Chapter 6 -- Safe House

"Two downstairs bedrooms and two upstairs," Kettai told them, unlocking the safe-house and ushering Cole, Mel, and Jenin inside. "Downstairs bath is just perfect for the needs of a Nodulian. Kitchen's fully stocked or you can order in if you prefer."

"Where's Gwen?" Mel asked, looking around the living room as Cole walked Jenin over to the couch.

He hesitated. "She'll come later this evening. Táhirih will be by again in the morning. We'll know more about the hospital situation by then."

"Will you stay for dinner?" Mel offered.

Kettai shook his head regretfully. "I'm afraid I have a lot on my plate just now. Another time, perhaps. Now, there will be four Taskforce agents posted outside until Gweny arrives and two afterwards. Speed-dial number 10 for emergencies. Jenin, you'll be sleeping downstairs in that bedroom." He pointed. "Miss Porter, upstairs on the left. Gweny thinks this arrangement is safest for the two of you, since neither room has windows. Gweny will be on the couch where she can keep an ear on both Jenin and the door."

Kettai spent a few minutes exchanging pleasantries with the three of them before bidding them farewell and promising that Gwen would be by in a few hours.

Alone with Cole and Jenin, Mel remarked. "Guess I'd better see what's in the kitchen. Hungry, Jen?"

"Starving, Miss Porter," Jenin assured her.

"Mel," she reminded her, smiling and walking into the kitchen.

"Mel, if you don't mind, I think it might be best for Jenin to take a bath now," Cole contributed. "And I need to give her some of the medicines Táhirih left as well."

Mel nodded. "That's fine, Cole. Dinner will be awhile, I'm sure, and I can grab a snack for her to have in the tub until it's done."

"Okay, Mel."

"Thank you, Mel." Jenin smiled at her and allowed Cole to lead her to the couch.

As Mel puttered around the kitchen, she watched Cole and Jenin going through the bottles of medicine, discussing each for several moments before it was laid aside in favor of the next. When they had gone through them all, Cole picked up two bottles and showed them to Jenin again. She nodded and leaned back on the couch, allowing him to drizzle a few drops from each into her eyes.

Mel felt a little pang of sorrow as she watched Cole caring for the Nodulian, knowing that he must have cared for his wife in much the same way during her pregnancy. Conversations were punctuated by tender caresses and gentle touches, and everything in his manner indicated a desire to help and comfort. He missed his own family so much, she knew, and this was a nasty reminder of that fact. But instead of allowing himself to be pained by it, he threw himself into taking the best care of Jenin that he possibly could, putting his own pain on hold because that was just the kind of man he was. The grief would come later, she suspected, quiet as his grief always was, but no less intense simply because it was not particularly overt.

Cole looked up and saw Mel watching them, wearing that sad expression she always wore when he suffered. He gave her a faint smile by way of reassurance and picked up the bottle of zinc solution from the table, rising and offering his hand to Jenin.

"Mel, I'm going to run Jenin's bath now," he told her, smiling reassuringly at her. "I'll be back out as soon as I've helped her into the tub."

"Okay, Cole." Mel nodded and returned to deciding what to make for dinner as Cole led the Nodulian into the bathroom.

"I really only have three days?" Jenin asked as Cole filled the tub, frequently testing the water temperature. Kettai had been right. The deep, sunken tub was perfect for a Nodulian.

He looked up and nodded, emptying the bottle of zinc that Táhirih had left into the tub. "If that long. She's eager to join us, Jenin."

"She'd be less eager if she knew what kind of universe she were being born into," Jenin muttered bitterly.

Cole sighed and nodded. "You worry about what will happen to her if I decide to Collect you?"

"It's one of the things that scares me, yeah."

"Jenin, Mel has offered to adopt her."

Jenin's enormous eyes grew bigger. "She would do that? Why?"

"Because she's Mel." Cole smiled faintly. "She's a good woman, Jenin. She'd make a fine mother."

"She's human?"

Cole nodded, frowning faintly. "Does that bother you?"

"Not because she's human. I just… my daughter should be raised by a woman who knows how to take care of Nodulian children."

Cole smiled reassuringly, nodding. "I would be there to share that knowledge with Mel, Jenin."

Jenin peered out of the bathroom, watching Mel as she puttered around the kitchen. "She seems a good woman. No mother could ask better for her child."

"We would take good care of her, Jenin."

"We?" she asked, looking up at him. "Are you mates, then?"

Cole shook his head faintly, bowing it. "No, Jenin. We are… bound by a number of ties, but that is not one of them."

"It grieves you?"

He nodded faintly. "It does."

"What keeps you apart?" she asked gently, sitting on the edge of the bathtub. "Is species that great an obstacle?"

"Mel doesn't care that I'm not human, Jenin." Cole shook his head. "But… my job is frequently dangerous and I must stay on my guard. I failed to protect one woman I loved. I won't fail this one. She has been targeted by fugitives more than once because of her connection to me."

"I see." She bowed her head. "We are not all evil people, Cole. Not even most of us."

"I know. Let's get you into this bath now," he suggested gently.

Jenin nodded and pulled off her clothes, nodding gratefully to Cole as he helped her into the tub. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, Jenin." He smiled down at her. "Will you be okay in here alone?"

She smiled faintly. "It's not like I'm going to drown," she pointed out gently.

He smiled and nodded. "Call if you need anything at all."

"I will. Thanks."

He nodded and left the bathroom, half-closing the door.

''How is she?" Mel asked as he joined her in the kitchen.

"Worried, Mel. But otherwise fine."

"Cole, there is nothing 'fine' about that woman," Mel told him gently. "She's sick."

"I know." He nodded weakly. "But once the child is born she will begin to recover."

"If she survives the birth," Mel amended softly. Watching Cole to gauge his reaction, she immediately regretted her words. His stricken expression made it clear that he had not considered the possibility. "Cole, I'm sorry, but…"

"I know, Mel." He nodded weakly. "Not all women do. But…"

"I know, Cole." She smiled gently up at him. "We'll cross that bridge when we reach it, okay?"

"Okay." He nodded and sighed deeply.

"You want to talk about it?" she offered again, searching through the cabinets.

"No, Mel."

"Okay. I understand, Cole." She smiled over her shoulder at him, pulling down everything she would need to make dinner. "You want a cup of tea or something?"

"Yes, please." As she found tea-bags and a teacup, he spoke softly, watching her work. "Life used to be so easy, Mel. There were no shades of gray and every question had a right answer and a wrong answer."

"Sounds nice. Unfortunately, the real world is seldom that simple."

"So I'm beginning to notice," he sighed, leaning against the counter. "I never understood the concept of situational morality before. Now it seems like it's hard to find a situation that isn't morally ambiguous."

Mel turned to face him, her expression sad. "Oh, Cole, I wish I could make this easier for you. I do, but…"

Cole nodded faintly, approaching her and slipping his hands around her waist. "You are making this easier, Mel, just by being here. It's been a long time since I've had anyone to lean on. It helps a great deal."

Mel smiled shyly up at him. "Just wish I could do more."

"It's enough," he assured her, smiling warmly.

Mel flushed and bowed her head. That smile had a habit of leaving her a melted puddle of hormones on the floor, not something that she wanted with others in the house. "You want to help with dinner?" she asked.

"Okay, Mel." Cole nodded easily. He liked cooking with Mel, loved the domestic closeness of the act. "What should I do?"

***

"Thaler," Lana greeted him with a curt nod, not looking up from the report she was reading. She did not have a great amount of interest in him, or in any of the fugitives, except as a means to an end. "Welcome back."

"Good to be back, Doctor Lana." He bowed politely simply because being polite was what you did in Lana's presence unless you wanted some of your bones broken. "What brings me?" he asked casually, pretending that he had not found her abrupt summons the least bit unsettling.

"I bring you, Thaler," came her absent reply. "On Doctor Zin's orders. Sit," she ordered.

Thaler did as directed, his expression curious. "I see. And what does Zin require of me." Her head shot up and he quickly amended, "Doctor Zin." Another rule for surviving an audience with Lana: as respectful as you were expected to be towards her, you had damned well better be twice as respectful with regards to Zin.

"You will tell me what you know about your human host." She put the report she had been pursuing into a drawer on her desk. "And that sister of his, hmm?"

"The full personal history of James Angelo is a matter of public record. You require his private history?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I do. Which should have been fairly obvious to you, Thaler. Proceed."

He winced internally, but smiled and nodded. "James Ethan Angelo was eight when his father, a widower, married an Enixian female. No attempt was made to keep knowledge of her origin from him, nor was any made to shelter him from an awareness of the Taskforce. Both parents had close friends on the Taskforce, and non-humans came and went in the household as freely as humans. Sister is Gwynlyn Moiré Angelo, an Enixian half-breed, whom he raised as his own after the death of her parents. The love of his life was a Vardian anthropologist, now deceased, but he loved the half-breed more."

"Tell me about her," Lana ordered.

"Stubborn. One to hold a grudge. Changes her personality with the same ease that most humans use in changing their clothes. Sleeping with a Cirronian."

"More," Lana ordered. "She loves her brother?"

"She does. He was her chief confidant in all matters personal and professional. She called him her best friend and shared things with him that she has never shared with her Cirronian lover. His death crushed her and I have it on good authority that she would like to bury me alive."

"Is that so?" Lana asked, raising an eyebrow. "Now tell me, if the Taskforce were involved in a case that also involved the Cirronian Tracker and therefore Zin, how likely would she be to be involved?"

"As a matter of policy, the Taskforce would do its utmost to keep her from taking an active roll in such a case. The half-breed, however, would go out of her way to involve herself, even resorting to trickery. Did I mention she knows how to hold a grudge? James Angelo is no more, because of Zin. She'd be out for blood."

"Mmm, I see, Thaler." Lana considered for a few more moments, then nodded to herself. "She would find a way to be in a supervisory capacity on this case?"

"Undeniably, yes, Doctor Lana."

"Prone to slip up when her emotions are high?"

Thaler nodded without hesitation. "She has a habit of acting rashly when she perceives the stakes to be particularly high."

"Useful information, Thaler." Lana nodded. "Did you know she works for the Tracker's human consort?"

Thaler blinked. "You're kidding?"

Lana shook her head gravely. "We're still unsure if this is by coincidence or design, but it's doubtful that she remains unaware of his identity."

He nodded, searching his host's memory for information on James Angelo's precious 'green-eyed monster'. It had been his favorite endearment for the girl and later the woman, whose eyes glowed green.

"She'd use the association to her advantage. She'd use the Tracker to her advantage if it came to that. She is not a manipulative woman by nature, in spite of her profession, however she has an Enixian view of family. Blood ties are sacred and not to be discarded lightly. When we took a blood relative from her, we found ourselves on the receiving end of a vendetta. She will do what it takes to bring us down. Failing that, she will make our lives as miserable as possible for as long as possible. Directly, through her work with the Taskforce. Indirectly…"

"Aid to the Tracker?" Lana asked.

Thaler nodded. "Yes. Most likely the aid is subtle. Because she wants to keep her job, she would be reluctant to compromise her cover, which means providing aid without seeming to."

Lana nodded and hit her intercom. "Get me Doctor Mizzen," she ordered. "I want him in my office ASAP."

"I'll find him, Doctor," the secretary replied.

Lana nodded and deactivated the speaker. "Mizzen is a psychologist. You're to answer his questions about the half-breed. Afterwards, Zin will see you."

"Yes, ma'am."

"You will wait here." Lana rose and swept from the office, stopping long enough to give instructions to Mizzen before crossing the hall to Zin's office and tapping on his door. "Sir?"

"Enter, Lana."

Lana pushed the door open, closing it firmly behind her as soon as she was inside. "Thaler is here. He's working with Mizzen to construct a profile of the half-breed. He'll be with you as soon as that's done."

"Well done, Lana." Zin nodded his approval and gestured for her to sit. "If I didn't know how singularly modest you were, I'd applaud your work."

Lana bowed her head sharply. "All is in your service."

"You were a find," Zin chuckled, nodding his approval. "Sit, child. Drink?"

"Please." She nodded and sat down on an armchair rather than on one of the chairs near his desk.

Zin walked to her with two drinks. Handing one to her, he took a sip of his own, sitting on the arm of her chair. "And how is Thaler this fine evening?"

"Annoying and disrespectful. As always." Lana shrugged and sipped her drink. "His usefulness to the Cause nears an end, Zin."

"Are you asking my permission to kill him when we have what information we need?"

Lana considered for a second before shaking her head. "No, but his presence might provoke the half-breed into slipping up."

Zin nodded thoughtfully. "You are thoroughly convinced that she will be in charge of the efforts to protect Jenin?"

"I am. My discussion with Thaler bears this out. She will insinuate herself into the case, invited or not, and she will take over. Thaler indicates a vindictive nature. He also believes that she will use the Tracker to her advantage."

"So whether she went to the Tracker or the Taskforce…"

"We can reasonably assume the Taskforce to be involved." Lana nodded. "How shall I proceed?"

"Talk to our people in area hospitals. Look for teenage females ready to give birth, private rooms for expectant mothers, that sort of thing."

"Done. And I'll circulate a physical description as well. How are our people to proceed if she is found?"

Zin considered for a moment. Attempting to remove a ready-to-deliver woman from a hospital by force was going to raise eyebrows. No way it would be allowed, even before the Taskforce was factored in. Still, a discreet eye might be kept on her until the delivery, at which point she could be removed fairly easily and with a minimum of fuss.

The child might raise more questions, of course. The physician who delivered it, unless he worked for the Taskforce, would have to be put out of the way before he could blab what he had seen. It was doable, even if it would take a bit of discretion on their part. Jenin delivering anywhere other than in a hospital was, fortunately, out of the question. The Tracker was an intelligent man who could be counted on to recognize that fact.

Zin smiled benignly up at Lana. "You will have the attending physician informed that the girl's… father is very concerned and would like to be kept up to date on her condition."

Lana smiled herself. "Are you, indeed, concerned about your little girl?"

"Quite distraught, I assure you. I did not mean my threat to disown her, you see…"

Lana smiled faintly and rose. "If she's in a hospital now, Zin, we will know. If she's not, we'll know when she gets there," she promised as she left the office.

"Good. Keep me posted," Zin called after her. "And get our techs started on that neurodebilitator!"