Chapter Thirty-Five
Lee coughed at the smell coming from the alcohol soaked man behind the bars. Jaden Carmen sat propped up against wall, knees drawn up.
"My name is Captain Lee Adama from the battlestar Galactica. I'm here-"
"Captain, huh," the man drawled, not lifting his greasy dark head. "That supposed to impress me?"
"No," Lee replied stiffening.
"Well, unless you're here to spring me, do me a favour and go frak yourself, Captain," he sneered.
"President Roslin arranged an adoption for you and your wife. She did this without the knowledge of the child's real parents-"
"The child?" Jaden snorted bitterly. "Do you know where my wife is, Captain Adama?"
"I was hoping you could tell me that. Hera's real parents want their child back."
At this Jaden broke into a full out laugh.
Lee stared at the man and then at the guard sitting at the table. The guard shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"My wife is dead, Captain. Just…dead. That's where she is."
Lee stepped back in surprise, a tight, chilled knot growing in the pit of his stomach. "Dead?"
" 'at's right. Some blond woman came banging on our door, raving about they were coming for the baby, they wanted the baby. So we ran. They found us anyway and my wife died trying to protect that…thing,"
The grief and disgust in the man's voice made it clear to Lee that he knew Hera was a Cylon.
"I'm sorry for your-"
"I don't need your frakking apologies, man." Jaden began to cry. "I just…I want her back…I want my wife back…"
Lee closed his eyes and tried to pull his focus away from the man's grief and back to the reason for this whole mission. "Do you remember who they were, the people who killed your wife?"
"Ain't you listening? The toasters frakking killed her!" He roared, dark eyes flashing with hysteria. "They wanted their own little monster back and so they killed my wife! They're welcome to that thing. I would have handed her over no problem but my wife…She was so good," he collapsed into sobs again. "So good."
Lee's shoulders sagged. Godsdammit. All right. The Cylons had Hera. Frak. Now what? Lee looked away from the sobbing, bitter man on the floor. Lee opened his mouth, feeling he should offer some sort of comfort to the man before he left but coming up blank. But there was nothing. The worst was still coming. How to tell Helo that the Cylons had his daughter? Making his way back to Kara, Lee could feel the beginnings of a bitch of a headache coming on.
He spotted them seated around a table in the crowded, smelly bar. The little boy's face was slightly less dirty, a pile of used napkins next to his empty plate and he was smiling, holding a few cards. Lee's heart lifted a little. Well, at least this was a good day for someone.
Helo jumped to his feet when he saw Lee, hope in his face.
Lee tried to keep his face expressionless as he walked towards them. "I have bad news," he said, deciding it would be best to pull the band-aid off in one quick motion. "The Cylons have Hera."
Helo's face went pale.
"Oh no," Molly groaned.
"Frak," Kara swore covering her mouth with her free hand, putting her cards down on the table.
"Fakking bat!" the little boy piped in.
"No, Gods, no," Helo pleaded, stepping back, nearly stumbling over a man seated at the table behind them.
The hulk leapt to his feet with a growl of protest. "Hey, man. What's your problem?" He demanded shoving Helo.
Helo turned to face him, grief and fear fuelling his anger. "Don't touch me," He pushed his hand against the brick wall of the man's chest.
The hulk came back at him, ready to fight but Kara, Lee and Molly stepped between them and held the two men away from each other.
"Easy, easy man it was an accident, all right? Just back off," Kara insisted.
The little boy dove under the table.
The hulk jerked out of Lee's grasp and turned back to his table.
"We have to go get her," Helo said, his voice strong with determination.
"Karl, you can't exactly go traipsing on to a Cylon ship and say, 'Excuse me, can I have my daughter back?' "Molly reminded him.
"No, but Sharon can," Kara pointed out. "It's your only shot, Karl."
Helo turned to her. "You're right," he said with a curt nod.
Lee noticed the air between the two friends was slightly less strained and felt relieved.
"So back to the Astral Queen?" Molly asked with a grimace.
"Never thought I'd be glad to see that place again but compared this pit it's practically The Rising Star," Kara said. "Where'd the kid go?" She asked noticing that the table was now empty.
Lee bent down and looked under the table. The little boy was looking warily at him.
"Comfy down there?" Lee asked lifting his eyebrow.
"Fakking bat!" the little boy blurted with a smile.
Lee rolled his eyes. "Still doesn't say anything else, does he?"
"Sure he does. Hey kiddo. Wanna come on out of there? I can get you another sandwich if you want," Kara promised extending her hand for the little boy to take.
"Mamma?" The child took Kara's hand and let her pull him to his feet.
"Speaking of which. I wanna find this kid's parents and give them each a kick in the ass," Lee said.
"Kick ass!" the little boy exclaimed.