now. Not with my chance shaky, too. Don¡¯t let this young face fool you. I won¡¯t have another lifetime. We¡¯ve got twenty years if we¡¯re lucky.¡±


    Lilah leaned back to meet her gaze. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    The somber brown eyes held affection as DeGrasse confessed, ¡°Your father gave me some of his life-force to give me youth, and...some ability, but it cut the remainder of his in half. Outer appearances don¡¯t take away from reality, darling. We are both in our fifties. Seventy is a good number, we decided.¡±


    Somewhere in the nonsense she spewed, Lilah¡¯s world shattered. Elementals lived long¡ªthey aged and died, but they did live long. Some estimated two hundred years wasn¡¯t inconceivable.


    ¡°Are you telling me...not only did he give raw life-force for ten years keeping the old you alive, but you¡¯ve taken what¡¯s left?¡±


    DeGrasse¡¯s hopeful expression faded. ¡°Yes. Of course, you¡¯d put it so nicely.¡±


    Lilah let out a gasp. ¡°And is that fair?¡±


    The grip around her loosened and Lilah regretted speaking her mind. DeGrasse...Lilah¡¯s...Lilah¡¯s mother shed a tear.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t know that it¡¯s fair,¡± she admitted. ¡°We¡¯re still working through that. But short of taking the life-force back and letting me work through some illnesses of my own, there isn¡¯t much we can do. My hair was cut at birth. I have no power short of light intuition. And I lived a hard life.¡±


    Lilah thought to hold on again, but DeGrasse let go and stood. In that instance, a great rush of shame filled Lilah so strongly she wanted to vomit. Her father had given everything he could for this chance, and it was one they¡¯d fought and prayed for. Now Lilah brought that into question. That was what was truly unfair.


    Tears fell from DeGrasse¡¯s eyes and it was the first time Lilah¡¯d ever seen this person shed them. The Lee she knew was tough as nails. Lee never threw fits or got overly emotional. But then...neither did Lilah and she knew that to be a lie. Lilah kept herself in check in the company of others, even her own family, but there were days she wanted to blow up.


    As proud as Lee DeGrasse was, there was no mistaking the way she held her belly¡ªalmost fearful.


    Lilah gasped. ¡°No. You¡¯re...you¡¯re.... Are you honestly? That¡¯s what you two¡¯ve been doing up here while the rest of the city falls apart.¡±


    DeGrasse slapped her. The sadness in her expression caught Lilah off guard.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your commentary or disgust. I have enough of my own. And I haven¡¯t told him yet and I need to figure out how to do that, too. So before I fling you from this building and forget that I had a hand in raising you, how about you do me the courtesy of going right back down the same way you came up.¡±


    Lilah trembled. She wanted to take back those words. She wanted to grab the woman and ask for another embrace. She wanted to fall to her death from Big Henry at this point.


    The door opened and Gus peered out with a smile. That smile grew when he saw Lilah but when he regarded DeGrasse and the fresh onset of tears, his expression turned solid.


    He handed the radio over without saying a word. Instead, he stepped out, hugged DeGrasse close and kissed her brow. She patted his arm. A few minutes later, the front door opened and closed¡ªGus was gone.


    ¡°Lee?¡± the radio buzzed to life.


    DeGrasse raised and lowered it again and again before finally sucking in a deep breath and forcing a smile. ¡°Yes, darling?¡±


    A long pause followed before Lilah¡¯s father asked, ¡°What kept you?¡±


    ¡°Now, darling,¡± DeGrasse said, ¡°if you cannot trust me with a few moments of dead air, then how incapable do you think me?¡±


    ¡°Hey. I¡¯m sorry. I just feel guilty leaving. Nobody¡¯s seen Lilah but I¡¯m still looking.¡±


    DeGrasse turned to face Lilah again. ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find her. Stick around and she might just drop in.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I suppose.¡± Another bout of silence followed. ¡°So are you alone?¡±


    ¡°As alone as I¡¯ll ever be. Feelin¡¯ pretty alone,¡± DeGrasse admitted.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Out on the balcony.¡±


    The chuckle came with a whisper, ¡°So you liked doing it out there that much?¡±


    DeGrasse¡¯s eyes widened. Lilah found herself looking the pristine balcony over, praying he wasn¡¯t saying what she thought he was.


    ¡°Um, well...you did make an impression.¡±


    ¡°Only because you were so enthusiastic. In fact, when I get back there. I¡¯m going to....¡±


    Click. DeGrasse shut the radio off. Face beet red, she turned to Lilah and said, ¡°You have to go.¡±


    Lilah wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Not until we talk. We have so much to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Not right now. Not at this moment. We¡¯ll get to it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯ll be time for me? When? After your mother dies? After you raise your new baby? When?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know. But I do know your father¡¯s coming back here when he realizes he¡¯s dirty talking into a dead radio. So you need to go. There are two balconies and he always lands at the other one.¡±


    Lilah didn¡¯t appreciate the dismissal. ¡°The same one you two¡ª¡±


    DeGrasse groaned. ¡°Shut¡¯dup.¡± As gentle as those words were, they held a genuine warning. ¡°I¡¯ve had it with hiding up here trying to figure out how to seek your approval. I¡¯ve had it with not bringing up your name in conversation because I don¡¯t want to argue about what this is doing to you. And I¡¯ve had it with your judgement and childishness. I¡¯m in a new body with power I can¡¯t recognize, and I can¡¯t navigate, and my biggest fear is that you¡¯ll...you¡¯ll shame me. And you do.¡±


    Eyes misting, Lilah tried to respond. ¡°I...I....¡±


    ¡°Just go.¡± An engine roared through the night and she gasped. ¡°Shit.¡±


    As small as DeGrasse was, her grip on Lilah¡¯s arm was like a vice as she marched her to the railing.


    ¡°Go.¡±


    Lilah held on. ¡°No. No. Not until you talk to me. No.¡±


    DeGrasse dipped low and hoisted Lilah over so quickly she barely caught hold in time.


    Their eyes met. Lilah felt sorry. She wanted to apologize. All the more when DeGrasse held her stomach but let go again¡ªLilah¡¯d caused that insecurity. ¡°Please...I¡¯ll try to do better,¡± she begged. ¡°But please.¡±


    Distant doors swung open. ¡°Lee!¡±


    DeGrasse pleaded as well. ¡°Just be patient. I¡¯m trying the best I can. None of this is going according to plan. Just please, please meet me halfway.¡±


    The pain in her eyes was why Lilah ducked down when the doors opened.


    ¡°There you are.¡±


    DeGrasse looked down at Lilah before spinning around to stop her husband¡¯s approach.


    ¡°Did you worry?¡±


    ¡°Worry? I was scared as hell. That was a pretty dirty trick.¡±


    ¡°Well how else was I going to convince you to anoint this balcony as well?¡± DeGrasse said with a chuckle.


    She reached back, searching the railing for Lilah¡¯s hands.


    Eyes wide, Lilah held on. One glance down at the drop and she stifled a yelp. Instead, she whispered, begged, ¡°Mother, please....¡±


    Slam, slam, two jabs from a hairpin sent Lilah plummeting. One net broke her fall, but she tumbled out of it and into the next, and the next as well. Twenty-six nets later, she flopped to the ground on her ass.


    Gus waited there for her, a look of disapproval on his face. ¡°When the hell do you plan to just grow up? That was supposed to be one of the best news I could give them, and you go and ruin it.¡±

 And Broken 27

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    Lee DeGrasse, Lilah¡¯s father¡¯s very new and very old lover¡ªwife¡ªwas gorgeous. Even prettier than the woman Lilah¡¯d always known. There was something delicate about the Lee of old.


    But as Lilah watched the small stage from the very back of the room, clutching her overpriced charity ticket tight, she felt only loathing.


    Her father wasn¡¯t working, the enforcers were in internal strife, and the medical center needed money. Tonight was a tribute to the tragedy of the Chief enforcer¡¯s daughter¡¯s passing.


    Officially, this was also DeGrasse¡¯s third show. The first had barely a handful. Tonight was sold out. Lilah came to them all and she died a bit more each time.


    The first floor was the medical area, but here, on the second, the small concert hall stood. Its original purpose was for benefits and fundraisers. On stage, Lilah¡¯s father played the violin while DeGrasse danced and sang.


    It was amazing. Everything was perfect about it. Everything Lilah was taught as a child but never had the courage to try and master. And here it was, staring her right in the face. And it hurt.


    Gus sat in the first row. He stood to applaud with the crowd. Radio stations waited in the wings for an interview. Once the curtain fell, Lilah got to her feet. She wanted to make it to that elevator and maybe wait. The crowd was too thick and as the exit lay in the opposite direction, it was impossible to reach that elevator in a timely manner.


    Sure enough, the doors closed. She watched the numbers until twenty-eight flashed clear as day. They were gone¡ªshe was gone.


    It was foolish to wait, but an hour later that elevator left floor twenty-eighth and Gus stepped out when it landed.


    He could see them¡ªGus could see their parents, yet Lilah couldn¡¯t.


    She told herself it didn¡¯t matter, and she made herself believe it with how cold Gus behaved of late. Her brother wouldn¡¯t look at her as he passed by. Lilah took it personally.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? Is she all right?¡± Lilah asked in a hurry.


    Her brother ignored her.


    Lilah shivered from the anger. It was by chance that she passed by a familiar room, but unlike Gwen¡¯s final hours when the room was packed, for Darla...it was empty.


    She sat staring out the window and all thoughts fell to her.


    Darla. After all that had happened, she¡¯d tried again.... And failed. The door ajar indicated she had a visitor. And what a visitor it was.


    Karen Blackwell.


    Standing at the foot of Darla¡¯s bed, Karen said, ¡°We were friends once.¡±


    Darla stared to her right, at the floor instead of making eye contact.


    ¡°And I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°What do you want, Kiki?¡± Darla asked. ¡°To rub it in?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Karen sounded different now¡ªyoung, almost human. ¡°Darla, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She pulled up a chair and sat down though the woman still stared through her.


    Gus-Gus stepped out of that elevator again¡ªa bundle in his hand. When he came to a halt, Lilah looked back to see why.


    ¡°What in the...?¡± Gus swallowed hard. ¡°Why? Why¡¯s Blackwell here?¡± The baby in his arms shifted and he seemed at a loss.


    He wasn¡¯t very good at holding babies, which surprised Lilah; he was good at everything else. Behind him, the elevator door closed. Lilah longed to approach it, wondering if it might work now that Gus had just used it. She might have tried if her brother¡¯s woeful expression didn¡¯t concern her.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    He met her gaze and she could see it¡ªhe didn¡¯t want her help.


    ¡°What have I done to make you so angry?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not always about you, Lilah. Everybody else is fighting their own battles, too. But what do you care? There¡¯s nothing beyond your own pain.¡±


    His words weren¡¯t said harshly, and his glare held no hate, yet she felt small. She tried to think of how she might have acted before all this happened. And then she saw it. Gus. She hadn¡¯t sat him down and talked to him about any of it. Not since it¡¯d happened. And then Gwen.... Lilah¡¯d said nothing to him about that, either. She just left it all silent¡ªthe same way she wanted things when she¡¯d thought her mother had died. That was the way she wanted to handle it...but it wasn¡¯t on Gus¡¯s terms.


    ¡°Please. Just for a second. Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Gus struggled with the baby. When he glanced past her at Darla¡¯s room again, he spoke.


    He talked of meeting their father before Gwen died. Spoke of how they¡¯d avoided him, too, and he¡¯d climbed that building from the outside alone. He also confessed to smiling through it all though he died inside at knowing they weren¡¯t coming back. And then finally he confessed to how he¡¯d gotten over it.


    ¡°Mama was so sick for so long. And to see her moving around. She didn¡¯t like the way she looked now, but...I didn¡¯t want her to try and change anything. I was happy for them. I could be. So I stuck around until Dad finally calmed down. And then he warned me about my hair.¡±


    Lilah closed her eyes. She¡¯d even forgotten about Gus¡¯s hair and how it needed cutting.


    ¡°So he asked me to let it manifest into a child. And I said no. But after Gwen died...and I saw Aunt Darla struggling, I...wanted to make a baby, more than ever. But I can¡¯t make one without a few things, so I gave up.¡±


    ¡°Few things?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not go into that. The point is...it worked, but...but how do I say all this?¡±


    Lilah wasn¡¯t sure. But now her brother¡¯s good deed would come back to haunt him.


    ¡°If she says no then give it to Mother and Father,¡± Lilah said.


    Gus went pale. ¡°Why must you say such awful things?¡±


    She hadn¡¯t meant it in a bad way. ¡°I...I....¡± Her struggle to recover was short lived. What did she mean? Why did she say that? ¡°If they¡¯re starting over, maybe they want to start over completely.¡±


    Maraton walked in with a gift box.


    His arrival prompted Karen to stand, though she did so with great reluctance. ¡°Darla....¡±


    ¡°Go home, Kiki,¡± Darla said without looking at her. ¡°I know you mean well but please go home.¡±


    Hand extended tentatively at first, Karen stared at Darla¡¯s back. Lilah prayed she¡¯d offer that touch. It might have been poorly received, but the offer...the offer meant so much.


    Karen held Darla¡¯s shoulder. Sure enough, the woman shrugged it away. She remained a bit longer before walking out in tears.


    Lilah felt proud of her. Karen was capable of trying to make amends. She¡¯d heard it in passing that Karen and Darla were the best of friends. Could they really go back to that after all this time? They almost did, though there was no saying what would happen from now. Maybe they never would again, but at least the effort was there.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Maraton stepped into the room and closed the door. The cries to follow made Gus lose heart.


    Eating breakfast alone at home the next day ended as it always did lately¡ªwith Lilah sitting at the window thumbing through Lander¡¯s drawings. More and more she settled on the final one. Today, she liked seeing it.


    Karen Blackwell was trying to be half human. She might not ever admit it, but that was probably thanks to Lander. Karen waited too long, expecting to one day make things right. That day never came for her son.


    Lilah took care with plucking the pictures out and although it took her most of her day off, she framed each one and hung it in the hall.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t much of a friend to you,¡± she said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t much of a friend to anyone.¡±


    Two months and she still hadn¡¯t said anything to Escott in person. All the years they¡¯d been friends must have amounted to something.


    She resolved to go into town and find something for him¡ªsomething to offer as a gift. She didn¡¯t expect to see Arma stepping into a clothing shop.


    Lilah doubted Arma¡¯d stay there for long. Escott had no money. It wasn¡¯t even a secret. Lilah knew Escott too well. He never took money for things he created, and he¡¯d only give it away to anyone who asked. If Arma stuck with Essy because she thought he had any wealth due to his family¡¯s status that was ludicrous. Escott would sooner spend that money on something for his younger siblings than for himself.


    The dress Arma eyed before looking down at her own palm was a nice one. Eventually she inched her way out and set off home on foot. Escott might have sold his bike. Eleven children were a lot. He probably hadn¡¯t given it much sober thought until now.


    Lilah stared after Arma for some time. Eventually Lilah did her shopping and made her way up to that farm after she was done. The place was empty. Out in the field Escott¡¯s brothers and sisters helped the children farm, but Escott was nowhere in sight. Neither was Arma. Lilah counted herself lucky.


    Shouting from the nearby lake¡ªthe only one in The Fan¡ªmade her curious enough to go look.


    Escott clung to the sides of the small boat like a scared animal.


    Arma paused with the ores. ¡°Are you all right? We can go back.¡±


    ¡°No. Fuck this water. I¡¯m heading in.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re sure.¡±


    He tightened his grip, his claws digging into the wood. ¡°Where¡¯d you disappear to all day?¡±


    Arma shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t disappear. Just looking around town now that I¡¯m a free woman without imminent death looming.¡± She paused. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re all right?¡±


    Escott huffed and puffed. He tried to use his feet to steady the boat, but they only rocked more.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Arma warned. ¡°And whatever you do, don¡¯t try to stand¡ª¡±


    They let out a cry as they took a tumble when the boat capsized.


    Lilah thought to rush them but calmed when she saw Arma swimming out, her arms around Escott¡¯s torso.


    ¡°You are so stubborn,¡± Arma grumbled.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Escott said, gasping. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°We fell in.¡±


    ¡°But did we die? No.¡± Escott lumbered to his feet, hands still braced on his knees. ¡°We did all right.¡±


    ¡°You have a very strange definition of success. Here.¡± She tried to help him stand to his full height, but he lost power. They tumbled to the ground. She laughed. ¡°You did that on purpose.¡±


    ¡°How could you say I did that on purpose? Look at me.¡±


    When they shared a kiss, Lilah made a sound.


    Escott picked his head up. He rose steady and strong, an inhospitable look on his face as he approached


    ¡°What the hell do you want?¡± Escott asked.


    The gruffness caught Lilah off guard. This wasn¡¯t his usual way of speaking to her.


    Lilah lost her nerve. ¡°Here...here looking for new recruits. All the Newbreeds have left. Your support would surely prompt others to feel it less taboo.¡±


    Escott made a face. ¡°Nope. Not interested.¡± He nodded to the bag in Lilah¡¯s hand. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s...it¡¯s....¡± The words didn¡¯t come out. Finally, Lilah said, ¡°Condolences for your loss.¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer, only watched her.


    ¡°For your sister.¡±


    ¡°I know what you meant.¡± Escott gestured to the bag. ¡°If that¡¯s what that is, I don¡¯t need it. Thank you.¡±


    Lilah looked down at the gift in her hand again and dropped it at his feet.


    ¡°Throw it away if you want¡ªit was something old, anyhow.¡± Lilah marched away from that hill and back toward the city.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she heard Arma ask.


    ¡°Nothing. Just throw it in the trash. Come on. I want to get ready.¡± At Arma¡¯s gasp, Escott asked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Must...must we throw this away? It¡¯s....¡±


    Escott went silent and Lilah looked back to see why.


    ¡°Now she¡¯s giving us old clothes? Some nerve,¡± Escott muttered. ¡°Wait...the price bar is still on it, though. That¡¯s one hell of a price. It must have been discounted. Still dumping it.¡±


    ¡°I...I...kinda like it,¡± Arma admitted.


    She should, it was the same dress she¡¯d been saving up for¡ªLilah had bought it new.


    ¡°Is it¡ªmay I have it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I feel about taking her charity,¡± Escott said.


    They shared a kiss, Arma¡¯s unsure voice saying, ¡°You said you forgave her. That didn¡¯t sound much like forgiveness.¡±


    Escott chuckled. ¡°Oh no. I¡¯m not falling for that. I say one nice thing and find my ass sleeping outside.¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± But Arma laughed out when he pounced.


    Lilah walked away from the rest of it. She found herself passing that medical building again before heading home and she was happy she did.


    Gus stood with a bundle wrapped in his arms which he handed over to Maraton.


    ¡°The timing was impeccable. I used the recent embryo she lost and mixed it with the power from my hair praying the old text were right. ¡°It¡¯s premature, but it¡¯s still stable. And I¡¯ve checked...it¡¯s reading as yours and not mine. And if you¡¯ll accept it¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll accept it,¡± Maraton said. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly accept it. I figured we couldn¡¯t have one after I came back from hibernation and she¡¯d lost that one, too.¡±


    Gus gasped. ¡°You knew?¡±


    ¡°Course I knew. Imp hearing. Has she...has she seen her?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But she¡¯s worried and....¡±


    Maraton was careful with the child. ¡°But your lovely hair; it holds your power,¡± he said, ¡°it¡¯s all gone.¡±


    Rubbing his head again, Gus smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not gone. It¡¯s just different. And it¡¯s the only one I can make. Aunt Darla¡¯s still recovering from the surgery.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡ªwe¡¯ll go see her,¡± Maraton said, still staring down at the child. ¡°We¡¯ll go see her.¡±


    Lilah watched them with pride and relief. Gus-Gus caught sight of her but said nothing.


    She called her brother aside and asked, ¡°Are we okay?¡±


    Gus tried to meet her gaze but gave up in time. ¡°I¡¯m just working through some things. So just let me. All right?¡±


    It was a reasonable request, so she nodded.


    He hugged her before she could walk away.


    ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Just...life is short. Just wanna make sure you know I¡¯ll always love you, even if I want to kick you in the ass sometimes.¡±


    She tried to give off a smile, though not much came of it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the most popular right now, I know.¡±


    Gus nodded upward. ¡°Mom¡¯s performing....¡±


    Lilah ignored the pit in her stomach. ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just her way of finding some normalcy. Can¡¯t you be happy for her¡ªfor them?¡± Gus pleaded.


    Rather than answer, Lilah hugged him again and made her way to the door.


    She bumped into Escott and Arma¡ªArma wore the dress.


    Escott regained his balance and walked on, but Arma lingered.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.


    Lilah opened her mouth to deny it, but eventually she nodded. She turned to leave.


    Arma met her. ¡°I wanted to enroll as an enforcer, but not if you¡¯d mind,¡± she said.


    They needed the numbers. Lilah considered it for some time and then said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind it, no. I¡¯d be much obliged.¡±


    A minute later, Arma met her husband at the stairs leading to the second floor.


    In no time, a good size crowd formed. Lilah, however, decided to report into work early. There was a lot to catch up on. She searched their files for a specific picture. Lander had been arrested enough times that he had a good variety. She selected the best one and put it on her desk.


    She turned the radio on next, purposely searching for one name which she eventually found.


    ¡°DeGrasse.¡±


    Lilah turned the radio up and sat back.


    ¡°You and your husband are expecting your first child. We haven¡¯t seen a natural born Elemental in over twenty years,¡± the announcer said.


    ¡°We¡¯re pretty excited about it¡ªwell, terrified, too, but excited. It¡¯s a first for both of us.¡±


    All this talk of babies, Lilah felt good until now. Her parents were starting again...literally. But why did that sting so much?


    Someone cleared his throat. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡±


    One of the temporary Newbreed enforcers stood before her desk.


    Lilah looked around, confused by his presence.


    ¡°Yes?¡± she said.


    ¡°New reports of possible sightings of Winrose, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Lilah took the papers offered and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°The number of critters aren¡¯t rising. My team alone caught a good fifteen this month,¡± the enforcer said.


    Usually, Lilah kept to any task she¡¯d started but today, she gave the Newbreed her full attention.


    ¡°Two new recruits, too. One Topsider, everybody calls her Ice and.... You won¡¯t believe this. Rosemarie Blackwell.¡±


    Lilah certainly didn¡¯t. She sifted through the paperwork and sat back. The sight of Mrs. Blackwell¡¯s strong recommendation letter was a bit much. One wasn¡¯t even necessary. Lilah thanked the Newbreed enforcer but after she conveyed her appreciation the man didn¡¯t move.


    He cleared his throat again. ¡°Everyone¡¯s heading to Big Henry for the show. I...I wondered if you had a date.¡±


    His posture looked sloppy, but he had a strong build otherwise. Jan knew him so that meant he knew Lilah. Still, with all that¡¯d happened, Lilah was less than enthusiastic about either prospect of going out for fun or going to Big Henry.


    She didn¡¯t have to say anything; he only nodded and excused himself.


    Lilah sat back again and adjusted the radio¡ªthe show was starting.


    ¡°This one¡¯s dedicated to my mothers,¡± Degrasse said, ¡°And there¡¯ve been a few of them throughout the years. So to the one that raised me, the one that made me, the one that saved me, and the one I died for, the one who gave me children, and the one who gave me a second chance and to any that I¡¯ve forgotten, I¡¯ve lived a life I¡¯m proud of and the bumps along the way made it all the more sweeter now that I can really see you all for who you were.


    ¡°Some are gone, one¡¯s close by, one I might meet again one day, but now and then I bring myself back to the time you hurt me the most, and I¡¯ll tell you all the things I wasn¡¯t strong enough to at the time. It doesn¡¯t matter if you hear them, or even understand. It doesn¡¯t matter if we say the things we need to, even a hundred years later, just so long as we say them...we can reclaim what we¡¯ve lost. We can go back.¡±


    The music started and Lilah watched her desk for some time. Maybe impulse or otherwise, but she grabbed her jacket and rushed out. She barely caught the new enforcer before he stepped into the cab.


    ¡°Wait.¡± When he paused to regard her, she let out a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯d love to accompany you.¡±


    Maybe they weren¡¯t compatible, maybe it was just the one get-together. Maybe it¡¯d all go rotten like it did with Escott and even Lander. Or maybe...well, maybe nothing.


    It was all up to chance. Trying to go backwards was an illusion.


    Maybe it was best to let the waters of fate take her wherever they may.


    End


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 Further Reading: Sentinel 555: AIR

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    Did you love We Can Go Back? Then you should read


    Sentinel 555: AIR</a> by Lyna Forge!


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    In Maddison''s last visit to the ancient city, she encountered a man. More surprising was what he lacked on his face....Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    He wore no mask.


    A hundred years since the Great Disaster and he not only lived beyond infancy, but he breathed the air. No one breathed free air anymore at the risk of dying cancerous and crazed.


    Nothing of value is free¡ªnot the water, not the land, not the food...


    ...and certainly not the air.


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    Read more at Lyna Forge¡¯s site</a>.

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    We Can Go Back


    We Can Go Back</a>


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    Standalone


    Sentinel 555: AIR</a>


    Sated</a>


    The Aftermath</a>


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