It didn’t take long to find her. Emma was so upset she her thoughts slammed into his mind in waves. David ran to the elevator bank and took the first available car to the tenth floor. All during the ride, Emma’s fear pelted him like hailstones. He resisted the urge to leap to her side, instead concentrating on sorting out her feverish thoughts, looking for the source of her distress. Just as he found his dad in her mind, Daniel walked squarely into his.

“Son, something is really wrong . . .”

And he was gone.

David took the chance. He leaped from the elevator to Daniel’s room, arriving just in time to catch him as Daniel swayed on his feet and passed out again. Emma burst into the room with a doctor and nurse in tow.

“David!”

“Mom, what’s wrong with dad?” David was struggling to get Daniel’s now dead weight to the bed. The doctor ran to help him, supporting Daniel to the bed, but David would not release his father’s arm.

“His nose is bleeding. Mom, is Dad having a stroke or something? What’s wrong with him?” David’s voice was rising and the room’s windows were starting to vibrate.

Emma knew she had to calm herself so she could calm David before something happened in that room she wouldn’t be able to explain.

“Sweetheart, it’s going to be fine. Calm down, OK? Daniel is going to be all right.” The words formed, came out of her mouth, sounded right – she was amazed at herself.

David released Daniel to the nurse. The medical team immediately settled Daniel into bed and pushed Emma and David from the room.

Once in the hall, Emma’s mask cracked. She threw her arms around David and cried. It took all of David’s willpower not to summon his grandmother from her rest.

“Mom, what happened?”

Emma spoke between sniffles and tears.

“Daniel . . . he was sneezing. I mean really sneezing. He had been getting worse and worse since he got back. This morning, his nose started to bleed. He can be such a big baby about some things, you know. He yelled for me when it started to bleed. I brought him straight to the hospital.”

Smiling, David took his mother’s hand and led her over to a chair in the hallway. He had just watched his father take a beating without so much as a grunt, dismantle a guy without breaking a sweat, and take out half of Devilin’s mercenaries before he got caught. A bloody nose was nothing.

“Mom, so he had a bloody nose. What happened next?”

“Well, it wasn’t just a bloody nose, it was a bleeding nose. Blood poured from his nose while he sneezed . . . sneezed so hard, David; so hard that he had me covered in blood. I got him here and the doctor started trying to see if he had contracted some exotic African disease. I’m scared Daniel might bleed to death before they can figure out what’s causing the bleeding.”

“Mom, I heard you in Washington and I heard Dad right after I got here. He said something was wrong, but then nothing. Can you hear him now? Is he in a coma?” David looked into Emma’s eyes as if looking for Daniel there.

“I haven’t tried, David. I was so scared I could only think of getting a doctor. Do you think I could reach him? Is that really a good idea?”

“Mom, you’ll be able to feel more from Dad than those doctors will ever know with their instruments. The two of you are connected.  You’ll be able to hear him even better than I can.  Just relax and reach out to him. He’ll open himself to you. Then, let your instincts take over. Believe me, you’ll know what’s wrong.

Emma nodded, though she wasn’t positive she knew what David meant. She was still reluctant to accept the psychic power she had; resistant to the idea of hearing someone’s thoughts; and fighting the possibility that this might be the way of her life from now on. The internal conflict was in full effect when she felt a soft touch on the back of her mind.

“Emma?

“Chanrille?”

“Yes. What is wrong? Your fear is very strong. Is David in danger?”

“No, David’s fine. Can’t you tell?”

“No, Emma. Your son no longer wishes to open his mind to me and I am respecting his privacy. If David is well, what is wrong?”

“Chan, it’s Daniel. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. We’re at the hospital because he can’t stop sneezing and his nose won’t stop bleeding.”

“Have you been with him?”

“What do you mean, with him?”

“Have you joined with him to find the source of this problem? If you haven’t, you must go to him. You can find the problem much faster than a physician. David . . . David could always tell what was wrong with one of us here.”

“Chan, I don’t know how to do that. I’m scared.”

“Do not be afraid. You love Daniel. Let your love take you where you want to be. He needs you and you want to be with him. Just let yourself go.”

Emma held Chanrille’s words in her heart and her mind as she mentally imagined herself with Daniel. Somehow, with the gentle elephant’s encouragement, it was a simple and easy thing to do. Emma took hold of David’s hand and concentrated on the place in her heart that Daniel filled, and . . .

. . . she was on the hospital bed beside Daniel. Lying there, she could see the small flecks of blood trapped in the stubble on his face. Daniel turned his head and looked into her eyes and Emma let go of her fear. She rolled over toward Daniel’s body and settled herself inside the man she loved.

What an amazing feeling!

Emma could feel Daniel – his heart beating in her chest, his blood surging through her veins, his lungs filling her with oxygen, his mind opening to allow her in. Looking down at their arms, she could see his bones, his muscles, and the blood moving through his arteries.

It’s like the incredible invisible human body!

Emma looked around and down, so amazed at the physical that the emotional aspect of their joining caught her by surprise. Suddenly, Emma could feel Daniel’s love for her, and for a second, it overwhelmed her. It started as a warmness that washed over her body and mind, filling her completely. Never in a million years could words tell her what she was feeling now.

I never knew he loved me so!

Emma had to hold on as her own emotions threatened to take her away. Her hands grabbed at the sheets, and she focused on their physical bonding to regain control. She pushed the feelings aside to let her body, every sinew and nerve, become one with Daniel’s. She crushed the sheet between her fingers and knew it was Daniel’s hands she was controlling.

Now we are one.

She took a deep breath, and immediately felt the irritant that was causing Daniel to sneeze. She looked for it, watching the air that moved into his lungs.

There it is! That yellow dust is what’s making him sneeze.

That knowledge did little to help her since she had no idea what to do about it. She watched as the dust moved through his lungs, into his blood, and up to his brain –

Emma was yanked away from the bed like a rag doll, upward toward the ceiling . . . pulled away from the room . . . into the darkness.

*****

Emma was stood on a ridge overlooking a dark valley.  Lights twinkled in the distance. She hugged herself against a fierce, frigid breeze.

It’s so cold; and night – I’m not in Atlanta anymore. How did I get here?

Turning away from the cliff, she saw a short man bundled in what looked like animal furs throwing wood onto a fire. Just to the other side of that fire sat Daniel.

“Daniel, where are we and how did we get here?”

The man rose from the fire and came to stand beside her.

“What’s the matter with you? You know as well as I do why we’re here. And who are you calling Daniel?”

The man seemed irritated. Or was Daniel irritated?

What is this? This man, he has Daniel’s face, but he’s not Daniel. And his face . . . he’s wearing Daniel like a mask. I can see both of them – Daniel’s transparent or something. How is this happening?

Someone was speaking, but it wasn’t her voice; but the voice was coming from her mouth. “I didn’t call you anything. I didn’t say anything at all. I was just thinking about what Rinzen said.”

“Do you think he’s right?”

“Rizen is always right. That’s what’s so scary. If he is true, the end of the world could be here.”

“Well, I think he scared all of us, but he said we can prepare for it. I’m not sure what that means, but if he says we can fight, we fight. I don’t know what we’re going to be fighting. That scroll  . . . he said it was the secret weapon. With that, we can defeat whatever’s coming.”

“Did you see it? That scroll must be hundreds of years old. How did something like that get from Africa to our village?”

“That’s the strange part. Rinzen says it was his task to bring it here and keep it safe until the ‘promised one’ was born. Can you believe that? He talks like he’s as old as the scroll.”

“Maybe he is.”

“No, Rinzen was born in my village. I’m older than he is, but it’s strange that he knows so many of the old legends and secrets. He tells them as if he was there, and these aren’t things he knows from school either. We never did the things he can do, either. Honestly, sometimes I’m afraid of him, too.”

“This ‘promised one’ he’s always talking about. Who and where is he?”

Emma’s man had walked to the edge of the cliff and resumed his surveillance of the valley below. “I don’t know and neither does Rinzen. See, he doesn’t know everything. The man, if it is a man, could be right down there and we’d never know it.” The man pointed down toward the small dots of light.

“Garkan!” Someone called out from the large ruined building behind them. Emma tried to turn around, but the man did not want to turn. The man her host was speaking with yelled back.

“Yes, Rinzen. I’m over here.” Daniel’s man waved what seemed like a lit cigarette lighter or something else that had ignited a flame. Emma caught a clear glimpse of Daniel’s face and he looked extremely agitated. She didn’t understand.

But she would.

The man from the ruin approached them with a small torch. He stopped a few feet away from Daniel and, as the man who “carried” Emma turned about, he took a few steps backward. He stared intently in her direction before turning to the other man and speaking. “Well, I see you came back and this time brought a friend. Am I supposed to allow you to stay because you brought along a beautiful companion?”

Emma sucked in her breath. The man could see her!

Rinzen, as the man was called, walked closer to Emma and held the torch near her face. Her man stepped back and spoke angrily. “Rinzen, what are you doing, trying to burn me with that thing? And who are you speaking to? Have you gone crazy from all the stress?”

Garkan, Daniel’s man spoke. “Is it the same one from earlier tonight?”

“Yes, it is the same mind walker from earlier tonight. He must like you, Garkin.” Rinzen was grinning at Daniel. “What do you want, mind walker? Why are you here and who is this you bring with you?” Rinzen turned and gave Emma a devilish grin. “You know, she does not like it here.”

Emma’s host had put his hand to his belt were a large knife was sheathed. He didn’t know what Rinzen was talking about, but Emma could feel his agitation level increasing. If this guy didn’t get answers soon, someone was going to get hurt. She tried to exert her calm over him, but realized it was useless because she was anything but calm.

Garkan spoke, but she could hear Daniel’s voice. Garkan, on the other hand, could only hear his voice saying words he was not making. “Rinzen, I am Daniel. She is my wife, Emma, and we come from the promised one.”

“You lie!”

“No, I am telling you the truth. We know where the promised one is, but we don’t know why you know of him or seek him. Who are you?”

“If you truly come from the promised one, you will know who I am.” Rinzen rolled up his sleeve and held the torch near his arm so Daniel could see. “Take this image back to him. He will know who I am. Now, you must go.”

“Wait, one last thing. Where are we?”

“You, Daniel, are in Tibet. Goodbye.”

Emma felt a sharp pull on her body as she fell back to Daniel’s bed as if she had been up on the ceiling. Daniel’s body beside her was struggling for air. She knew she had to do something. She needed to tell David!

With that thought, she found herself, half on and half off her chair, supported by the strong arms of her son. She looked up into his face, trying to clear the bewilderment from her mind. David helped her regain her seat as she fought to clear her thoughts.

“Mom, what happened?”

“David, I can’t tell you now. I have a dream to keep. For right now, we need Grandfather. I know what’s wrong with Daniel. If we don’t help him now, Daniel is going to die!”

Chapter 5

“Daaaaaaaaaavidddddd!”

“Coming!”

“Is he in the shower again? I swear, that’s the cleanest young man I’ve ever seen!”

Jenny, Marcus’ housekeeper, laughed as she put breakfast on the table.

“I feel it has nothing to do with clean. My grandson likes playing in that contraption.”

Marcus turned and stared at Racdair as waves of anxiety washed over him.

I don’t believe it. He’s afraid of the shower!

“For Pete’s sake, Racdair; a man of your – power . . .”

Marcus said the last word softly. He didn’t want to have to explain what he meant to Jenny, who was on her way back to the refrigerator for cream and butter.

“You’re not going to tell me a little technology frightens you,” Marcus said.

“Clearly I do not have to tell you since you already know.”

Racdair set his lips in a stubborn line, but Marcus could feel Tyrae laughing.

“See, even Tyrae thinks your misgivings are funny.”

“Do I look as if I care what Tyrae finds funny?”

Marcus laughed. “You haven’t changed a bit. You’re still the most stubborn man I’ve met in two hundred years. You are impossible.”

“And I’m hungry!”

David bounded into the kitchen with Carlotta, Marcus’ cat, under his arm. He bounced over to Jenny and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then was back to the table, putting Carlotta down and reaching for a sausage in one swoop.

“Yum–sausage, pancakes, and wow, fritters. Jenny, I might never go home!”

Jenny blushed, laughed, and basked in the love that was now in the house.

After all these years . . .

 She watched the three men at the table, laughing and eating together, the love so obvious between them that it brought a lump to her throat. It was wonderful to see Marcus so happy. In just a couple of days, she had grown very fond of Racdair, and she simply loved David.

My gosh but that young man is gorgeous! And there’s something about him, something electric. He’s as charismatic as his father . . . and every bit as sexy! Aye, it I were but a wee bit younger.

Her face grew hot and a rosy blush bloomed in her cheeks when she realized all three men had turned and were grinning at her. “What?” she said. She grabbed up a dishtowel and started to the sink.

“Just wanted to thank you,” Marcus said, still grinning.

Jenny struggled to change her frame of mind. She thought for a second Marcus was thanking her for the afternoon they had spent together before he went off to Africa. That thought was not one she wanted to dwell on. It wasn’t doing a thing to cool off her face.

“Uh, uh, what are you thanking me for?”

“For breakfast, of course,” said Racdair.

Jenny tried to read his face.

Why do I get the feeling there’s more than one conversation going on in this kitchen?

“I think I’m going to change the subject,” David said. If possible, he was blushing even more than Jenny.

Now what’s he got to be embarrassed about?

Again, Jenny had the feeling the three men were having a silent conversation. She had been watching it since they got home – finishing each other’s sentences, doing things for each other without being asked, and laughing at unspoken jokes. If they weren’t so adorable, it might have been creepy.

“Jenny, how is Andrew?”

She started to answer Marcus’ question, but stuttered as she caught Racdair’s expression. He was watching Marcus, an eyebrow raised, a crooked smile on his face.

What is going on here?

“Uh, he’s . . . he’s doing well. It’s been less than a month, and already that cut on his face is almost healed. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for all you’ve done for him. If Andy had gone to a hospital, he’d surely be wearing a scar for the rest of his life. That synthetic skin is amazing stuff.”

“Synthetic skin?” Racdair looked from one person to another for an explanation. Then he said, “Oh, I see.”

“See what?” Jenny asked.

“Jenny, I’m going to go by and see him when I go in later,” Marcus said. “I promised David and Racdair a trip to visit Bonnie.”

Jenny was still worrying at what had just happened. She was beginning to think . . .

“Jenny, I think you should take the rest of the week off,” Marcus said.

“Mr. Dawson, I think I’d like to take the rest of the week off,” Jenny said. “You three will be alright without me, won’t you?”

“Sure, Jenny, we’ll be just fine. You go on home and get some rest. I’ll see you when I get back on Monday.”

Jenny came over to the table and gave each of them a big hug. “I’ll be missing you two when you’re gone. Promise to come back soon.”

“We will, Mrs. Jennings. It was a great pleasure meeting you.” Racdair stood and bowed.

Jenny smiled and waved as she left the kitchen.

Funny how Racdair always says we. Must be one of those royalty things.

Jenny put on her coat and left the house wondering why she needed the week off.

In the kitchen, two of the three were enjoying a good laugh.

“I see it could be very inconvenient having you two around all the time.” Marcus took several plates to the dishwasher, forgoing the rest of his breakfast to get away from Racdair’s chastising gaze.

“Marcus!”

“What?” Marcus didn’t turn around to look at him.

“How could you?”

“Yeah, Dad, you’re a bad man!”

“Look, you two. It wasn’t like that.”

“Trust me when I say we know exactly how it was,” Racdair said.

Marcus felt the back of his neck heating up. “No, that’s not what I meant! Oh, forget it. You two are impossible. David, how could you be so much like your great-great grandfather and still be my son?”

“Maybe it’s because you two are enough alike to be brothers. Sure you’re not related?”

“I am nothing like this man,” Racdair said. “I’ll have you know, he’s always been a womanizer.” Racdair looked at his best friend with a dare written all over his face.

Marcus came back to the table for more dishes, patently ignoring Racdair’s grinning face. “And how would you know? Besides, I’m not going there with you, old man. We know full well who the womanizer is at this table. How many kids? Fifteen?”

“I’m going to break this up before it really gets embarrassing,” David said. “That reminds me, though. Have you heard from Jahina, Grandpa? How are things going in the village?”

“Splendid!” and the pride in that word would have been evident even without psychic powers.

“Yes, my son is truly in his element now. He is directing the men Marcus left behind in the restoration projects. The river has been dredged, the common buildings fully restored, and he is getting the families resettled into their new accommodations. It’s incredible what has happened in only a month. He reminds me of someone else I know”

Marcus raised an eyebrow but would not give Racdair the pleasure of a comment.

“The supplies he ordered should reach the village tomorrow,” Marcus said. “That was a good idea to turn that room off the council chambers into a telecommunications center. The satellite dish will give you some contact with the outside world until we can do better.”

“Marcus, we will never be able to thank you for all you are doing.”

A small shadow passed over Marcus’ face.

“It’s still my home, old friend. I only wish I could have done this sooner.”

Tyrae stepped in to spare his companion the awkwardness of the moment. “It does not matter when, Marcus Dawson. It only matters how. You are doing your home and its people a great service. They are literally leaping into your twenty-first century.”

“Stepping, maybe, leaping is for later.” Marcus smiled. “I only hope Jahina is having fun.”

“Speaking of fun . . .” David said.

Carlotta had come and parked her furry self in David’s lap. David rubbed her soft head and she purred appreciatively.

“That feline of mine is quite fond of you, son. She says you’re sparkling.”

“The feeling is mutual. Hi, Carlotta, how’s my favorite girl?”

“I thought I was your favorite girl.”

Chanrille’s soft voice caught David by surprise. She had spoken to David only once since he returned from Africa, and that conversation had not gone well.

“Well, I didn’t expect to hear from you.” David spoke aloud. Recognizing who David was speaking with, Marcus and Racdair decided it was a good time to go and get dressed.

“To whom were you speaking?” Chanrille asked.

“I was having a private conversation with Carlotta,” David said stiffly.

“Carlotta?”

“Yes.” David made sure he didn’t show her who or what Carlotta was.

“I see.”

“What exactly do you see, Chan?”

David knew he was being mean, but he couldn’t help it. Chanrille had told him she needed time to think about everything that had happened, so David had given her all the space she needed. He was fairly ticked off at her attitude, and he wasn’t going to act as if everything was fine between them. He missed her, but he felt a man has to draw the line somewhere.

“May I ask when you’re coming home?”

“You can ask.”

This was the first time since he was a child that he had been away from Chanrille. He missed her, but she had taken a position he couldn’t understand. He was what he was, “promised one” or whatever. He understood her concern and loved her for it, but he needed her support, not her fear. David was not going to run away or try to change what he was. Chanrille had to decide if she could live with that. She had to make that choice, and he was determined that she would make it without his influence.

 “David . . .”

“Look Chan. I don’t know when, or even if, I’m coming back. I’ve just met my father. I would like some time to get to know him. Understand?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Anything else?”

“No, I guess not.”

“See ya’.”

He closed his mind to her. It was the equivalent of hanging up on her and he sat for a moment stinging from his own actions. There had never been a rift between them. Oh, sure, they had their fights, but this was different. Never before had there been such a distance, physical or emotional, between them.

Crap!

Carlotta stood up and placed her front paws on David’s shoulder such that she was looking into his face. “You get upset like your father.”

He had never heard her directly before.

“I’m sorry, Carlotta. I didn’t mean to disturb.”

“I am not disturbed, I am curious. Show me this friend you care so much for.”

David opened his mind and let Carlotta see Chanrille.

“She saved my life. From the time I was born, my mind was assaulted by a barrage of psychic noise. When I was little, I couldn’t protect myself from other people’s thoughts. I was in pain all the time, and I was too young to understand or explain what was happening to me. Then Chanrille heard me. She sheltered my mind, kept me safe, and helped me grow into my power without losing my mind. I owe her everything. I love her with all my heart, but she’s got to decide if she wants to stay in my life. I can only be what I am. I can’t change that, not even for her. Who and what I am was never an issue before that damned prophecy.”

“She is very large.”

David laughed. “That’s what I like about you, Carlotta. Get to the core of the matter.” He hugged her and she purred appreciatively.

Racdair returned to the kitchen in a white shirt and jeans. David almost laughed out loud.

“Grandpa, I must say you look snappy; but I’ve never seen a human being look so out of his element.”

“I thought we looked . . . cool,” Racdair said. He surveyed his attire.

“Yeah, cool, but weird.”

“Yes, he does look a little strange.” Marcus had come in behind his friend. “I tried to convince him to ease into it, maybe start with some slacks, but no, your grandpa is a hard-headed man.” Marcus started laughing. “You know, I never would have thought you’d look so strange out of robes.”

“We do not have to stand here and be insulted. I’m sure I could easily be somewhere else.” Racdair closed his eyes.

“Oh, stop,” Marcus said. “Come on. Let’s go see Bonnie.”

Before they could be on their way, the phone rang. It was Bonnie.

 “Good morning, Mr. Dawson. I hope I am not disturbing you.”

“Hello, Bonnie. We were just coming in to see you.”

“Please hurry, sir. We have a problem.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s the Devilin file, sir. Someone is accessing Mr. Devilin’s personal computer. Someone is reading the information Mr. Devilin compiled on you.”

Three more hard sneezes followed that one. Daniel had been sneezing for almost a month, ever since he got back from Africa.

I must have inhaled a head full of dust while I was there.

Very likely since he’d spent half his time crawling around under old deserted buildings. The final battle with Devilin had also brought down a truckload of dust from the Council Chamber rafters.

And I sucked up all of it.

“Ahhhh – shoo!”

Daniel went looking for yet another box of tissue for his irritated nose.

“Ahhhh – shoo!”

“Daniel, for goodness sake,” Emma called out from the bathroom where she was getting dressed for work. “How long is this going to keep up? What did the doctor say?”

“He figures I ran into something I’m allergic to,” Daniel said nasally. He was tearing through the linen closet looking for tissue. “He says I should be fine in a couple of days. I just have to keep taking those pills until I get whatever it is out of my system  . . . . Ah, ah . . .”

Sneezes erupted from him before he could finish the sentence. His entire body shook and he was left with a strange light-headedness.

Emma came out and glared at him.

“So, take one already,” she said. “You’re going to blow your brains out at this rate.”

He honked his nose while admiring Emma’s nightgown.

It’s good to be home!

It was good to be home alone.

Daniel grinned as he located the elusive box of tissue. His son wouldn’t be home until Friday. David was spending some time with his father in Washington, and thanks to a rather large donation Marcus had made to the zoo, Daniel also had the week off to stay home and play with his lovely wife.

Except she was in no mood to play.

“Unlike some people, I have to go to work.”

“Why don’t I have everything ready when you get home, sweetheart? Everything you need – a warm meal, a cold bottle of champagne, and a hot man.”

Daniel tried to carry off the sexy, but the sneeze at the end killed the effect.

“How about a warm meal, a cold bottle of champagne, and a hot bath?” Emma said.

She went back into the bathroom. “And take your pill!”

Daniel knew he had no counter, so he went off to the kitchen to find his prescription. He was ripping open the tissue box when another fit of sneezing sent him groping for a more readily available paper towel.

My nose is running like a faucet.

Daniel pressed the towel to his nose and continued to blow and sneeze for almost a minute.

“Daniel!”

“I’m trying to take it!” Daniel reached for another paper towel.

What’s up with my nose?

Before he could blow, he stopped, as the stream flowed steadily without any assistance. Daniel lowered the now soaked paper towel and gasped. It was soaked with blood.

“Emmmmmmma!”

Not all demons are ugly. Sometimes they wear a handsome face. Maybe this time, the demon flew in on a helicopter.

Lidea moved from one side of the step to the other, ducking and dodging the people going in and out of the building. Such rushing about, chaos in her mind – nothing like this had ever happened, in her lifetime or any other. The village had never had so many people – strange people – strangers . . .

Jahina came down the steps past her and she grabbed him by the arm before he could take the last step. “Stop!”

“Lidea, I have to . . .”

“Stop,” she said again. “You have to stop. There is nothing more important at this moment than this seat beside me. Stop and sit . . . now!”

Jahina looked down on the top her head, then out across the crowded common. The mercenaries had damaged many of the buildings during the battle, and Daniel’s fire bombs had done damage to the outlying forest. They had finally buried the last of the men killed by those bombs, and now he needed to make sure new trees were planted . . . but this was Lidea, so he took a deep breath before he sat down.

His father had warned him this moment would arrive. Racdair had told Lidea only what he thought she could handle when their people returned to the village. There was so much to do after the battle with the invaders Lidea hadn’t had time to question what she’d been told. Now, well, he tried to prepare himself for the barrage. Racdair had told him she’d be there with questions, and Jahina was to answer them, no matter how long that took.

“I want to know what is happening to us . . . to the village,” Lidea said. “The man, that thing, Devilin or Gothan or whatever his name was, he came here to kill the Masiah. Your father said he’s been destroyed. Those men we buried in the new cemetery were killed to protect us . . . to protect the Masiah. The Masiah is safe, so why did your father leave? What is happening to our homes? Why is the Masiah . . .?”

“Lidea, this is not the place,” he said as he stood up. She still had a strong grip on his arm. There is no escape, Jahina.

“Come home with me. I’ll make you a cup of one of the new teas and tell you whatever you want to know.”

“Who says I want to know anything?” Lidea said. She held onto his arm as she stood up. “I’d like to taste the tea, is all. A cup of tea will help me calm down. The village is no place to be calm any more. Have you ever seen so many strange people, and what about all the . . . ”

She continued to hold onto Jahina’s arm – and talk – as they walked to his home on the other side of the common. It seemed the circular space in the center of the village had doubled in size overnight. They moved in and out of the flow of people, some carrying furniture and tools, others laboring under the weight of large crates, and everywhere, the sound of industry. There were men tending to the well, women stocking the community pantry – tilling the garden, roofing the homes, shielding the stones . . .

“That’s what’s bothering her most,” Jahina thought as they passed through the center of the village. The immense circular steps, the birthing stones, were now surrounded and covered over by a lead container. Extending more than thirty feet into the ground, the shielding had been concealed with a façade of stone to mimic the appearance of the birthing stones. Marcus Dawson had said the purpose was to protect the people from the radiation, not destroy the beauty of the common.

“Beauty,” Jahina said. “I hadn’t thought of the common as beautiful in a very long time.”

“Of course it’s beautiful,” Lidea said as they entered his door. “We’ll have grass again soon, and the garden will stop looking like a scrub patch, and we’ll finally be rid of those strange plants, you know the ones with the big leaves . . .”

She moved to the window of the single-roomed house and stopped talking. The silence brought Jahina up short. He watched her as she watched the activity outside. When she didn’t resume the conversation, he went to the hearth and placed the kettle over the fire.

“You know, Jahina. I love your father very much.” She spoke the words without any particular emotion, her back to him as she continued to stare out the window.

He didn’t answer. Jahina knew he didn’t have to. Lidea’s affection for his father was no secret. Still, he wondered what made her choose now to tell him.

When the tea was ready, he went to the window to see what held her interest. Two young boys were just beyond his window playing with a battery-powered truck. “Who are those children, Jahina?” Lidea turned back to look at him. “We haven’t had children that young in the village since Kainda was a child.”

“I don’t know them,” he said. “Maybe they’re the sons of some of the workman. Quite a few of the workers were hired from the other villages. Marcus wanted to make sure all got a chance to benefit from . . .”

“Marcus! I do not wish to hear that name again!”

Lidea spun away from him and went to the small table and sat down. “Are we having tea?”

Jahina stared at her for a second before retrieving the kettle. He placed the cups on the table and poured tea. The sun streamed into his front door and blazed a path of light to the framed photograph on the wall. Like an accusing finger, it illuminated Racdair and Marcus Dawson, their arms about each others shoulders, broadly smiling into the camera.

“Father will return, Lidea,” Jahina said as he sat down across from her. “His life, his heart, is in the village. He will return soon. He only wants to spend some time with . . . his friend.”

“Why couldn’t his friend spend time with your father here in the village? Why did Racdair have to go off to the United States? I don’t understand what he expects to find there, why he’s never so much as been downriver . . .”

“Lidea, that’s the point. He’s been a prisoner to his position, never leaving the village, always on guard, trying his best to protect us. Two hundred years, Lidea – two hundred years. He sent me away to school so I would not be stranded here, but this is my home, and I came back. He will come back for the same reason. But he deserves this time, Lidea, no matter how long he chooses to stay away. He gave up his life for the village, now the least we can do is let him take it back.”

She stared down into her cup and said nothing for a while. Jahina knew that, in itself, that was a small victory. Lidea was a smart, lovely woman – his father always did have good taste in women – she just happened to talk a lot, especially when she was upset. If she went to silence, that meant he was getting through to her.

“Drink your tea before it gets cold,” he said, “though I find I enjoy it very much when it is cold. David says in America, they drink iced tea.”

“Iced tea? You mean they drink it cold on purpose?” Lidea frowned. “I don’t know why you’d want cold tea.”

“The summers are very hot in the southern United States . . .”

“As hot as here?” Lidea asked.

“Yes. David has invited me to visit any time I’d like. You could come too. I know he and Daniel would love to have you come. They liked you very much.”

“Jahina, there will be no more Miandai. Your father is the last.”

The statement left her mouth flat and hung in the air between them before crashing to the table.

“As the prophecy foretold,” was all he could think to say.

“Why? Why must such a thing be?” She picked up her cup and downed the tea in a single swallow. “Oh, oh my, well, that is quite good, isn’t it?”

“It is as written, Lidea, and it was my father’s will. He freed the Masiah – well, I guess I can call them that until they are ready to tell us what or who they really are. In any case, there will be no more birthings on the stones unless one of the women wants to have her child there. There will be no more interventions by the Masiah. We will live as normal people in this world. The village will become a part of the world. That is why these people are here, to help us stand up on our own feet and face what lies ahead.”

“And what lies ahead, Jahina?”

Lidea reached across the table and gripped one of his hands. He was always surprised at how strong she was.

“Two hundred years ago, my great-great-great grandmother fell in love with a man from another village. She was punished for that crime. We have always kept to ourselves, kept to our ways and traditions. Now you tell me we are part of the world. What world? We know nothing of it and I don’t really care to. People out there wage war, kill each other, pass diseases we’ve never even heard of, and . . .”

“And they live, Lidea. Live! They live their lives without thinking, wondering, and hoping that someone or something will come and set it all right. They depend on themselves and each other and they manage to make it through the days, months, and years. They are not always happy and many, many bad things happen. Such is life. It is not so different here, despite what you think. We have floundered and struggled all these years, yet we survive – without the help of the Masiah.”

“They pray,” she said.

“Indeed, they do. They pray, to whatever God they believe in. In the end, we are all not so different, whatever we call the Creator. Even those who profess not to believe at all, they still want as we want, need as we need, love as we love . . . There is a place for us in this world, Lidea. We simply have to make it so.”

She looked up into his eyes and held his gaze until Jahina began to feel uncomfortable.

“Lidea?”

For a moment more she gazed into his eyes before releasing his hand and looking away. “Your father told me that the truth lives in a person’s eyes no matter what their mouth says. I see the truth in you, Jahina, and I know things will be as they should be. I will find my courage somewhere. It hides from me now, but I will find it.”

She stood up from the table and brushed at her dress. “Well, I will go and make sure these people don’t make a mess of my village. I haven’t looked yet to see what they’re planting in the garden. Marcus . . . Marcus said the soil was rich and we could plant some of the seedlings he ordered from America. I’d better make sure those plants get into the pots . . .”

Jahina went around the table and put his arms around her. She stood for a moment before returning his hug.

“My father loves you, too, Lidea.”

She pushed away from him and went to the door. She turned back to him with a grin. “Of course he does. What’s not to love?”

He watched her crossing the common, stopping to talk to the workmen as she went, pointing a finger occasionally toward something she found out of order. She was Lidea again, and Jahina understood why his father loved her.

“Funny, she didn’t ask me about the rest of the prophecy.”

Elliot Snyder – brilliant scientist, but he had absolutely no social grace. Elliot, in fact, was a jerk, almost to the point of being profound. He could spend hours explaining the science behind a project, but he couldn’t carry on a conversation with a woman (other than his mother) for more than five seconds. He invariably said something which got his face slapped or sent the woman fleeing from his presence. Elliot never seemed to say the right thing – until now.

“No, sweetie, it’s really got nothing to do with men being in charge. It’s just easier to prepare DNA from sperm. Sperm, you see, have a much higher ratio of DNA to protein.”

“But, Elliot, how can you get all the little . . . what are they called?”

“Chromosomes.”

“Yeah, that’s it. How do you get all the chromosomes if you don’t use a woman? You guys only have half of them, right?”

She’s so cute when she’s confused.

“No, no, that’s not true. Sperm contains 23 chromosomes, including the female X and male Y sex chromosomes. That’s really all we need for study, but we did use some blood cells from women so we had cells from both sexes.”

“Oh.”

Elliot laughed.

She really is adorable. I’m the luckiest guy on the planet. Every guy in here gave her the once over – a couple of times. Those cute little blond curls are attractive enough, but those legs – wow! I’m crazy about her short skirts. I love walking into a room with her and watching the guys drool. They’re probably wondering how a nerd like me got a babe like her.

Elliot took another quick scan around the bar. It was a dark joint, but there was enough light for him to see the heads snapping forward. The guys didn’t want him to see them checking out his woman. They wanted her. They all wanted her, but she was all his, from the tip of that cute little nose to that tight little butt.

Oh, yeah!

“Elliot . . . .”

“Uh huh . . .” Elliot tried to wipe the smug grin from his face. “Yeah, sweetie?”

“Well, I was just wondering. Do you bring your work home with you? I know how some men, especially really smart ones like you, always have their work right at their elbow. I mean, the last thing I’d ever want to do is get in the way.”

She was pouting prettily and staring at his worn leather briefcase.

“Not to worry, baby. I’ve got it all under control. I’ve got a little work to do, but I won’t be long. You can curl up on my sofa and watch some TV. We’ll find some kind of weepy woman’s thing for you on Lifetime or something.”

“Ooh, we’re going to your place?”

“Yep. I think it’s time you got the grand tour, don’t you?”

I really can be suave when I want to.

“Oh yes! I’ve been really looking forward to that. Can we leave now?”

“Sure, let’s go.”

Elliot paid the bill and, grinning all the time, took his pretty companion by the arm and sauntered toward the door. He made sure he made eye contact with every man he could on the way out.

Yes, sir! I’m the envy of every man in the room.

The trip to the apartment would have taken an eternity if she hadn’t spent it “prepping him” for the night’s activities.

Maybe I’ll just wait until tomorrow to go over those reports.

Elliot didn’t bother to hide his excitement, and he found that it was even more exciting to know the cabbie was sneaking a peek in his rear view mirror. She was as talented as she was beautiful, and the fact she was interested in what he did for a living, that just made her even more desirable. Sure she didn’t understand a bit of it, but that just made her the perfect woman.

Just like dad used to say: A woman ought to be cute and stupid.

Elliot thought about the women on his project. They were brilliant. Heck, all the scientists assigned to the Genome Mapping Project were brilliant, but they were also kind of cold. None of them seemed interested in him as a man and he didn’t find them very exciting, either. Well, maybe that was only partially true. There were a couple – OK a few – he’d take any of them out if they’d give him the time of day.

Who needs them? I’ve got myself a blond bombshell that’s driving me crazy!

It took him five minutes to get himself together when the cab stopped in front of his building. Elliot ignored the leering driver as he paid him, and quickly dashed up the steps to catch up with the hottest woman on this side of Venus.

If I wasn’t in love before, I am after that. What a ride!

Elliot let her walk ahead of him down the hall, enjoying the view and the sweet rhythm of her swaying hips.

And those legs!

Elliot was so excited he couldn’t unlock his door. He was fumbling with his keys when she took them from his hands, unlocked the door, and shoved him into the apartment.

Oh, we’re going to play rough!

He had no idea.

An hour later, she was leaving the bathroom, having cleaned up the last of the blood. She checked her hair and makeup, straightened her short skirt, and then went over to the bed to take one last look at Elliot. She checked the plastic ties that bound him tightly to the headboard, making sure she didn’t get any more of the seeping blood on her hand. She did have a bit on her finger, so she wiped it on the soiled gag she snatched from Elliot’s mouth.

“Why?” The word croaked out between lips bloodied and swollen.

She leaned over him, her breast brushing against his face as she did, a final insult. She scrubbed the wall above the headboard with the dirty rag, erasing any fingerprints she might have left there during her play time.

“Why, Elliot?” She batted her long lashes over the sparkling blue eyes just the way she knew he liked it. “Why not?”

She turned and left the room, picking up his briefcase and hard drive on the way to the door. As she closed the door to the apartment, she was pleased to hear him use his last breath to utter her name.

“Bienn . . . .”