CHAPTER FIFTEEN
March 10, 2002
Lambourni hated the Centre for introducing the concept of wholesale bondage to the Dominants, prematurely. The New Species had a few captives, mostly those brave enough to survive the torture, the kind that they would tolerate: no sniveling syncopates for them.
The Dominants had devised a plan to wipe out all Homo Sapiens. First they killed those close to them, making their deaths seem like isolated violent incidents, second they would do the replacement scenario, having one in the Chameleon program take the place of a certain individual, and then go on a murderous rampage and either kill his family, or something horrific like that. During the third step, the Dominants masqueraded as serial killers, and in the fourth step, they contaminated the food supply or introduced a noxious substance in a select group. This latter received careful examination since they did not want the homo sapiens to get wise until it was too late.
They had been on the third step and going into the fourth step in California when they realized they did not need to wipe out the human race since their genes were dominant and even had extended their union with those sapiens of less mental or physical qualities under stringent conditions, of course. So far, none of the inherited disabilities of the sapien side had shown up.
But in Delaware and what other parts of New England, because of the Centre, they had not gone that far and this bothered Lambourni who had this horrible vision of thousands of California blondes with empty brains populating the area.
"So how far has it progressed, here, Lambourni?" asked the older Dominant.
"We are on the second stage, but that is not the purpose of this meeting." He reached into his desk, taking out a metal box with a combination and opened it. "I believe this is the extra amount requested for the Raising." He counted it. It was not the whole amount of one million or one billion, just a token. It was more like the one dollar used to make it legal, for the Council intended that any monies used by the Centre for its evil simulations would be used to pay for "those of our kind unwittingly reduced to chattels and without the mark of such."
"Your honesty will be rewarded, Lambourni since you had no knowledge of your true father," said Paul, the Council member who had come from Nevada to supervise the Centre dealings. "Your position as Advocate is now restored to its fullest capacity and your children free of any lowering, unless they partake in the money vices of the homo sapiens."
"I am honored Councilor Sedona."
It was all formal. Lambourni considered himself an equal to Sedona. It was just that propriety demanded this.
Sedona headed towards the door, with the Advocate following. "Advocate Lambourni, the Council has taken steps to reconstruct your house in New Jersey but I would suggest that by eliminating the ones on either side, we could give you one more in keeping of your status."
"They did not do that in California."
"They did, Lambourni for the elite. Lewis, I believe had his own house, a large one in the country, even the Supreme Chosen had his, the latter burned down, they suspected arson." He sneered. "However, we will make improvements elsewhere without exterminating your neighbors. We must not let the humans, I mean, the homo sapiens, find reason to eliminate us." He left by the front door.
Closing his combination safe, Antonio put back in the drawer, and went out the backyard to survey the neighborhood for any strange law officer or FBI agent who might show up, but all he saw was the neighbor who immediately went over, and asked about that dude.
"He was looking for someone, but got the wrong house."
"But Mr. Lambourni, but did it havta take an hour?"
"I had to get him a map and he didn't just want an ordinary one, I had to print it out. Good-bye."
Satisfied and feeling rather pushed, the neighbor went back to
to repairing his lawnmower while Lambourni looked over his wall much like someone surveying a kingdom Suddenly he sensed someone going up the driveway to Miss Parker's house.
With a bound, Antonio bounded over his stone partition, and in less than a minute was breathing down the intruder's neck before the man took out a key.
"Who are you?"
"Look I'm not armed and my cell phone's ringing."
"Let me see," demanded Lambourni, snatching the cell phone, pressing the on button and handing it back. "All right answer it. Act normal. I don't like thieves. You look familiar!"
Shaking, the man spoke for a minute or so, saying he would call him back and hung up very abruptly for that dark auburn haired stranger had a gun poked in his back and then he turned around.
"Broots? Is that you?" He put his gun away, trying to keep from laughing. The computer had gotten a hairpiece and it did not look good on him. "Why are you here?"
"Miss Parker wants me to come to California with some information about a certain man who ran out on his ex wife and sick kid. She was expecting Sam to do it for her, but he died — of cancer. Say you're a lawyer, what information would she need?"
"Okay I'll follow you."
Once inside, Lambourni went to the desk, having a hard time keeping a straight face, and taking out a pad, scribbled on it a and went to Miss Parker's desk computer. He bypassed the Cyber Patrol password with ease. "She'll need a copy of all the court orders, liens against him, as well as a physical description, DNA information, plus fingerprints so when they catch him, the judge'll say he's the creep. The printer needs more paper and I'll have to set it to legal. I don't suppose they have legal sized paper here."
"I have some at my place."
"Then I will notify Constance to obtain them," said Lambourni, getting on his cell phone and instructing his daughter, "to approach the Broots residence, remove a package of legal paper from his desk, and bring it over here. Caution is necessary." He turned off the phone, waiting patiently for the girl who handed him the package, giving a superior sneer at the Computer Geek, and then she departed in the manner of the Queen of the Universe.
"Do you mean I have to give them to the local judge?" asked Broots after Lambourni had finished typing the necessary information, and making the necessary copies and other legal procedures, handing them over to the Geek.
"Oh she'll have Jarod do that."
"She sure depends on him. So I guess I better get on my way. Someone should look after Debbie."
"I really should go with you, but I have this case coming up. I doubt that we can go the commercial route and I've heard that flying small planes when you're inexperienced is dangerous." He snickered. "Do you know the pilot?" He could
see the doubt in Broots' face.
Lambourni crunched his eyes, bent his head to one side, and looked up as he pretended to do some rather heavy thinking. "Can you fly a plane? You might have to in case you get someone who has designs against Centre employees, even those who specifically worked for Miss Parker."
"I'm not a pilot, not experienced, that is, Mr. Lambourni and I don't want to get behind someone who might shoot me or a suicide bomber."
Lambourni had him convinced. "Don't bother. I can. Wait for me here. Oh and there's a TV dinner in the freezer. That'll keep you busy until I get back. Read this until I get back. It'll tell you more than I have time to." He threw Broots a copy of the Dominant Book and was out the door, up the steep incline and jumping over the stone barrier, leaving Broots to wonder if Dominants ever bothered to open a gate.
"Father did you forget something?" asked Constance. She had four babies in her lap all who emitted a high-pitched cry. Too small to be considered premature, they were correct sized for new born Dominants.
These were not the only small children. Three more sets were busy playing stalking, and pouncing, a natural Dominant past time. They ranged in ages from three down to one year old. None of them of the four sets of quadruplets were identical.
Bill, Constance's husband was doing some legal work for Lambourni for in Dominant homes, the oldest male Dominant had to instruct his new sons-in-laws in the family business which happened to be being an Advocate, the Dominant term for lawyers and because of their age, the young couple stayed with the parents until old enough. In the homo sapien world there were no jobs for twelve and thirteen years old that paid a living wage, yet.
Lambourni's other children were not in. Umberto was delivering subpoenas for the branch in New Jersey, another daughter, Laura, expecting her next set, was helping another new Dominant female learn how to care for hers, and the others of his family were doing various things. As for the females continuing their education, Constance already was working on learning about Family Law. There was an open book on the coffee table.
There was also a Bible and several Christian books. Geraldo was not the only one to have a religious conversion. Lambourni had as well and so did his whole family. The Church for which he belonged insisted that any Dominant engaged couples should be members of their church in order to use their regular Marriage ceremony with the banns and religious instruction done separately so neither could influence the other, only God speaking to their heart.
"What is?" Constance asked again.
"I have to go to California on business. Tell Uncle Ramon to take care of my case. Do you want to go as well?"
"What about the children and why cannot our uncle go as well?"
"We will take the children. Your uncle is needed, besides it is his duty to revenge himself against those who threw him before he was ready to be born in that bin."
"The bodies of his murderers rot along with the others of the Centre and my uncle is now free."
"True, but like all true Dominants, he should have a chance in case the one who tossed him was on vacation," said Antonio, noting his daughter's smile, "I'll see if Geraldo can spare Ethan and Bill can come and I'll ask if Debbie wants to come along. It'll be a good chance for her to learn California law."
"It's not so that you and her father want to get on that computer television program, is it? And why have you not told Lady Angela? Her heels are too high?"
"Very funny, daughter. You almost toppled over in the ones that are now in the closet. You must be able to move fast not stop to glue on a heel. Now get Carla to help you packing." He could see the Mexican girl busy in the kitchen. "I see Frederick's still here. Let me get some ear plugs."
"Oh so Lady Angela can sleep rested."
The very charming Frederick was busy reading the CIA fact book, which had nothing to do with spying, but Lambourni was not going to tell him that. "How's the house hunting getting along?"
"I have ten thousand saved up, Advocate," he said, "and the Council will give me another five on my name day. Not enough."
Lambourni reached into his wallet. "I will be going on a trip and missed your name day. Here's your name gift."
Frederick counted the money, twenty thousand dollars. "Thank you, Advocate." There were no hugs or tears. Dominants never did that.
Broots was still there when Lambourni, Constance, Bill, and the children arrived at Miss Parker's house along with Debbie, and Ethan. Only Sydney was absent.
Lambourni piled everyone in the two cars. Broots started talking about getting on that Computer Television program, Debbie chatted with Constance about that TV Judge, having failed to get her father's permission to get on the audience watching People's Court while the small Dominant children kept bothering Ethan who was reading up on dismantling heat sensitive bombing devices.
Lambourni insisted on flying the plane and Broots decided to let him. He could not argue with a crowd and that newly revised version of the Dominant Book that the lawyer or Advocate lent him, put a new slant on the Centre.
