by J G Barber
He takes a cautious step toward her. “I don’t want to harm you. I want to negotiate a peaceful understanding. Will you consider it?”
She steps toward him, ready to fight. She’d transform if she could. “New Sirenia does not negotiate with terrorists.”
Paul gestures to the facility surrounding them. “Leucosia, wake up. Private security and drugs provided by the cartel? A built-in techno club? Do you really believe a bunch of young models and hookers can birth your new nation?”
She steps toward him. “This is our beginning, not our ending. There is nothing you can do to stop us.”
He steps into her physical space. “This will not go well for you. The cartel’s influence will corrupt them and destroy your mission.”
Leucosia studies Paul for a long moment. Her mood shifts as she reads his body language. “You care about what happens to us. Sister Lorelei is right about you.” She takes Paul’s hands. “We invite you to join us. You and your lovely wife and child. Our sons will grow up together in the Sirenian ways with you as their father figure. They will make us proud as the fathers of the new Sirenian race.”
Paul pulls his hands away. “My sons will not become your breeding studs.”
She strolls around the circular conference table in the center of the chamber. “We must test Laura’s son for genetic compatibility. He should have inherited the Sirenian gene from his father.”
She pauses for effect, looking for a reaction out of Paul. He gives her nothing.
“Your already know the pleasure your sons will experience,” Leucosia continues. “What father doesn’t wish that for his sons? To be adored by hundreds of the most beautiful women on Earth.”
Paul responds with the siren hunter-killer look he gave to Narmaya after her proposition.
She completes the circle and approaches Paul, looking into his eyes. “These women carry the Sirenian gene. We shall grow in numbers to cause a mass extinction of your kind and liberate the Earth from your tyranny.”
Paul digests her words. He feels the storm of emotions stir in his gut.
“You are conflicted,” she observes, feeling what he is feeling. “You know what your kind will do. They will destroy us all, if we allow it. Join us, Paul. The Sirenians are rising to retake our rightful place as the stewards of this planet. We are a species that respects Great Mother. We will treat this Earth the way Great Mother intended.”
Paul ends the storm inside with a decision. “We will stop you.”
“I release you to consider our offer. Do not make the mistake of rejecting it.” She disappears through a passageway at the far end of the chamber.
Thumping techno penetrates the walls of the chamber. Paul exits to witness the wasted and disrobed new arrivals letting loose on the dance floor. He shakes off the overpowering smell of their pheromones as El Jefazo approaches. “Please stay and enjoy the party. If you decline, I will escort you to your boat.”
The combined power of the music, the smells of drugs and alcohol and women, and the undulating flesh almost breaks Paul’s will. Almost. “Let’s go.” Paul leads the way onto the patio.
El Jefazo withdraws two cigars from his shirt pocket and offers one to Paul. “I am extending the hand of friendship, El Cazador. El Jefe Superior, my boss El Aniquilador, is a benefactor for many. He can be a benefactor for you and your friends.”
Paul accepts the gift. El Jefazo cuts his cigar and lights it. He offers the cutter to Paul, who shakes his head. “Another time, perhaps.”
El Jefazo motions to the clusters of armed guards near the entrances of each steel stairway. “I assure you, you do not want to be seen as an enemy of Cartel Nuevo Ciglo.”
“I came here to discuss peace.” Paul slides the cigar into his shirt pocket. “I’m not your adversary, El Jefazo. Your employer is.”
“An innocent.” El Jefazo smiles as he puffs on his cigar. “I admire your courage to travel here alone tonight. Come, I will show you to your boat.”
He leads Paul across the deck to the southern stairs. Paul grabs a final glimpse of the flashing club lights inside and the sea of naked women expressing their newfound freedom to express their siren selves. On cue from El Jefazo, the guards turn to allow Paul to pass, displaying their AK-47 rifles and pistols as he passes.
Paul follows El Jefazo down the stairs and through the sand to the boat dock. His spidey sense lights up. “This is more than a contract for you. You have another interest in the sirens, don’t you?”
El Jefazo does not respond. His facial expressions provide no tell. This guy is a master, Paul notes. El Jefazo shakes his hand again and exits the dock.
Paul pulls out the rifle scope and checks the locations of a dozen guards stationed at sniper points around the cove. He unties his boat as the techno music pumps. He scopes a row of naked women along the patio railing, waving to invite him back to the party. Paul hops aboard and motors away before he gives into lust or the men with guns reconsider shooting at him.
Chapter Ten
Paul doesn’t tell his housemates about his visit to the sirens’ island facility. They use the drone he purchased to do an aerial survey. The first mission succeeds, informing the others of most of what Paul learned from his on-site visit. During the second mission, the guards shoot down the drone.
None of them are interested in taking on the sirens’ cartel security force. As a group, they take a step back and monitor the situation. Another period of waiting begins.
Laura and Ellen focus on preparations for childbirth, finding a suitable nanny for baby Jason, and continuing their training. Ellen loses weight as Laura’s belly grows. The sisters grow closer than they’ve ever been, united in their shared commitments. Ellen takes time away with Alexei to head out to the airstrip where he keeps his new plane. He teaches her how to fly his plane and a helicopter.
Alexei disappears for days at a time on stealth reconnaissance missions. He returns with details about the shipments, human transports flowing in and out of the sirens’ island, and progress reports on the sirens’ exploratory archaeological digs. Paul’s certain Alexei knows about his nighttime boat trip to the island, but Alexei never speaks of it. Paul’s suspicions that Alexei is working with another group of siren hunters grow with each new stealth mission, but every time Paul attempts to trail Alexei to learn what he’s up to, Alexei loses him.
Given his upbringing, Paul does not know how to be a father. He finds the entire situation overwhelming. To cope, Paul continues his long beach runs and visits to the tequila y mota bar. The routine helps suppress his psychic connection with Leucosia. Her reappearance in his thoughts only motivates overindulgence. He crosses the line into losing control and becoming a fucked up mess. Then he backs off for a few days until she reappears in his mind again. And the cycle continues.
Paul slows to a stop after his best beach run yet in distance, speed, and ease. After a full one week of eating right and abstaining from all partying, he’s feeling good in his body today. As he stretches out, he notices that not having alcohol in his system improves his flexibility and stamina. Paul decides he’s earned a reward, and heads for the bar. But he’ll skip the tequila altogether and savor the bud of the day.
“Y Griega es la mejor mierda que has fumado,” Paul’s nameless bartender friend assures him as they exchange pesos for the customary plate with a joint and lighter. The roll is small for this place. “Tomar sólo un poco para empezar.”
Paul sets up in the ocean view chair he established as his spot through repeat visits. As he smells the joint, savoring the citrusy smell, a moment of profound significance overtakes him. This high will reveal something to him. He takes a few breaths to center himself before lighting up. He said this is the best shit ever, Paul reminds himself. Start with just a little. He takes three hits and snuffs the joint out.
Nothing happens for a few minutes. Paul continues the deep breaths and takes in the sun as it descends toward sunset. A burst of energy surges through his nerves and flows to his ext
remities. The effect of the THC opens his mind to a waking dream state. Once again, he sees an Atlantean past, this time through the eyes of Aztlan’s son, Elaradth.
Elaradth spies on his father and the mysterious woman he’s been keeping company with. He watches as Diana strolls around the large main room of Aztlan’s home, cradling baby Leucosia in her arms.
Aztlan kisses Leucosia on the forehead. “She looks human.”
“Yes.” Diana hands the baby to him. “She has taken your form as her primary. When she is older, we will see her transform into a beautiful mermaid.”
Aztlan rocks Leucosia back and forth in his arms. “How can you care for her? You can only maintain this form for a short time.”
Diana looks out the window to check the street. “You and Elaradth must care for her. I will visit as I can.”
“Your visits here have become dangerous,” Aztlan warns. “A change in consciousness is upon us. I feel it in the streets. A dark shadow has overtaken Atlantis.”
She takes Leucosia back from Aztlan. “I can come only at night. With proper dress to cover my markings, I am unrecognizable.”
“They may recognize your eyes,” he says. “No Atlantean has such eyes.”
“I must bear the risk to be with Leucosia.” Diana spies Elaradth spying on them. She sings a gentle, loving song to calm his fears and call him to her. “This is your baby sister, Leucosia.”
Elaradth looks on as Diana’s emerald green eyes connect with the baby’s. “My beloved daughter. I am your mother, Diana. We are Sirenians, the bringers of peace. We bless the Earth and all its creatures with our love of life and our desire for harmony. You will be a leader among our people. I feel your destiny encoded in your genes. You will be the bridge of peace between our kind and the humans. We shall live together in harmony as stewards of all life.”
Aztlan admires the light shining from Leucosia’s emerald green eyes. “What a lovely vision for our daughter.”
Diana hands Leucosia to Elaradth. Half-brother and half-sister exchange a smile. Just as the baby’s eyes take him in, they blink shut, and she drifts off to sleep. Diana prepares the cradle in the windowless guest room. She motions to Eladarth to place her in the bed. Diana tucks her in and leaves him alone with her.
Aztlan steps into his bedroom and looks out the window, his fear re-surges. Diana strokes his hair. “What troubles you, Aztlan?”
Elaradth peeks around the corner to watch and listen. Aztlan looks out the window to check the street. “I do not know how to protect you from this darkness.”
Diana rubs Aztlan’s back to reassure him. “You need not worry about us, our gossip has a plan for the coming flood. Leucosia will be old enough to join us when that time comes. But how will we protect Elaradth?”
Elaradth pulls back just before Aztlan turns his way to see if he’s listening. “The Great Flood is not the root of my fear,” Aztlan explains. “The military has secret plans. Stories are spreading of experiments on your people.”
Diana scowls. “The Altanteans love us. They would never allow such a crime.”
Aztlan walks to the living room window and surveys the street. “They do not know of it. I am only aware because of my standing in the Citizen Council. Even my cohorts know no details of their plans, only rumors.”
She looks out with him. “The Sirenians have heard no such stories. And if your military should attempt such madness, they know all too well that no human assault on our warriors has ever succeeded.”
He closes the curtains as paranoia consumes him. “Our scientists develop new technologies at an unprecedented rate. I see a growing body of evidence that our military violates its charter. They misuse the new technologies and withhold their capabilities.”
Diana strokes his face. “We are here. In this moment. We have peace. We have love. We have each other. And we have a child. Let us celebrate the moment.” She sings away his fear and stokes his desire. He sweeps her into his arms and carries her to his bed.
Elaradth swoons from the power of her siren song. He watches the doorway curtain close behind the lovers. He closes the doorway curtain in Leucosia’s room to give them some additional privacy. Elaradth stands beside her cradle. “Don’t worry, Leucosia. I’m your brother, Elaradth. I will protect you.”
A hand on his shoulder stirs Paul awake. The bright burnt orange of the setting sun tells him he’s been out for a while. “Señor. Por favor,” his doorman friend Hector says. “Hora de irse ahora.”
Paul looks around. He sees Hector is the last man standing. Time to leave now. “Sí, gracias.” Paul grabs the joint and lighter. He follows Hector to the door and stumbles down the stairs. Once at the bottom, he removes his shoes and walks down to the ocean to wet his feet.
As his feet dig into the sand, he notices how relaxed and clear he feels. Damn! This is some good shit. He holds up the remaining two-thirds of the joint, checking his surroundings to confirm there’s no one in smell range. The coast is clear. Paul lights up and smokes it down to a tiny roach, flicking it into the ocean when he’s finished. As the effects hit, his mind flashes through his Atlantean dreams to date. He plants his feet in the sand, connected with the Earth as he experiences a moment of perfect clarity, holding the balance between contradictory feelings of deep peace, transcendent love and dark terror.
To succeed in the present, I must understand what happened in the past. Paul’s last lucid thought for the day dissolves into sensory overwhelm as his nerves and perception tingle with the intense high, and his clarity disintegrates into a full-fledged stoner paranoia.
The cartel is coming for my son! He breaks into a run and heads back for the house.
Chapter Eleven
Laura and Ellen cozy up on the couch, Laura with her laptop and Ellen with her Kindle. Alexei stands alone on the patio, smoking a cigarette. Paul runs into the house, and his expression of terror draws their attention.
His intensity gets Laura up off the couch. “Where’ve you been? Are you okay?”
Paul catches his breath. “I was walking on the beach. I thought the cartel was coming to the house.”
Laura checks his eyes. “No fucking way. You’re high!”
Paul owns it. “Yes, I am. But that doesn’t mean I’m hallucinating. Things have been getting weird for me since I visited the sirens’ island.”
“WHAT?” Laura and Ellen say in unison, loud enough to bring Alexei inside. The three of them gather around Laura.
Laura looks at Alexei, suspecting he knew about it. “Paul took a trip to the siren island by himself.” Alexei’s stoic non-reaction confirms to Paul that he already knew. “Tell us everything,” Laura says to Paul.
Paul grabs a bottle of water from the kitchen. “I followed a tour boat full of young women to the island. The party started as soon as they arrived. You’ve seen the drone footage, that facility is fucking huge! They even have a fucking dance club on the premises. The sirens did a deal with and the cartel. I met their head guy, El Jefazo. And I talked with Queen Leucosia.”
“Queen Leucosia?” Ellen shakes her head.
“Leucosia and I have some kind of connection that goes all the way back to Atlantis.” Paul recounts his dreams about Aztlan, Diana, Elaradth and the birth of Leucosia. “We were having shared dreams. She was inside my head, and I was inside hers. That’s why I went there. To talk to her.”
Laura combats an emotional storm surge. Without Erik’s presence to focus her on revenge, all the different feelings overwhelm her. Confusion about why Paul’s story resonated with her, as if she too had an Atlantean past. Anger at Paul for lying and endangering himself. Longing and desire for Leucosia, anger at herself for feeling it. Fear for their lives. Rage against the sirens for existing.
Paul continues. “Those women are the prospective mothers. The sirens plan to wipe out humanity.”
Laura takes a few breaths to calm herself and focus her energy. “And your bastard son is going to impregnate all these siren wannabes.”
�
�Not just Monica’s son,” Paul warns. “They want our son.” Ellen and Alexei intercept Laura just in time to stop her from slapping him.
“This makes no sense.” Ellen tries to think through her cognitive dissonance. “First, we all know we’re not giving Jason to them. Second, they’d have to wait at least twelve or thirteen years before they can pump out babies. And they’d be committing sexual crimes when they did it.” Rage overtakes her. “The Mallus Maleficarum was right! I told you, they are aqueous demons. Bring down the hammer!”
Alexei and Laura intercept Ellen before she can release her rage on their furniture. “Sirenians mature faster than humans,” Alexei explains. “For them, it is not a crime.” Alexei holds Ellen back while she simmers down.
Seeing her sister melt down snaps Laura out of her emotions and into analytical mode. “Paul is the father of this child. His mother is human. I agree with Ellen, they have criminal intent for the child. We have to stop this from happening.” She pauses for a long moment to analyze her storm of feelings. “Paul, I am furious beyond words,” she admits out loud for the first time. “You got another woman pregnant. But I can’t kill a child. We need a plan to wipe the sirens out and rescue that kid.”
“I have a plan,” Paul says. “I went there to negotiate peace.”
Laura’s emotions take over again. “Are you fucking kidding me?” she says, her voice full of venom.
“I’m not doing a good job of explaining it.” Paul stretches to loosen his tensing muscles. “The Sirenians were peaceful and loving. Something happened in Atlantis I don’t understand yet. They took a dark turn.”
Ellen grabs her Kindle. “I’ve read about this. Some believe Atlantis caused the Great Flood. One theory described a darkness that overwhelmed their society, a deep corruption of their morality that led to a gross misuse of their technological prowess.”
Paul cannot hide his disappointment that Leucosia would not consider his offer of peace. “I tried to appeal to her true nature. She would have no part of it.”