Chapter 26:
I swim to conscious very slowly, and just lay there with my feelers out. But how can I possible fool another empath. Susan hugs me, and cuddles into me, and I wrap my arms around her. glad to see you awake Daniel, "I've missed you". I just nibble her neck, and she lets out a squeal. With that I am dogpiled on by everyone. We all link, and I explain what is happening. They all get excited, but this could be written off as excitement at me being back. We all agree that we would only tell DeDe a few hours before the time came. DeDe came over and looked at me, "I'm sorry you were dragged back Daniel, but I am glad to see you", with this she gives me a hug. "Love you too DeDe", I respond.
As we still need to stay in character, I am bombarded by question about the outside world. I answer all questions as truthfully as I can, until the instructors come in to give us lessons. Terry is taken away to do his day trading, and Ava and Rick are taken to their work bench alone one wall. Terry is the only one to leave the room. "What day is it, I ask DeDe"? "Its Friday, why"? "Because I was tranked on Thursday about 13:00. So that means I slept all of yesterday and part of today"? "I'm afraid so Daniel, they were getting concerned when you didn't wake up earlier". "Well I'm awake now". "It was kind of cute to see you all sleeping together again". "Don't call us cute" came the response from all the bunnies. We all just laugh.
"Well sheriff what have you found out"? "Not much I'm afraid. We had a white van go through Bunny Burrow, but all we could find out was it was heading east". "What's east of here"? "Not much a few small towns and more farms, that's about it". Judy hits the desk in frustration. Nick grabs her, "calm down Judy, we'll find him". At this she turns around, and clutching Nick, starts to cry. "Nick, we lost him, I knew this would happen, no sooner do we find him, and then we lose him". "It's not all gloom and doom fluff, we'll get him back". "I hope your right Nick, I miss him and his wicked sense of humor". "Course I'm right, You bunnies, so emotional". "Just tell me I'm not the only one", with that Nick holds her at arms length and looks down at her, Judy looks up at the tears in his eyes, "no Judy, you are not the only one".
Saturday we were all on pins and needles, we just wanted this to end. By supper time we were so wound up, I'm surprised that we weren't bouncing off the walls. DeDe was relaxing in her favorite chair and just about to fall asleep. I linked with her, and brought us to the meadow. "Wake up DeDe", I said shaking her shoulder. As she wakes up, Gab walks over. "Ah, so is tonight the night"? "Yes, Gab it is". "Hello DeDe, you probably have a few questions". "Where am I"? "in the meadow", Gab and I say at the same time. "Ok, I can see that this is a meadow, but where is this meadow"? "Why, the meadow is halfway between dreams, and the waking world, reply's Gab. Daniel, you should really fill people in before you bring them". I just shrug. "DeDe I ask, would you like to get out of the institute"? "Yes Daniel, I would like my freedom, but what's the cost"? "The only cost is you will have to cut the power to the complex. Can you do this"? "Daniel, I have been waiting for this for a while, but we couldn't escape on our own. Do we have outside help"? "Yes, we do. You need to cut the power at exactly 10:pm on Saturday, is that possible"? "Done". "DeDe can you follow my orders"? "Yes, Daniel I can". "Let us do the fighting, please follow my orders and all will be well". "But what will happen to us"? "We are going to my parents, and I think they have other plans for you". At this DeDe starts to cry. "Don't Cry DeDe we will all meet again, if you just follow your heart". I then take us back to the institute. DeDe just wakes with a start, and looks over at me. We all look at her and nod our heads yes. She starts to cry, but nods her head yes too.
"Al right team, crackles the radio, T minus 1 min to extraction", "do we have a go"? "You have a go". The lights then go out on the complex, "GO"! As the power goes out, the emergency lights come on. "DeDe I shout flip the bed up, and get behind it". Everyone gets behind the bed except Susan and I, we stand on either side of the door. We can hear foot steps running for the door. As the door opens Susan and I hit the Guard from both sides. He goes down like a sack of potatoes, the second guard is so surprised he reacts slowly and I grab the trank gun from the first guards' paw, and trank the second guard. Susan then grabs the second gun, and we sprint back to the bed. The rest of the fight we are not involved with we just wait for our help. A tach team member comes in the door, "mountain sheep" I holler, "mountain goat" he says. He then lowers his gun and picks up his radio. "Team leader, I have the targets, waiting for extraction". "Sit tight we are having a little trouble over here". "Roger team leader". He then turns, going to one knee brings up his gun, and aims at the door he had just come in. We wait for what seem like forever, but in truth is no more than 10 min. "Johnson where are you"? "Hallway nine-b third door". "Right be there shortly".
Jack is a sight for sore eyes, but Skye is all decked out in tack gear, holding her gun up with the butt resting on her belt. "Team leader, we have neutralised all hostels, I repeat we have neutralised all hostels". Skye keys her mic "Roger, team 1 standby, can we have the power back on please"? DeDe goes to her computer and enters a few key stokes and the main lights come back on. We all come out from behind the bed and look at Jack. "So, who do we have here"? "Jack I would like you to meet my brother Terry, my brother Davis, and my sister Ava. And Cuddled up close to me is Susan, Davis has his arms around Suzie, Terry is holding Cindy's paw, and Ava is holding Ricks paw". "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Come, we have a mobile command unit outside; were you can warm up and get dressed".
It takes most of the night to straighten out the mess. The big boss had an escape helicopter on the roof, that we didn't know about. He got away before they could break into his office. So, he flew away unhindered. We got dressed in the command center, and some DNA swabs were taken of all of us. The computer Ava had used and any drawings of schematics were confiscated by the . They then put DeDe in a car and drove her away. We all had tears in our eyes, as she left. Dawn was breaking as we were ushered into a van, and driven home.
Nick and Judy had spent a fitful night trying to sleep, they laid most of the night in each other arms and cried. They both fell asleep just before dawn, which made the phone ringing all the more Jarring. "Hello"? answered dad. "Hi dad, just wanted to let you know I'm ok, and should be there in about an hour". "Daniel? O.M.G. Daniel, where are you"? At the mention of my name Judy sits up in bed, and pulls the phone away from nicks ear, to listen in as well. "Like I said I'm ok, the Z CIA rescued me from the institute. We should be there with in the hour". "Do you know how worried we are"? "Yes, I can feel it, but all will be explained when we get there". "Get here soon we miss you". "Will do", with that I hang up the phone. "You're not going to tell them"? "Nah, I have a wicked sense of humor, remember"? Everyone laughs.
Nick and Judy hop out of bed, and get dressed in a hurry. Then they knock on Peter and Vivian's door, and tell them Daniel would be there shortly. They rap on Stu and Bonnies door to give them the good news. The adults then meet in the smaller kitchen for coffee. "Some thing is up I can just feel it, says Nick. He was just to damn cheerful, for someone who had just been released from captivity". Through it all Vivian had just sat quietly, drinking her coffee. Nick notices his mom and her look. "Ok, mom spill it, you know something". "Not my place to tell son, but your answers just started up the drive". "Mom, How"? "They are just about here; do you want to go out and meet them"?
I can see as we drive up dad and mom sprint from the house. The van comes to a stop, and I jump out the back door, and run into their embrace. "Mom, dad I'm sorry, I know how much you worried, but I couldn't tell you. And I'm sorry for the shock you are about to receive, Mom, Dad I would like to introduce you my sibling Terry, Davis, and Ava". They come in at this point and hug them as well. Bonnie and Stu stood there with shocked looks on their faces while Vivian leans down and hugs Susan, Cindy, Suzie, and Rick. "Oh, it's so good to finally meet you guys in person". "Mom, Dad, I'd also like you to meet our mates Susan Cindy Suzie and Rick". With that we all come together as a family unit.
"Listen guys, breaks in Jack, I hate to break up this family reunion, but we need to debrief everyone". Mom and Dad still have stunned looks on their faces as they stand up. Nick looks over at his mom, and asks, "you knew about this didn't you mom". "Yes, son I did". "And you didn't tell us"? "Not my place to say this is Daniels Story". "Wait a minute, Nick says as he turns back to me. Mates? You are Mated"? We all fall down laughing I just smile. There's that wicked sense of humor again. "No, Dad we are mates not mated, our bodies are to young for mating". Mom and Dad both blush at this. "Uhm, could we get back to debriefing? Jack turns to Bonnie and Stu, do you have a small room we could use for the debriefing"? "Oh, right, right, come this way says Stu". We all follow him into the burrow.
Stu leads us all to their private kitchen. Bonnie putters around the kitchen making breakfast and Judy helps her. Once everyone has coffee or juice in front of them, we start our story. I tell most of what I had written down here. All the things pertaining to the case. From time to time Dad looks over at his mom.
But what got the most attention was when I told them about the surveillance. "Daniel are you saying we were being watched"? "Yes dad, they were still studying me". Jack just laughs, "Yes, they were studying you, but for the last month they have only been getting what we wanted them to have. We have also captured the van and personal watching you".
Mom asks a question; "do you have two cheetahs in custody"? "Well we did capture two cheetahs', but they claim that they were new hires". "Jack can you transfer them to the ZPD"? "I can why"? "We are looking for two cheetahs involved in a fatality in central square, tied to Daniel". "What makes you think that they will talk"? "I can make them talk, and I don't have to be in the room to do it". "Daniel, remember your promise"? "I will not be judge jury or executioner, all I will do is simply make them uncomfortable enough to confess, or I can tell you when their lying, that wouldn't be breaking my promise would it"? "Ask Gab first, before you try it". "Yes, I will". So, we all continue with our stories, when jack gets a phone call. "Jack here, Really? Well that's different, contact the lawyer handing the case and sent him out here, better yet fly him out here, Yes on my authority". Jack then hangs up his phone.
"Well it seems you were right Daniel, your littermates are in the system, well actually their parents were. The lawyer handling the estate should be here in about an hour. Nick, Judy, Daniel was right again, Terry Davis, and Ava, are your kits and his siblings". "Jack, how did you get confirmation so soon"? "The Z CIA has access to our own labs, and I just gave it priority one designate. I'm sure we can get corroborating evidence from the institute".
"Daniel, do you know who are parents are"? "Yes, Susan I do know who your parents were. I hold up my hand, when the lawyer gets here, I will come clean at that point". "Daniel, does this have something to do with that secret you have been keeping"?
"Yes, it does love". I just hang my head. "Daniel, why did you call Susan, love"? asks mom. "Because she is my love mom, I will want no one else but her. I told you we are mated". "Well, bonded would probable be a better word, says Susan. I have the same kind of bond with Daniel, as you have with dad. If you like we can show you this". "You have got to admit this is all kind of strange". "Only to those who haven't grown up with it. Daniel and I have shared this bond since we were born. Would you guys like to see your bond"? "No Susan that won't be necessary, I am well aware of my bond with…your father". Susan and I just hug them both. "Do the rest of you have this bond as well"? They just nod their heads yes. "We also have a bond with each other, I could no more hurt my brother, as he could hurt me. When I broke my arm, if I had not been knocked out first, they would have grabbed their own arms, with sympathetic pain, and the institute would have known that we were linked. They looked long and hard for this link but we managed to keep them in the dark".
Peter who had been sitting in the back spoke up. "Guys, I hear what you are saying but, I'm having a hard time believing it. You would have to be using more of your brains than most mammals". "I've got this one Guys", says Davis. Davis and Peter go to the other side of the room and start talking medical stuff. The rest of us just eat breakfast and watch. After a bit Davis comes back, "Daniel I need you to do a little demonstration with me". "What kind of demonstration"? "I think a blindfold, and a deck of cards will do. We are going to do a magic show".
Stu gave us a deck of card, and I grab a tea towel, "make it two Daniel". We take two chairs to the center of the room, and sit facing away from each other. "No Daniel put them side by side. Now Peter I want you to go to the corner and face it. Daniel, tie the blindfold around you eyes and sit in the chairs with me". We sit down in the chairs, "ah, guys are not one of you going to look at the cards"? "No Peter, you will be our eyes we will just call out the cards you look at. Now shuffle the card until you are satisfied, they are truly mixed up, tell us when you are ready". We all link together, "there shuffled", "all right let's begin". Peter looks at the first card. "Ace of diamond we all say", there are shocked looks all around the table. Peter goes through the whole deck, with out a single mistake from any of us. He is visible shaken by our little demonstration. "I would not believe it, if I hadn't seen it. Is there other thing you can do"? "Yes, Peter there is, but I don't think we have time the lawyer is here".