CHAPTER THIRTEEN
March 8, 2007 late evening
Lady M did not think much of San Bernardino. The climate was too dry, making her think of adobe and Mexico, rather than the United States. She wiped her brow, wishing she had worn a sleeveless dress instead of the busy suit she had on. It was quite dark.
It was a good thing, however, that she was thousands of miles away from Delaware and THEM. She never knew how many there were. She thought Raines had taken care of them, selling them off to Africa and South America, but then she shivered. Whoever had them would want to increase his workforce and what if they proved more successful than us? Lady M had seen the statistics. When we breed with THEM, THEY dominate. Was that not the name given by this Attwood? Homo Dominants and he should know. Why he used to be in the Navy Seals, and then he goes to work for this woman who knows about THEM; thinking they could be used in the Space Program.
This made Lady M angry. She wanted to get out of San Bernardino. Now that Miss Parker ran what was left of the Centre, Lady M wanted to find her, to bring her to her senses, and have that Jarod put in the cell where he belonged and they had to find what issue they produced, including that Frederick and Margaret, his sister — imagine Lewison robbing the cradle! They needed only one Pretender. Since Miss Parker and Jarod's issue were Homo Dominants or Progenies, fertile hybrids, there was no need to leave the others alive. Trouble was what one was best suited.
She entered a restaurant with a certain Spanish flair. It had posters of matadors and bulls on the wall, and the menu featured "Authentic Castilian Dishes." They even had a Flamenco dancer, and a man with a guitar. She waited until they seated her, and then saw someone she recognized.
He looked so much like that distinguished man with the light blonde hair, that Roderick, the one she saw at the Centre before Mr. Parker had his heart attack.
She shook her head. No this one was younger and there was another man talking to him, a man with a movie camera. Lady M opened her purse, and using her compact mirror, made a sly glance to see what famous movie or television personality was going to walk through at this moment. Oh if she only worn something more appropriate, a dark suit would not do!
"Excuse me, ma'am could you move over there?" asked the manager, pointing to a spare table near a potted palm. "We're using this for a set of Cast Your Cares. You wouldn't object to being an extra. We'll give your meal free."
"I'm very happy here. Surely they won't object."
It was then that she saw the two men looked dangerously at her and felt a cold chill. THEY'RE here! She let the server escort her to her new table, which was not as good as the one she had, now occupied by the actors, a man and woman who sat opposite of each other.
The manager went to the front, after asking if any of the patrons would have any objection to being extras for this scene. They could not do any talking, but mouth their words. There was a scurry as the extras were made up, and to let those who did not want to be on the set, out. Because of this, six others were let in, and the former occupants were moved to the side as well. Two of the six, had won a contest and were allowed to say a few lines such as, "You could've found a better place, Harold, I can't stand these foreigners," and "At least, the company's paying for this trip!" and "And I suppose the company's paying for theirs as well."
The producer was making notes when they would insert the organ music or whatever they used for soap operas now, while the man with the camera moved around, photographing the extras at every angle, but also including the two actors who spoke their lines.
"You shouldn't have brought me out here just for that," said the woman actor.
"I'm afraid you misunderstand. Ever since Nicole drank himself to death after the Creeps cut out Bud's tongue after discovering he was a cop and not the ex-con who shared Louie's cell, we are short of officers of your caliber. You're an attractive woman, Sarah, and you've had dealings with Ben Carver before."
"There's nothing to understand. My mind is made up. I will not go back to working undercover, not after they killed my partner and certainly not against my childhood friend."
The camera was now on the supposedly foreign hating couple, who were getting up to pay their bills, so Lady M used this break to look out the window, as if she could see anything in this light. The streetlights were bright enough, however, for her to see someone she had seen for twenty years, first as a little boy, and then a grown man. It was Jarod and he was heading towards the airport with another man, one with light sandy hair. She started to get up and go to the front when the manager stopped her.
"Sorry not until the set's finished." .
