CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Sept 12 to 15, 2001
Rachel said that she would return to Cleomedes's place and set a trap. "I really should be in New York, helping the victims," she said, "but this is just as important."
"She needs Malone with her as well," said Jarod. "How many do we have left to find?" He opened his notebook and checked off the names. "Too many." They had driven through the night, going from one farm to another, asking questions, him driving during the evening while Lewison took over during the day. It was when they stopped for breakfast at a combination bar and restaurant catering to the sports crowd that they saw the planes run into the Twin Towers on the television set that hung on a large chain from the ceiling.
Miss Parker said that the Centre had an office on the twentieth floor. It was small with a minimum number of employees. Raines would probably send black roses to the families or "a box containing dead spiders. That's more his style," said Miss Parker.
She knew that for appearances sake, the Centre did not touch the families of those who worked in the Tower. In the Centre itself, it was different. The Centre regarded children of its Sweepers and Cleaners as potential Sweepers and Cleaners. If they did not follow in their parent's profession, they were eliminated. That also followed for the medical, clerical, and maintenance staff although some of the captives were in the last batch (unpaid of course). However, the Centre had an extensive financial, medical, and dental insurance plan. They paid for everything.
On Wednesday, Jarod and his group found a few more of Raines's program and of their duped owners, left one woman and a girl alive, took one who mated a Pretender girl with them, and killed the others —or rather Lewison and Gino did.
Of the love struck human male, Lewison wanted to kill him outward as he had registered the marriage in a civil ceremony, but the young man knew nothing of Dominant laws and besides he and the girl had eloped.
"I saw no papers of annulment," said Rachel who had searched the young man's room and that of his parents, now both dead.
"Suicide what a way to go," said Gino with mock sympathy.
"I wonder what started it?"
"They saw us coming. Thought we were the police coming to arrest them, so they panicked."
:"Yes good start guys," asked Jarod, "what about their son?"
"He was away when his parents bought their servants from Raines." He took out a piece of paper. "I found this signed on the old man's body."
Miss Parker grabbed it. "It's an annulment. That means you can't do to the young man what you did to his parents. See signed and everything? The mother was waiting for the right time to tell her son."
Lewison walked over to the young man who had his arms around the girl. "They just saved you life. Now I'm going to explain a few things to you and you'd better listen."
"Look I'm in the army. You can't threaten me!"
"Oh threaten you? I can break your neck in a second, Mario. Yes a fine young Tuscan like you and your parents now in Purgatory for all Eternity. What a legacy they'll leave you. Sit down and listen!" He motioned to Gino who took something from the car and went over to the girl. "He won't hurt her, just a little examination."
A few minutes later, Gino came back and waited until Lewison gave Mario a shortened instruction on the Dominants, and their relationships with the humans.
"She is," said Gino.
"Is what?" asked Mario.
"Pregnant. It's going to cost you."
"Now wait a minute."
"No," said Lewison, "you wait. Your parents bought the girl and her parents from a man named Raines. You were in the army correct? Then you will find this Raines and take one hundred thousand dollars from him. You will give it to this man." He showed him a photograph of Lambourni. "He will then bring a document to Miss Parker who will sign it."
"And what then?"
"The girl is yours. After that, you will go through the Official Joining, which I explained."
"Yes. Wait a minute isn't that dangerous?"
"Oh depending on whom you cross. Raines is extremely evil and Lambourni is out for Raines's blood, so if Raines gives you the money outward, Lambourni will kill you and if Lambourni takes one hundred thousand dollars from his pocket and gives it to you, Raines will kill you. So you have to steal it."
"And get it on my record? Get a dishonorable discharge?"
"I am sure a smart young man can get around it, can you?" He waited until Mario went back to the girl and called Gino over. "You help him, but don't let him know. I want him to be very nervous."
They arrived back in Blue Cove on Thursday and went to Miss Parker's house which was still too small for the whole group. Besides there was much to do, what with the nursery, and the extra rooms and then Lambourni came over from the Column construction.
"I guess your brother will have a fit, foam at the mouth," said the lawyer, "and you are looking quite well today, Miss Parker You can't hide your pregnancy any longer."
Miss Parker. "I'm only in my sixth month, not that far along."
"My wife looked like you when she bore our first four. Babies have been known to survive at that stage and they are of our kind."
Yes,thought Miss Parker, small but well developed. She wondered about the children. Dominant babies matured at a frightening rate, going from an infant to the size of a four or five year old at two years old. Because of her age, she feared they would have the Dominant equivalent of Down Syndrome, however, Cox did not give her anything to worry about and his children were 1.6rs. He would know.
Lambourni invited Lewison to his house and "bring the bond ones." Gino called Cox and said that he was back, and yes, the car was unworthy of long distance. "I will do as you wish and check the other dealerships. If it is all right with you, sir. I will consult Mr. Lambourni if we have a chance to sue the company." He then put the cell phone on off and followed Lambourni and the others.
Miss Parker was once more alone with Jarod. She missed little Charles, David, and Naomi who were now back with their mother, and sat on the couch, wondering about the imprisoned Pretenders in the Inner Sanctum and whether they would get them out. She thought of calling Debbie but thought it not wise, not with the 911 and the school having its flag flown at half mast.
The next day, Broots came over with several files and discs, plus the blank sale documents "I don't know you want these," he said, "and Sydney tells me that you no longer want to see him."
Miss Parker glared at Jarod.
"It's for the best," said Jarod, "now do you want your back rubbed?"
"I am more concerned about my stomach, Jarod. Why did you say it was the best?"
"He won't be the godfather of our children and besides he should have disobeyed the Centre. He wasn't under the Curse."
"Broots get Sydney over here. Make an excuse and forget about Jarod."
"But Miss Parker. What'll I tell him?"
"Make an excuse. Tell him that I suspect that Lambourni is that baby of mine and Jarod that my Daddy put in that surrogate woman and that we wanted him to be the godfather so Raines and baby brother would not suspect!"
Jarod almost fell off the couch. "What?"
"Well your mother had red hair. I saw a picture of Lambourni's son, the boy's a bit lighter than hers, but red all the same. You have brown eyes, I have blue and the lawyer's in between. Oh and he's the right blood type, A negative."
"And why didn't I figure it out?"
"You were too busy learning to be a Dominant and letting me do certain things to you of a rather intimate nature. You hadn't time."
Jarod tried to smile, but could not. He got up and went to the kitchen, bringing out two glasses of soda pop. "Good for pregnant women." He handed one to Miss Parker.
"The babies will come soon. And in a month after that, there is the Merging, and I am rather nervous about that."
"Does that mean after that, I start groveling? Forget it, Miss Parker."
"No you just be there and let me. Remember the first time, you were a boy and then Raines brought me to you? Imagine the chains being a little tighter and the time a little longer and you being unable to move. The Dominant Council will not accept the kissing and hugging stuff. They want results."
"Results. Me ready to give you children on a certain time so they interfere with the reproductive system."
"Yes speaking of the reproductive system. I feel I have to go to the washroom. Help me up Jarod."
"All right, but you left a rather large stain on the couch."
She looked down. Her water had broke and Broots was not back yet.
Miss Parker was in a daze. Jarod helped her into the ambulance that drove down the street and suddenly turned towards the Centre. They were not going to the hospital at all. She tried to call, but someone put something over her mouth and she heard the click of a gun.
The next minute, the ambulance screeched to a stop. She thought she heard footsteps and a voice that seemed familiar. When she awoke for a moment, the wheels sounded different and these ambulance drivers looked too cool to be the regular harassed types.
"These humans," said one, "they think they're going to have a regular delivery and at the Centre. When will they learn?"
"Not to trust their own. She wasn't going to the hospital. It's a good thing we were warned."
"Or we would have been waiting down the street. Betrayed by their own, how convenient."
It had to be Cox, thought Miss Parker, but why? It was because of Liza. Much as she tried to make it unbelievable, Cox really loved that girl. "Where's Jarod?" she asked.
"We'll find him. He was gone. I think there was a struggle."
"You fool, Broot," she whispered, "you probably blurted out that I was pregnant and Raines substituted a couple of Centre staff for the ambulance drivers."
The ambulance attendants just ignored them and she drifted back into unconsciousness.
She remembered being in a large room, someone grabbing her by the arm and walking her around. Miss Parker did not recognize the voice. It was not someone from the Centre. There must have been five of them, two men and three women. She saw what looked like two padded bars in the corner about a body width apart and a birthing stool. It was like something out of the middle ages.
The women moved her towards it and closed the curtains.
"I expected a hospital delivery," she said.
One of the women brought out a needle. "This will take effect after the first ones have been delivered. They are small enough. It will be easy. Don't worry, this is normal when your species mate with ours."
Species? They were Dominants! "Where's Jarod?"
"Jarod? That must be the one they grabbed." She left Miss Parker with the other women and went to the men.
"He's the chief possession of the Centre. You must get him. I heard that the man called Lyle plans to torture him for impregnating Miss Parker and worse," said the woman.
"I will inform the Advocate, Julia."
Miss Parker could not see the woman's hands move, but it was not good, besides she was in too much pain.
"Breathe easier. You have already delivered the first three," said the second woman, "you will be unconscious for the third. It is too far up." She turned from Miss Parker to speak to the third woman. "She would not have had healthy children thanks to her father, but we changed that."
"Yes Sandra," said the third woman, "we did. There must be at least four sets. We have had ours spaced out, starting at eight years old This human female has to crowd her next sets in the next few years."
"What about the others?"
"Frederick and Margaret and the eight in that dungeon do not count. Remember the Council? Those of us must care for our own children unless we willingly give them to another. This human female never got that choice and besides by mating with one of us, she is under our protection. He cannot protect her."
"What eight in the dungeon?" asked Miss Parker.
"A simple injection will make you feel no pain," said the third woman.
Miss Parker winched as the needle pressed her flesh. As she faded into unconsciousness, she recalled an incident when she was in the Centre infirmary for her annual checkup two or three years ago. Raines was busy and the Centre had hired another doctor to temporarily take his place. Someone pricked her in her arm and as she faded, she saw the man carry in a familiar small metal cylinder. She knew what they contained, her healthy ovaries, leaving just inside her just the dregs, that ones that would produce the mentally infirm, the physically warped, the ones that would die before birth; the ones her real father intended when he released Jarod. Her memory blended as she mistook the scalpel held by the Dominant for the one the man used those years ago.