Year: 5,000,000,010
New New York City
Kay looks up at the tall brownstone, takes a deep breath and looks down at the girls. All wearing a backpack looking back at her for leadership. She is prepared and ready. "Girls, we are on the 3rd floor, are we ready for this adventure?"
They all nod with terrified faces.
"You can be cautious but have no reason to be scared. There is no war. We are here because it is safe. We are all precious cargo." Kay hopes for reassured faces but nothing. She thinks about what she will miss most and her farm. She always had a project. "We are allowed to have a pet."
The girls immediately debate values and options.
Kay leads them up into the brownstone and passes by the string of mailboxes. She scans until she finds the mailbox; it is currently marked "Sho". She smiles and points to the mailbox, "This is where they will stay after we leave."
Instantly the girls flock around.
"They came before you." As the girls stare at the mailbox as if it is magical. Kay continues, "You are more than a moment in time. You are a proud clan. Now let's get settled." Kay turns and walks up the stairs and listens to the debate behind her as they reach the door of their apartment. It has been settled, a cat. As nobody wants to walk up and down the flight of stairs to make sure the pet does its duty.
All the days blur as books, clothing and classes are finalized. Kay comes out of the university bookstore looking at the four girls as they patiently wait for her. Kay's memories flood back to what seems ages and the burden of leading children weighs heavy. She stops to sit down. The four girls rush over as they sense Kay's weakness. They just sit with her and wait.
They were told by their sisters and mother that sometimes it is good to just sit and wait. So they do.
Moments later Kay wakes from her dreamlike state and examines the four children. She stutters at first, "This is ... not my first." Her eyes swell with water and looks at them again, "This is not my first time leading children through loneliness." She pats their heads, "This time it is easier." She stands up and leads her four charges through campus grounds.
Charlene sits back and rubs her eyes, "This is very boring."
Odea pours both a hot cup of tea, "Necessary, but yes boring. I am afraid my sense of obligation outweighs this absolute doldrum task."
Charlene gets up and takes her cup of tea to her desk as Odea sits down to watch the sea. "It is so different without the little ones."
"I agree," Odea sips her tea as she watches the horizon for any movement besides the waves. "I am so glad we get along. I am glad we have this friendship."
Charlene smiles, "Me too." She turns her chair to face Odea, "Tell me will Kay be able to handle the wild brood?" She notices a slight change in Odea's face to a more somber tone.
"She has had her challenges, don't be fooled by our small Kay."
Spring 1927
Somewhere in North Devon, UK
02:00 am
Automobiles are parked along the road. The lead car door opens and soon a cascade of car doors open. Men and women of all shapes wearing the same dark long trench coat fall in line.
They know what to do and carefully walk the shadows up the long curving driveway. As they get closer the team splits up in three, one to the right, one to the left and the smallest group straight to the front door.
Jenny rolls out her lock picking tools and hears the clicking open lock of the front door. The small team reacts and duck into bushes.
The door opens and a whisper is heard, "Now follow me. I will take us to my friend April, her family will help us."
Out the front doors Kay is leading a pack of misfits out the front door down the long driveway.
Jenny smiles and attempts to get up to hug everyone. Vastra touches her arm and signals to wait. They wait, giving the scared children their space.
Vastra signals and all follow from a safe distance until the driveway meets the road. Kay stops and can't seem to decide left or right. She opens a book, unfolds a map and points left. Instantly she sees the cars and pushes followers into the bushes.
"No need to hide, you are all safe now." comes a stranger's voice walking down the driveway.
Kay doesn't keep hiding them, she has the darkness and they are small. She stops when she hears a friendly voice, "April is worried about you."
Kay squints into the darkness and slowly the familiar voice is matched with a familiar face. She quickly calls to her followers, "Come out, April's mother is here."
Slowly from the bushes children of all different heights, thin, but alive. Soon all stand behind Kay.
"These are lost," Kay speaks to Alaya in a whisper. "What are we to do?"
Alaya asks, "You are not lost"?
Kay hands over a torn map from the inside the cover of Anne of Green Gables with London circled. "Never."
"What happened to the children?"
Odea looks to Charlene with a sense of sadness, "Many were misused and Fiona worked with them for months. Many felt hopeless. They found homes for so few of the orphans. Even a few found families. I try not to think about it and it's too heartwrenching to ponder."
"What about Certified Industrial School for Girls and the weird hooded people?"
"I am not sure about the hooded group. However, Mrs. Fry was arrested." Odea shook her head no, "She would not tell anyone anything and she was found dead with her tongue cut out."
"Oh dear." Charlene thinks back as a clouded memory comes to surface. "In my youth I remember my father and his followers."
"Did they wear hoods?"
"I thought they were a religious order." Charlene smirks, "It was so long ago."
"They could have been," Odea thinks for a moment and looks back to Charlene, "They could still be a religious order."
Charlene snaps her head around to face her friend, "That would not be good. They are very dangerous. If they are still around, if my father is alive, they work in secret. They were the puppet masters of the powerful."
"Do you believe they are still active?"
Charlene takes a deep breath, "I used to sense them." She stands and pulls a business card from her small wallet attached to her waist. She hands it to Odea, "This is the most current information I have. It was given to Ada outside her office."
"'T. Vaughan?"
"Yes, that is my father."
Odea winches as she attempts to get a scent and spits on the ground. "That is revolting."
"Vastra says it smells like when you cheat death."
Odea hands the business card back to Charlene who places it back into her wallet, "I keep it close. That is one of things I am working on here," as she points to her work. "I am continuing my father's work."
"Sounds dangerous."
"No not to replicate but dismantle." Charlene smiles.
"What effect will it have on you?"
"Hopefully death."
Odea tries not to be shocked, "Just be alive so you do not die alone. I will be by your side."
Charlene smiles but wonders if in reality it will be her watching her friend die. She turns back to her work, "Tell me, do you all have these deep relationships? You trust Kay with your most precious things."
Odea ponders her human self. "We are connected to her and depend on Kay. We Silurians might have some advantages. We have excellent eyesight but we depend on others to help us view the world. We have longer lifespans but without purpose, friendship, love or companionship what kind of life is it worth living?" Odes turns away from the sea, "How could you be alone for such a long time and be strong?"
Charlene looks into her friend's eyes, "I had no other choice. Be alone or exploited."
"Exploited is a fearful word to you and my family."
"It was easier when I was alone to hide."
"You have a choice."
"Yes," Charlene smiles and speaks her thoughts out loud, "This is a much better alternative."
"I have no choice." Odea looks back to the sea, pulls the scarf into her face and sniffs. "I am afraid us Siurians are destined for dependency. Our little experiment proves our hypothesis. Without being in communion with each other, our senses are temporarily muted."
"Does the scarf help?"
"Not really," Odea smiles towards the sea. "Unless your Testaroli is supposed to be bland."
Charlene chuckles as she sips her tea and returns to her work.