Part 7

Riley decided that this ball was even deader than the one she always attends at the end of summer. It was way too stuffy or maybe that's because she kept picking up on the tension in the room. Maybe it was because she was mentally planning their escape. Kat seemed nervous as they sat at a table with Nine, Malcolm, and the rest of the board. Riley never hated the world more than currently.

Why couldn't people just accept legacies and get over it? Not all of them are dangerous criminals. Stupid government, stupid laws, stupid science, stupid judgemental humans.

She picked at her dinner because she nor Kat had an appetite. Her father didn't scold her for it either for he ate very little too. Their table had a perfect view of the stage. Their dinner plates were cleared away and the lights on the stage flicked on. A man in a crisp and clean suit walked on stage with a beaming smile. She already hated him.

"A little over twenty-one years ago, an alien war going on under our noses had come to the surface and due to alien activity, human beings started developing what is called legacies. Every since then, humans have been researching for ways to prevent, to contain, to train, and to cure these legacies thrusted on us by another species without our input."

Riley sensed her father tense, she reached under the table and put a hand over his. She didn't like this speech either but he couldn't go pound the guy into the ground.

"These human Garde have numerous ways to escape us and have banded together into there own system. Tomorrow morning officials from all over are going to be converging and taking down the refugee camp. We have discovered their location."

Riley put a hand on Kat underneath the table to keep her in place. it wouldn't end well for anyone if either of them pummeled the guy.

"But ladies and gentlemen after years and years of researching and testing we have found your cure." He pulled what looked like a vaccine out of his coat pocket. "One injection into a major artery will cure anyone of their curse. It will take up to a full twenty-four hours to take full effect." He cracked his neck and rolled shoulders.

"Now for a demonstration." He raised his arms in victory.

Two guards dragged a limp girl onto the stage. She was maybe fifteen or sixteen and skinny like noodles. She looked at the crowd with a dazed look.

"This is Violet Johnson. She has destroyed a whole school, leveled whole squadrons of troops, destroyed two processing centers, and injured numerous people. She can't be trained and is, therefore, a danger to the public. With just one injection of this serum, we can stop all this chaos and loss." The man spoke like he'd found the cure for cancer or was condemning a prisoner who killed the President and then went on a murder spree of the whole government. Like his actions were justified.

The man in one swift move stabbed her in the neck with it and pushed the plunger. The girl's body tensed and jolted. She screamed as her body started shaking violently. Then she slumped against the two guards looking awfully pale.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I present the cure to legacies!" He cheered.

The crowd roared in approval. It made Riley sick to her stomach. She sensed Kat and her father's disgust as well. That poor girl was now probably in so much pain and agony. The boy named Nigel from earlier charged on stage.

"What the bloody heck is wrong with you!" He demanded, shoving the talker guy.

"Relax it's for the best. Now society is safer." He calmly replied.

"I don't care about society, you can't treat her or any of us like defective toys that can just be thrown out!" Nigel argued.

Others started joining him on stage. Nine nudged Riley. Riley used a new tactic with her telepathy. She was a radio searching for the right signal.

John Smith. Come in John Smith. She called, blocking out everything else.

Who's this? Came a masculine voice in her head.

Riley Worthington, daughter of Nine. Nice to meet you. Can you alert the refugee camp? Kat nor I can do it as fast as you could. They have a mole. Your our safest bet of alerting them without alerting the mole. Riley replied.

Nice to meet you, Riley. Are you the girl sitting next to Nine?

Yes, now please help us save our home. I've only been there a few days but we can't let them be caught. Riley pleaded.

Alright, relax I got it. My own children are still there. Worry about your own safety now. Things seem to be getting heated. John cautioned.

You got it. She answered.

Nine leaned over and whispered.

"Now would be an excellent time to get outta here. I'll say you guys got sick."

"But won't they suspect? I'm sitting right next to you." Riley argued.

"Very logical point. Tonight after lights out get out of here with Sidney, conscious or not." Nine suggested.

"Of course." She nodded.

"Stay safe Ri."

"Same to you." Nine put a hand on her shoulder.

"Never forget I'm proud to have you have a daughter okay? You're doing excellent work." He encouraged.

Riley smiled and then watched the chaos unfold on stage where a bunch of other people who must be human Garde who also took offense were ganging up on the guy. She wouldn't blame them for being offended. If she could she'd toss the guy to the next planet.


Kat paced back and forth while Riley packed.

"How are you so calm and unaffected?" Kat finally demanded.

"Because I've grown up around it. Yes, it's horrific and awful what they're doing but I've just grown up with it. The officials that look down upon the students here. There are the ones that wish they could just banish all the troublemakers to Siberia. The ones that see legacies as either a disease or a tool to be used. That's what they're doing now. Treating legacies like a disease that needs to be cured." Riley argued, she tossed the bags on the couch, her backpack and Kat's.

They'd both ditched the formal attire for stretchy shirts and leggings. Riley slipped her backpack on and looked at Kat.

"Let's get this show on the road," Riley suggested.

Kat grabbed her pack and followed her out. The stealthily slunk across campus to the infirmary. Taylor met them outside with Sidney's limp body in her arms. She carefully and gently placed Sidney in Riley's waiting arms.

Okay, we still haven't discussed how exactly we're leaving. Riley told Kat.

Trust me. Head to the beach now. Kat mentally reassured.

By the light from the moonlight, they picked their way towards the beach.


The stars twinkled at them as they strode through academy grounds. Sidney felt like a dead weight in Riley's arms, if it wasn't for the small shallow breaths the girl took Riley would say she was dead. Eventually, they left the buildings behind and the path turned from pavement to dirt underneath their sneakers. The Pacific Ocean opened up in front of them, glistening like it was lined with silver. The sand squished under them as Kat casually approached the water. She pulled an odd looking trinket from her bag and blew into it.

"Wait for it." Kat held up a hand as if sensing Riley's confusion.

After a few minutes, a turtle crawled out of the water onto the sand. Riley was even more lost now. Kat knelt down and petted the turtle's shell.

"Good girl."

"Umm, I feel like I'm missing something extremely important." Riley chose her words carefully.

"Aqua we need some transportation can you help us?" Kat inquired.

The turtle didn't move a muscle.

"Come on Aqua. I know you can do it." Kat encouraged.

Riley sighed. Kat was crazy and they still didn't know how to get out of the academy. The girl was talking to a turtle.

"Didn't your parents or even grandfather tell you his name?" A male voice teased.

It sounded just like the voice in Riley's head earlier. John Smith and a woman were walking down the path towards them.

"No, I've never had to use her before, only my parents do. I guessed her name." Kat admitted. Riley guessed the pregnant woman next to him had to be his wife, Marina.

"Gamera, transform please." John casually asked.

The turtle looked at him before the weirdest thing Riley ever saw happened. The very ordinary looking turtle transformed into a large winged creature. He was now an odd looking combination of horse, eagle, and maybe lizard? He flapped his wings impatiently.

"Your chariot awaits you, ladies. Good luck." John gestured to Gamera. Kat climbed up on and reached down for Sidney. Riley passed her up and turned to face the blonde man.

"Thanks." She nodded, waving to him.

"It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Riley. Stay safe." John nodded, returning her wave.

Riley climbed up on and adjusted Sidney. They took off into the night sky and left the Human Garde academy behind.


Riley didn't bother to ask how Kat knew where the others would be but focused on keeping Sidney on the chimæra. Eventually, they descended from the stars into a dark parking lot. They climbed off and Gamera transformed back into a turtle that Kat picked up.

They'd landed in the parking lot of a Motel Eight. Kat walked up to the second floor of the outdoor entrances of motel rooms. Room 202 she knocked on the door.

Three rapid knocks than a pause, then three more rapid knocks before a small pause, and then three more rapid knocks. Sam opened the door and let them in.

"See it's crime for me to crack Greek mythology jokes with Riley but Kat and Sam are using the Big Bang theory as their secret code. This is hypocrisy." Casey pointed out.

"No, it's a dictatorship. Now shut up." Six sharply answered.

Riley observed the room. Six was still laying in one of the beds like she had been sleeping. Gia and Adelina were in the second bed looking half asleep. Henri was sprawled out on a blanket on the floor in front of their bed. Casey was also on a blanket on the floor in front of the bed Six was in.

"Anything urgent? Or can we go back to sleep?" Six inquired.

"Sleep sounds nice but no. We have many urgent problems that require us to move." Riley replied.

"Last time I had to wake up in the middle of the night and run I think Setrákus Ra was alive." Six grumbled, sliding out of bed and grabbing a bag before heading for the bathroom.

"She's a little sleepy." Sam quietly answered.

Two minutes later Six emerged and sat on the corner of the bed ready to pounce at a moment's notice.

"So your escape not so discreet?" Six questioned.

"No, they don't know we're missing yet. But some disturbing developments came to light tonight at the ball." Riley started, trying to find the words to continue.

"Yes there's this horrible invention called pantyhose and then there are zippers that are impossible to reach. Don't get me started on the cursed heels with their funky straps and buckles." Kat commented. Riley heard the subtle chuckled and snorts. Six cracked a smile.

"Besides playing dress up with Kat. Earth Garde has made a serum that can permanently disable legacies. They call it a cure, like legacies are a disease now. But it gets worse. They're going to the camp tomorrow. They found out the location, there's a mole in the refugee camp." Riley explained.

"It's almost an exact location," Kat added.

"Camp will divide up into smaller groups for safety and easier to slowly drain out without the mole knowing." Sam shrugged.

"Alright everyone pack up." Six commanded.

"Hand over the turtle Kat. Sam and I will use it to get to camp and help Ella evacuate the children of the Garde. John and Marina, I presume left campus too?" Six rapidly questioned.

"They were probably planning on it shortly after us. They met us on the beach as we were leaving." Kat answered.

Adelina and Sam helped Gia into her wheelchair, Casey and Henri packed up the stuff scattered around the room.

"As soon as you're all packed I recommend you make your own small group and find a place to duck and cover. Sounds like it's about to become a dangerous time to be a Garde, human or not." Six suggested.

"I love you, mom. Stay safe." Kat hugged Six. Then she hugged Sam.

"I love ya dad. Keep mom safe."

Sam chuckled. "I have no control over your mother dear. We'll see you eventually."

"We'll say hi to your folks for ya Adel and Henri. The mountains sound like a very safe location currently." Six quipped. Sam chuckled.

Shortly they all walked out into the night. Where they were going was unknown but at least they'd be together. Strength in numbers was Riley's father's philosophy. Strength in numbers would keep them safe.