March 14, 2002

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Now as far as Jarod was concerned, Sedona would not have the time or the finances to search for four Dominant Inner Chamber youth, so he decided to do it on his own.

He had found quite a few college stage companies, small theater offerings, and not quite ready for big- time movie productions like that Mexican American one known as the Terra Firma Movie Company. The latter specialized in Action Adventure although it did do a rather elaborate, for it, production of the movie career of a famous Mexican actress. Most of its money, however, was made in evil dictator wishing to rule the world and one or more valiant souls fighting to rid the earth (or Universe) of his tyranny. It looked like his best bet, until he heard that the Terra Firma Movie Company preferred that the actors do their own stunts and since they recruited most the gymnasiums and sports arenas of Mexico, they had no problem.

Hiring Dominants, however, was a problem because the 1.6 species did not have the appearance of extra large muscles. Because of their inborn strength and agility, the New Species, could look like someone who got sand kicked in his face, and still could take on the world. Jarod was certain the producer and director would take notice if a man about five feet four and of small build wiped the floor with the bad guy without knowing any of the martial arts. .

Thus, Jarod turned his attention to the traveling theater shows, the off Broadway ones that had a set retinue of actors and then hired local talent. It would have to be not that well known, no big name stars, no Tony Awards. The parents of the missing teen would not want to draw attention. Jarod skimmed the magazine and looked through the pictures for a married couple who played secondary leads, preferably in the same drama.

Of course, he did not expect them to be here in San Pedro, but they were in California. Dominants, unlike homo sapiens, would not go all over the place looking for their lost children. The Council would send a hunter, and a killer. Using the Dominant skill, he could blend the parents' features into dozens of possibilities. All Jarod had to do was to find what couple kept cash on hand, and if they ran short of funds because they had to pay for someone's operation. He checked the Dominant code for hunting: operation, and the one for retrieval of lost relatives: school as well as the success of such venture: home schools and then searched the classified ads until he came to a particular ad.

Young couple wants help for son in need of operation to attend school in West Central California.

He checked the box number, from Los Angeles. Now all he had to do was to do a Pretend as the hunter. The only thing wrong was that now Miss Parker had everything and he did not have the large supply of Centre money he used to and he could not go to all the apartments in Los Angeles and knock on all the doors, trying to find an acting couple. He started telephoning various theater agencies and he did have the photograph of the four Inner Sanctum older young Dominants and their two children. Checking his spare change, he went to the nearest Office store and asked to use the fax machine.

Two dollars later, Jarod found the couple. They would be on their way to San Pedro by the Bay. He called Miss Parker telling her the news and waiting for a Red Toyota to drive in. Knowing Dominants, it would be in the latest model and someone had died for them to obtain the money to buy it.

An hour later, a young man and a woman got out. At once, they recognized him as a Dominant. "You have found our daughter?"

"At Delaware. She was kidnapped by the Mexican Centre," said Jarod showing the pictures once more. "Do you know the boy?"

"He looks like René. He and his mate went with Lewison to work at the Eastern school about twelve to fifteen years ago. Not humans, if you might know. Lewison thought they were dead. You might not know, being from the Lost Ship, but the father of René stole a valuable artifact from the Council. You know the penalty."

"Enslavement."

"He was not mated at that time. My grandfather's true sibling performed his Joining with another female. After their sons were born, and daughters, Lewis took one of the sons, René, a clerk and Joined him with Ava."

The boy in the picture was René and Ava's son and they were dead. The Centre would have made sure of that. Jarod now took out the picture of Carla. "My Raised son's Favorite." He paused but a moment. "The Centre in Delaware put the mark in her."

The father showed his anger when Jarod told him his grandchildren had been marked as well, but was relieved when he learned that any other children they had would be unmarked and after a time, could buy their freedom. They thanked him and left after Jarod gave him more information. Now the Council would decide. Jarod felt his face. He needed a shave.

It must have been the emerging of the Dominant, he thought. He noticed it first when he was a Professor at the University. Before, he would develop of the five o'clock shadow, and then forget about it until it got too itchy. Now he would grab the razor even if he did not need it.

Most Dominant males were clean-shaven, even the ones in the Inner Sanctum had laboriously plucked off any facial hairs and since none of them were Oriental or American Indians, that must have been painful. Occasionally one would grow a moustache but seldom a beard. And Jarod realized another thing. He was now an adult and the rebellion was over. He went into a men's washroom and took out a razor, noticing he no longer had that sad haunted look of more than a year ago.