Author's Note: The baginis is a "real" creature from Australian myth. The description that Taylor gives in chapter 3 is accurate. Everything else is artistic license.
I reach the vehicle and turning, sit on the front bumper. I can hear the sound of engines being carried on the wind. The others will be here soon. I take a deep breath and then do some meditation to get my composure back. I know all heck is going to break loose when the others find out what I've done.
Shortly, the others arrive and the area is bathed in the glow of the headlights. Manning and Copus are the first to reach me. I don't look at them; I just stare up into the canyon.
"Agent Cavendish, where's Dr. Taylor?" Manning demands.
I point up the canyon.
"Where's the baginis?" he asks.
Again, I point up the canyon.
"You left him up there with that thing!?" Copus yells.
I stand, turn and face him. The breeze plays with the torn edges of my shirt. Copus looks down and sees my ruined shirt. I can see the others approaching out of the corner of my eye.
"What happened to your shirt?" he asks.
Abe separates himself from the rest of the crowd. He starts heading for the canyon. I close the canyon mouth, stopping him in his tracks.
"Leave him," I say looking at him. "What she's doing to him is a lot more fitting that what any one else could have done."
"Would someone please tell me what's going on?" Manning orders.
"Taylor tried to rape me," I tell him. "If the baginis hadn't taken him, he might have succeeded. She's now making sure he never does it again."
"You're letting that thing violate one of our top folklorists because of something he might have done?" Copus now demands.
"I wouldn't have been his first," is all I say.
I open the canyon as Taylor comes stumbling out. He's using one hand to hold up the remains of his pants to cover himself. He sees me.
"YOU!" he screams as he heads towards me. He's so focused on me, that he doesn't see Abe there. In fact, it appears he doesn't seem to see anyone else but me. "YOU GOD DAMN FUCKING BITCH! I'LL TEACH YOU TO FUCK WITH ME!"
He raises his hand to hit me, but that's as far as he gets. A blue webbed hand wraps itself around his wrist. Taylor looks around and finally spots Abe just as Abe punches Taylor in the face. Taylor drops to the ground holding his nose. Abe steps over him to me.
"I suggest you get him to a hospital," I tell Copus. "His nose is pretty badly broken."
I turn and head for one of the other vehicles followed by Abe. I climb into the back seat and wait with Abe seated next to me. He doesn't say anything and he doesn't touch me. For that, I'm glad. I'd probably lose it if he did.
A short time later, most of the agents are headed back toward the compound. Some have remained behind to search the canyon, but I'm sure the baginis is long gone. We get back without Abe getting back into the crate. If the security guards are surprised by the blue guy in the back seat, they don't show it.
After we arrive, we immediately head for the conference room from before. Copus and Manning come in a short time later. It looks like you could fry an egg on Copus's head.
"Now, please explain to me why you let that thing violate our top folklorist," Copus demands of me through gritted teeth.
I proceed to tell them everything that happened. Taylor's attack on me, the baginis saving me from him, what the baginis told me and me leaving him to get his just desserts. When I'm done, I stand up.
"If you'll excuse me gentlemen, I need a shower," I say.
I leave the room and head for the quarters I was assigned to. Once I'm there, I strip and throw all of the clothing I was wearing into the garbage. I kind of wish that I had Liz here to burn them, but her pregnancy makes it to dangerous for her to come on missions any more.
I go into the adjoining bathroom and turn on the hot water. I can feel my hands starting shake as my control over myself loosens. As soon as the water is hot, I get in, grab the soap and start to scrub. I lather and rinse and then I lather again. I keep scrubbing, trying to make the dirty feelings go away. I find one spot on my arm and start to vigorously scrub at it. A blue webbed hand gently covers my hand with the soap in it and stops me.
"Moles have to be surgically removed," he says into my ear quietly.
I drop the soap and turn to him. Burying my face into his bare chest, I lose the last bit of control I had. I just stand there and cry as he holds me and the hot water washes over us.
As the tears run out, so does the hot water. Abe turns off the water, grabs a towel off of the rack and wraps it around me. I stand there shivering as he dries me off. When he's done, he wraps me in another towel, picks me up and heads back to the bedroom. Sitting me on the end of the bed, he helps me get dressed.
I'm so tired, I can barely keep my eyes open, but I'm afraid to go to sleep. I'm scared of whose face may be waiting for me on the other side. I can't stop shivering and it has nothing to due with being cold. When he's done dressing me, he pulls down the covers and makes me lie down. He crawls into the narrow bed with me and wraps his arms around me. I cling to him until exhaustion finally claims me.