Chapter 39- The Omen

Bray had been restless since Tai-San had given him the news about Kyra. What was he supposed to do now? His emotions were once again all mixed up in a bunch like they had been when he was forced to choose between pregnant Amber and missing Danni. Only this time he was unsure of how deep his love ran for Kyra because he kept thinking about Salene. As if the mere thought of her name could summon her she appeared beside him.

She looked pale aside from the color in her cheeks, and she wasn't smiling at him. She looked half sullen and half miffed, yet he couldn't help but smile at her. She was a welcome distraction from his conflicted thoughts though she was part of the problem.

"Afternoon," he greeted her.

She did her best to smile back at him as she took a seat beside him on the pier, "Hi."

He breathed her in. She smelled of pineapples and toast. "Come to yell at me some more?"

She pursed her lips, "I won't apologize for that."

"I guess you shouldn't have to. Everything you said, for the most part, was right."

"For the most part?" she laughed dryly

"Well there are the things that were beyond my control that led me to this state of confusion where love is involved."

"I'm glad what I've said has had time to sink in," she sighed deeply, "You can see now that we'd never really work out?"

"You keep saying we were just drunk," he spoke as if she hadn't spoken, "but we wouldn't have done anything we didn't want to Sal."

"People sleep together without loving one another all the time," Salene shrugged.

This isn't exactly how she had wanted the conversation to go. She had hoped to have a chat that'd she easily be able to slip in "guess what I'm pregnant".

He sighed, "I am so confused Salene."

She was shocked, "I bet it took a lot to admit that."

"Not just because of our night together, but Tai-San she…"

"What did Tai-San tell you?" Salene was alarmed. She didn't completely trust Tai-San after the Guardian's warning.

"Kyra's coming."

There was a pregnant silence between them. Salene was utterly silent and stiff beside him. He sensed this and turned to look at her.

She parted her lips to speak and forced words to come through, "That's great," she tried to sound cheery, but it sounded sarcastic even to herself. She found herself standing up. It almost felt like she was floating the movement was so light and slow.

He rose with her, confused.

"This makes things just tons easier you know? I'm pregnant, Kyra's coming…hurrah!" she threw up her arms. Then she was laughing hysterically.

Bray stood stunned, the color draining from him, "Did you just…you're…"

"Yep. I'm absolutely one-hundred percent sure of it!" she said. Then she broke down into tears.

Bray was lost in his thoughts as he tried to console her. After a few minutes he quietly muttered, "I won't leave you alone. I'll be there for you. For both of you. I promise."

Salene only nodded in his embrace. She wasn't sure if he'd be able to keep that promise, but right now a spoken promise was better than no promise at all.

~0~

There was a lot of tension floating around that night at the Tribal meeting Mikhail and Amber called.

"We've lost our guard here on the island," Mikhail cut right to the point. "There were slave traders on the other side of the island and we didn't even know it. Because of this some of the members of our two tribes were taken and we might've never seen them again."

Ruby seemed to scoot a little closer to Jay, Cloe gripped Ved's hand tighter, and Lefty wrapped an arm around Toc.

"In this life danger comes at unseemly times and is ever present. Just because we're on an island in the middle of nowhere doesn't mean we shouldn't be cautious as we learned last week," Mikhail carried on, "Next time we might not be so lucky."

"And security isn't the only thing that's loose around here. There's no order, no sense of responsibility. We're all too lax," Amber cut in. "Rations in the Café are running low. Alice and Ellie could use a little more help with the farming, and since Darryl's discovered there are animals roaming the jungle we can benefit from, we need someone to help herd them to the farm the sisters have set up."

Mikhail nodded, "And since the Pirates have opted to stop raiding Techno camps," she glanced at Ryan and her son, "we need to open our trade back up with the surrounding islands. We need to re-organize the market, and there should be chores around here. The pools and tanks need cleaning. Someone needs to man the bar, and we need fishers."

There was some debate for a few minutes as everyone began talking at once and volunteering their services, but it got sorted out. Then Amber silenced them all, "Now as you know, Tai-San is a sort of shaman. She's very in tune," she chose her words wisely, "With things that are unbeknownst to us. She's got some things she'd like to share tonight."

Tai-San, with protest from Lex stepped forward and addressed the crowd, "Most of the Mallrats are aware that I dream. My dreams are very intense and aren't always clear, they can change, but they happen. They're like premonitions really, and lately they've been coming at me intensely. Mikhail and Amber are right to worry about the security of the island because I sense trouble is coming and my dreams confirm that. Old friends and enemies are coming to Fleur Isle."

Well that was all they needed to hear. Everyone was in an uproar. It took some time, but finally Mikhail regained control, "Please don't panic."

"Yes that's right, nobody panic," Ebony said mockingly as she shoved Thunder into Slade's arms, "Just go sharpen some sticks and lock your doors!"

"Ebony…"Amber tried to make her stop, but she was already off on a tangent.

That got everyone excited again and soon everyone began to disperse angry and confused.

Amber and Mikhail looked at each other and Tai-San, "That went well."

Lex heaved a sigh, "She didn't even tell you the best part of it! Somebody dies."

~0~

It was nearly dusk when Geo proclaimed they were approaching Fleur Isle.

"There's a jetty that leads right to the the marketplace. We'd better approach cautiously so we appear friendly," Lani advised.

"Perhaps Geo with Keahi should get off and approach the islanders first." Niko was thinking logically, "A man with a child surely wouldn't be harmed."

"Brilliant. I love you," Lani smiled at him.

That made him all giddy inside. He thought, 'it won't be too long before she realizes that's true' as Skipper steered them toward the docks.

"You sure I have nothing to worry about?" Geo asked.

Lani rolled her eyes, "Listen Niko and I know these people. Don't pose a threat and they'll treat you warmly. I'd go ashore myself, but seeing how I have the virus it just can't be done without drama. And we don't have time for that. Now, you know what Tai-San looks like and she knows you. That knowledge and that fact that you have Keahi should keep you safe."

Geo nodded, "And how do I get her to give up the antidote?"

"If I know Mega, she doesn't know she has it. That's why you're going to find out where she's staying and report it to me," Skipper grinned, "I'll come ashore and snoop around so long as you and Keahi keep 'em distracted."

"Don't be a coward! You're a Techno for crying out loud! It's only a matter of time before the others catch up to us," Niko edged him on.

"Fine," he finally relented, unable to stall any longer. He didn't want to be a part of any of this; between Lani and Skipper he knew people were going to get hurt.

~0~

Éowyn was angry. She wanted blood for this, Lani's blood. The other woman had only caused everyone grief. She was a viperine who cared for no one but herself and it needed to end. She was a liar, a cheat, and a murderer.

"I'm going to kill her!" she declared for the thousandth time that day.

Dragon gripped her shoulders, they were tense. He began messaging them trying to relax her, but she shrugged away from him, pacing the deck.

The more of this Josh witnessed the more at fault he felt. He should've disposed of Lani after Java had warned him she was venomous, but he needed her expertise in his lab.

"What are you thinking about?" Danni asked him.

"Is it wrong to want Lani dead just as much as Éowyn or Blaze, or Kai for that matter?"

Danni weighed that thought, "Someone like that doesn't deserve to live, but why give her the satisfaction of death?"

"I should've killed her when I had the chance," he sifted through his jumbled thoughts. That old flare of Mega awoke in him. He was conflicted and it showed on his face.

"Hey," Danni snapped her fingers at him, "We'll fix this."

He relaxed, his face growing sad, "The irony is it should've never needed remodeling."

~0~

It was the fastidious Gel whom Geo chose as his target once he made his way up the boardwalk with Keahi. She was all alone after having an argument with a young man with bright orange hair.

He hadn't expected the ear-splitting scream to shatter the night and bring a fluster of people to flank him, ready for a kill! They were all on edge for some reason.

Keahi wailed in his arms, probably frightened at being woken with such a scream.

"I mean you no harm," Geo said calmly.

"What are you doing here?" Lex asked.

Everyone was suspicious after Tai-San's prophecy, especially Lex who wasn't taking it well that his wife thought the people from her premonitions were coming to kill her. He was grateful she had gone back to their room.

"My friend and I have been travelling, but we're low on fuel and need somewhere to port a day or two. We trade with Fleur Isle occasionally."

"Niko? Is that you?" Mikhail seemed to relax a bit as another man appeared.

"Indeed it is."

"What are you doing out so late you stud?" she asked him.

"Oh you know me Khail, can't resist an adventure, especially at desperate times. Our market was ransacked by some slave traders a couple nights ago."

"They hit us first causing quite a stir, took some of our friends captive. They managed to flee and turn the tables around," Ryan said coming up beside his fiancée in a protective stance. Mikhail stepped closer to him hoping to relax him.

"These must be the old friends Tai-San prophesied about," Amber said turning to Lex.

Niko had a hard time constraining his face, knowing they had come to the right place, "Oh we were on someone's radar?"

Lex scowled at him, "I'll go get her."

"I'm here," she stepped through the circle, "Geo, it's always a pleasure to see you."

"You as well," he smiled at her. It was the truth. He had only met her a few times in the pass, and though she could be a tad bit annoying with her spiritual talk, she was always a good acquaintance. "So you saw us coming?" he smirked at her.

"You still don't believe?" she smiled.

He shrugged, "We didn't mean to scare anyone," he apologized to Gel who was trying her best to appear brave now. She glared at him.

Mikhail took control of the situation then, "Ryan, Lex, could you please show our guests to a room?"

Both men grumbled, but did as they were asked. When they were out of earshot Mikhail turned to Amber, "Did you see how protective he was of the baby, not from us, but from the medicine man?"

It was Tai-San that answered her, "Geo doesn't trust him, and I wouldn't either. Geo is a good guy, but the medicine man spells trouble."

"What do they want? Why did they come?" Rayne asked.

"Because Tai-San lead them here!" Trudy couldn't hold her tongue any longer, "Ram and I knew…but we were unsure if there was a real threat until Tai-San started dreaming."'

There was a chorus of gasps and angry eyes looked from Tai-San, to Ram, and Trudy many times over.

"When I was a Techno, I was given a homing device. When Lex learned my true history a month ago I wasn't sure he'd forgive me. So I turned the device on. It wasn't on long enough for them to track me, and Lex had destroyed it, but Ram warned me there was a chance they might find me still."

"Unbelievable. If I wasn't indebted to Lex…"Ebony sneered, "I would….just…just forget about our arrangement!"

"What arrangement?" Ruby rolled her eyes.

Ebony shot daggers at her with her eyes, "Nothing you need to worry about."

"Yes, let's focus on the matter at hand, please," Mikhail said "I am disappointed in all of you," she looked sadly at her new friend, Trudy, "you should have warned us." "How long before the others come?"

Tai-San could only answer, "Soon."