Disclaimer – I own nothing, other than Cassandra and the college in Connecticut. At least, the imagined one depicted here in this chapter. This is the epilogue, so, thanks for reading and all of the reviews.
Be blessed.
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Epilogue - Transitions
She stood quietly along the top of the knoll, leaning against one of many elms trees planted there. Hidden within their collective shroud of shadows and almost indiscernible to anyone who would chance a look, she seemed dwarfed by the tall, stately giants. They towered protectively over the diminutive woman, bending and swaying in the breeze as it danced among them. The sound of air whispered through their mantle of greening foliage, while their fingered branches reached out across the small hill. With the eastern sun rising high from behind as it ascended towards noontime, it created deep shadows where the woman stood, effectively shielding her within their comforting embrace.
The woman watched expectantly as, fifty yards away from her and at the bottom of the embankment below, two men approached. However, although they did not see her, they did see each other. As the two sized one another up, the commons behind them teamed with rushing students and professors. All hurried on to their next class or appointments as they strode along the spider web of pathways. Around the edge of the communal grounds, multistoried brownstones dotted the college landscape, each building draped with a think covering of ivy. With the vines growing thickly along the walls, the shiny green leaves contrasted sharply against the ruddy red of brick, softening the harder edges of the aged, New England structures.
Nevertheless, as the sun rose towards midday, its radiance brightened the tops of the trees like a corona. The effect only deepened and augmented the shadows at their base, further obscuring the woman from the two men. She kept as silent and as still as possible, though, knowing all too well how important this auspicious encounter was. She could not risk anyone seeing her. Whatever transpired from here on out, had to do so naturally. It had to appear to the two men below her as a random encounter; as if it was only by chance, they had crossed paths. Otherwise, her plan would unravel and then she would have to find another way to get them together again.
As it was, months earlier, she had tried to talk one of the two men into meeting with the other, but he had stubbornly resisted.
She remembered well what she had said to him, too.
"Things are becoming too difficult for you, Jordan," she had admonished the graying man. His worry wrinkles made him look older than his sixty-plus years and she knew that his task for the past two decades had taken its toll from him.
Nevertheless, he had flatly resisted her suggestion. "No, I won't involve them, I can't!" he lamented insistently.
"Why? You know that Gabriella's becoming too difficult for you and she's stronger than most ten year olds, Jordan," the woman replied hotly, "I saw how she almost hit you last week; you need their help with her," she insisted.
"They have too much already to worry about to consider helping me. It's been too long. Maybe I should have done this years ago, Cassie, but it's too late now," he growled.
Cassie could tell that he was frustrated, but she was too. A moment of silence spanned between them, and finally, the woman replied tartly, "Fine, but one day you will wish you had taken my advice!" Then, she slipped out of his car and watched as Jordan Perry drove the remaining two blocks back to his Connecticut home.
While slipping on her sunglasses, Cassandra had stood there on the sidewalk, trying to compose herself. She then unfolded her collapsible walking cane and strolled towards her destination, Gabriella's house. As she did, her confident stature seemed to melt away, her shoulders hunching as she took on the persona of the old blind woman, the one that the girl had come to know as her voice coach. Wearing her salt-and-pepper gray wig and with her scarf effectively holding it in place, Cassie became another person all together. By the time she had reached the front steps of Professor Perry's house, she was, in effect, the very woman that Gabby knew as Mrs. Cannes.
As Cassandra thought back to that time, when it had become apparent the girl was growing more difficult as she grew older, she wished that she had not hidden Gabby for so long. She wished that she had contacted Don earlier, or someone from his family, as soon as the girl's temper began to develop. Cassie knew that, with his mild mannered personality, the professor was ill equipped to deal with such an explosive disposition as Gabby had.
Still, the woman was at least comforted in the fact that Jordan had allowed her into their lives. Through voice coaching as the elderly Mrs. Cannes, she could be a 'friend' to the girl and offer some bit of counsel to her when needed. It was difficult at best, though, since the girl had a temper and seemed prone to show a certain amount of disrespect from time to time. Nevertheless, so far, Gabby was completely unaware that the woman who taught her how to sing was, in actuality, her biological mother.
Nevertheless, as the woman stood there on the knoll, she thought back to when the professor managed to steal himself and the infant away from the Foot compound. It happened shortly after Gabby's birth. A week later, the fire Cassie had started helped make good her own escape from the clutches of her family-turned-enemy. That was nearly ten years ago. It was six months later when she finally caught up with Jordan and her daughter. That was in Montana where she had told Perry to go, setting up house in a cabin her family once owned, and situated at the end of a box canyon. There, for the next decade, the man and child would live. Cassie resided a short distance away, hidden from them, yet always ready to intercede on their behalf, if needed.
Recalling that time and with the physical and emotional changes forced upon her, it was a wonder that Cassie had not committed suicide. As it was, she would have done the deed years earlier, when she renounced her loyalty to her clan. That was when they had tortured her. It was also when the rat, Splinter, had talked her out of taking her life, while the two of them were ensconced together in the same holding cell. She had to smile at the memory, recalling what he had mentally said to her, that she would cross paths once again with him, or at least with one of his sons. When he told her that she would also have a child, never in her wildest dreams or nightmares did Cassie consider the possibility of conceiving one such as Gabriella. To do so by the very essence of the one individual whom she had attempted to kill so long ago seemed like ironic justice, as well.
Now, as she watched and observed the two men below, as she saw how Jordan's resistance changed to acceptance, she smiled when, after a moment of surprise, they clasped each other in a friendly hug. The two men had known each other years before, but much time had passed since their last conversation. However, it was obvious that the span of time was of little importance, if their embrace said anything at all.
She smiled…and then sighed sadly.
As she lingered for a moment, she caught a hastily spoken word or two that drifted up her way. Carried along by the warm wind of late spring, the voices ebbed and flowed, but for the most part the woman could discern what the men were saying.
After a few minutes of pleasantries, and after briefly discussing the biotech conference they had both attended that morning, Jordan changed the topic. He now shared with his friend about his lost years, when he had spent them either as a prisoner of the Foot, or in hiding.
The other man's reaction seemed startled in response, as if this admittance surprised him. It was obvious that he had been unaware of his friend's fate. In fact, he even seemed astonished by Jordan's news.
The woman smiled as she heard the professor's vocal exuberance, his eagerness to share everything quite evident. He went on to share about how he had escaped his captors eleven years before. Again, his friend seemed startled by the information. The professor continued to talk, telling how he had protected an infant, now a pre-adolescent child, for the past ten years from the whims of those who would have done evil to it. He spoke about the harsh Montana winters. He shared how they had 'rivaled anything' his Connecticut hometown could muster. Finally, and as if he were saving the best for last on purpose, Jordan described the girl, the pre-teen child, briefly explaining her parentage.
The woman watched anxiously as the other man, shorter in stature and bulkier around the middle, stood there in stunned silence. He was clothed in a full-length jacket, yet it did little to hide who and what he truly was. An occasional curious glance by students who passed by gave evidence that he was not the normal college visitor. He ignored them, however, finally finding his voice again. She then heard him ask the other man, with his breath almost quaking, "How?"
She sighed again, but this time she did not smile. Instead, she listened to the professor, now, who was more animated than moments earlier, and excitedly gesture his arms while he explained. She saw the shorter man motion with his hands for his friend to keep his voice low, yet the woman was still able to hear most of what Jordan was trying to say. He explained to his friend how, twenty years before, scientist had forced mutation onto several young women, using reptilian DNA, if only enough so that their body would successfully conceive.
"They remained mostly human, with only their backs showing a change. They did developed a bit of a shell, although it was more an imprint than the one you wear, my friend," Jordan Perry remarked.
"How did they procure this DNA, though?" the other man asked, perplexed.
Jordan briefly reminded his friend of their first meeting, recalling how the Foot had taken one of his brothers as prisoner during that time. Although he was unaware of this fact, the professor shared about overhearing the plans to collect samples of this brother's DNA, as well as other biological products.
"Everything they had collected," he said, "they stored, including the semen, with all samples frozen into vials for later use," Jordan then explained, "As these scientists began their experiments and with help from that colloidal gel I was instrumental in creating, each of their test subjects mutated. Then, these poor young souls only lived long enough to conceive, but they and their unborn children eventually succumbed to the effects of their mutation." Jordan shook his head sadly, "Had I known in the beginning how the ooze was going to be used…"
"Professor, if it weren't for that ooze, you do know that my brothers and I would not be here as we are," the other man declared softly.
"Yes," Jordan replied softy in agreement, "that is true, and – who knows – maybe if you hadn't had been transformed, Saki would have succeeded in his reign of terror back in New York City."
"Exactly," his friend concurred, "I have come to believe, Professor, that there are very few things in this world that happen by accident," He then remarked, "and even though Raphael might have contributed to the women's' torment, based on what you just told me about this child, it seems as if some good came from it."
"Yes, at least I hope so," Jordan sighed. "As it turned out, one woman did survive."
The professor continued with his story, telling his friend how it took a decade for the woman's transformation to complete, before she successfully conceived and gave birth to a child, a little girl. Jordan described the friendship that he had developed with the mother, and during that time, she told him about something someone had shared with her from years earlier. That someone was a creature, almost humanoid in appearance and speech, who had given her a foretaste of the future, a future that seemed to include her infant daughter. Although Perry said h e realized who this creature was, he chose silence rather than sharing his knowledge with his captors. He told his friend that at had these scientists been aware of this fact they would have guarded the young woman more carefully than they did.
As it was, their monitoring of her and the baby had become lax over time, thus allowing the professor to escape with the child and to eventual safety.
Now, as the woman on the knoll watched and listened, she thought back to the past twenty years. She had been the one the professor had just mentioned. She was the one who had undergone the experiments, forced to conceive against her will, and ultimately bring forth her daughter, Gabriella. She sighed deeply and focused on remaining calm, her initial reaction to the unpleasant memories soon abating and finally conceding to her will. She then refocused her attention on the two men below, and waited for the other man's reaction.
The other seemed mesmerized with what his friend had to say, and appeared almost unable to believe such a fanciful tale. To prove his story, Jordan plucked a photo from the breast pocket of his jacket and thrust it eagerly into the other man's waiting hand. Now, the man's eyes widened considerably as he peered at the image in the photo, a smile slowly playing along his snout. He looked up at the other, almost whispering, "It's true, then," and went back to studying the picture some more.
"Yes, Donatello, it is true," Jordan softly concurred.
As Don Tello seemed to reflect on what the professor had just told him and while he looked at the picture, Cassandra heard him ask, "How…old is she, now?"
The professor replied, "Ten, and quite a handful, considering her lineage."
"Well," Don chuckled lightly, his surprise and shock now replaced with curiosity, "that doesn't surprise me too much, Jordan."
A bit of silence ensured for a moment. As Cassandra watched and listened, she hoped that the professor would ask Don for his help in raising the girl.
As the seconds ticked by and as an awkwardness develop between the two men, Don finally asked, "Is…there a chance that someone in the family could – meet with her, to acquaint her with us in that way."
Shaking his head, Jordan replied, "No, I don't think that would be good. I am afraid that if she knows there are more like her, she might become harder to handle. I know that you are quite busy, my friend. I don't know about the others, but to thrust a budding rebellious child into their midst would be cruel, as much for them as it would be for her."
Cassie grounded her teeth, doing her best not to huff in exasperation. "Stupid fool," she seethed inwardly. "I knew it; I just knew he would do this!" However, immediately, she shut herself down to ward off the negative feelings, lest the more intuitive one below the hill sensed her presence.
Don sighed, "Yes, you're probably correct on that, Professor. Right now, Raphael is out of the country on an assignment I have given him, and Mike has settled down with a wife – another mutant, if you can believe that – both too busy raising a family. As you mentioned, I am busy right now, as well. I know that Leo and Splinter would not have a clue, either, in how to handle a niece and a granddaughter. I think it is best that you keep her for the moment; she is used to you, after all." He sighed then, "However, I will make sure that you won't be wanting for anything."
"No, Donatello, that won't be necessary, I have my work and it pays well…" Jordan tried gently to refuse the offer, but Don waved off the professor's attempt.
"No, there will no arguments. I insist on helping you financially as much as I can. It's the least I can do for you and for Gabriella."
Jordan nodded his head in acceptance, yet Cassie could tell that he seemed torn between relief and disappointment. Yes, she knew that the man certainly loved Gabby, as if the girl had been his own daughter, but the pre-teen was also a handful for him, as well. It just frustrated Cassandra that the man had not insisted on some kind of help with raising her daughter.
Nevertheless, at least it was a start and with Don's willingness to assist with the professor's expenses concerning Gabriella, Cassie felt some relief.
As the two men talked about meeting again and this time for lunch, the woman was content to be grateful that at least someone from the mutant family now knew about Gabriella. That they were involved with her life, even though it was only by proxy, was as much as she could hope, for now.
In either event, the woman knew that she could relax a little. She sighed deeply, thankful that the outcome of the meeting had made it worth her while to change the geneticist conference in the first place. It took all of her training with computers to change records and create lists after breaking into the university's administration office five months earlier.
Originally, the conference was to occur in New York at Cornell University. However, she knew that one professor at Jordan's college taught in both locations. It was just a serendipitous convenience that he had also organized the biotech symposium. With her finesse with making things look official and with activating E-mail alerts about the change and sending them to all concerned, even the professor in charge of the meeting did not question the new location. Where he lived in Connecticut, anyway, it almost seemed like good news to him. Then, adding Don Tello's name to the line-up of speakers, along with Professor Perry's as one of the invited scientists and doctors, all that was left to do was to wait for the day of the conference. She knew that for him to see his old friend in attendance would only spark their meeting. Like a flame to dry leaves, Jordan would not be able to pass up the opportunity to talk with him. Cassie was quite certain of this and, as she watched the two while they talked together, her hunch had been correct.
As it was, she was tiring of her job of protecting her daughter, with as much as she had been doing, although she had been a willing participant. Keeping Gabriella alive was what motivated Cassie, and this overwhelming desire surprised the woman most of all. Maybe it was because Saki had so abruptly taken her first-born child from her, when she was only fifteen. Not even giving her the chance to hold the baby after its birth, Saki had then whisked the infant straight from the delivery room to the waiting arms of a stranger. Ultimately, the person would sell the child to another couple who lived in Europe. In that way, Oruku Saki had effectively prevented Cassandra from ever seeing her daughter again.
In any event, the professor had told her that her overwhelming urge to protect was the natural instincts of a mother and magnified through loss.
"It's to be expected that you would risk everything to keep Gabby safe, to make sure that you would not lose her, too," was what he had gently told her one time. In fact, as the years slipped by, he had become more father-like to Cassandra.
During her tenure in Montana, Jordan had also become her confident and savior, helping her through the difficult time of keeping her sanity. In appreciation, she ran errands for him, going into town and buying supplies whenever needed. Where it was impossible for Jordan to leave Gabby alone, he didn't have any other choice but to let Cassie take care of them. The child only knew that a 'friend' lived nearby who liked to help occasionally. During the short, summer months, they did have a garden of sorts. However, what food they grew had to be the type that could be stored during the long harsh winter.
Over time, though, the two beleaguered ex-prisoners of the Foot became friends, raising and nurturing the child in their secret box-canyon hideout. With Cassie residing only a half-mile away in another smaller cabin, they lived in the northern most part of Montana until it was certain that those who would do harm to the girl no longer existed.
Now, with their return to civilization and with Cassie fully recovered from the torture she endured by the Doctor's hands, she breathed a sigh of relief. Watching Professor Perry and Don Tello discuss her daughter, Gabriella, Cassie knew that this chapter of her life was finally concluding.
As it was, she had already answered an advertisement only the week before from the New York trade papers. After auditioning, she earned a minor role in a small Broadway production that would be opening in a few weeks. Considering it was a musical, it meant that she could finally use the artistic talents her childhood benefactor – and eventual worse nightmare – had seen to developing years earlier.
As Cassandra continued to watch while the two men talked, the woman smiled wryly. She chuckled to herself and wondered if Raphael was just as cocky and over-confident as he had been that day, when the two of them met for the very first time on top of the reporter's apartment roof. It had been a furious fight, but she bested him only because his temper had done the deed first. She smiled and laughed to herself, when she realized that his daughter, her daughter, was very much like him.
Nevertheless, as Cassie watched the two men walk towards one of the buildings together, with Jordan and Don still talking and sharing, whatever would happen, one thing was certain. The woman knew that Gabriella's future now seemed more secure – and Cassandra Edwards could get on with life in general. She had something normal to look forward to, now, something normal that she had longed for. Since that fateful day when she learned how Oruku Saki had kidnapped her as a young child and then had her parents murdered, Cassie had wanted a real life, a life from which she did not have to hide.
Now, as she turned around and walked between the stately elm trees and down the opposite side of the hill, she suddenly thought about the rat, Master Splinter. She wondered how he was doing and if he was still alive. Cassandra knew that she might never know, of course, where she did not intend to reveal herself to his family. Still, she had to think back to the moment when he had absolved her of her guilt, when he had forgiven her of the things she had done to him and his family. For that, she was most grateful, where it was his absolution of her misdeeds that had encourage her to continue living.
Regardless, though, she was completely unaware of how closely tied to her daughter she truly was, and how that would influence her future. In time, she would find it difficult to complete the break from her duties to Gabriella, her love for the girl far stronger than what she had ever felt before.
Unbeknownst to her, in years to come, Cassie would discover the strength of her maternal bonds, how they would encourage her to move clear across the country, just to stay close to Gabby. Unaware of how fate would play out, it would be then, as the rat had prophesied years earlier, when she would cross paths with his sons, just as he had said she would.
Until that time, though, Cassie would continue blissfully along, enjoying a successful career in New York City. Eventually, it would lead her to reconnect with her first-born child from long ago, a child taken from her against her will, and a daughter whose father was Oruku Saki.
The End
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Author's Notes – Considering the rash of 'shark attacks' on certain other writers' stories, I am saddened to say that I will not comment on any reviews for this story. In any event, I want to impress upon everyone who took the time that I wholeheartedly appreciate your attention to my missives. Thank you, one and all. Be blessed.