by J. M. Pierce
“There wasn’t time to think,” he replied defensively.
“I can’t believe you would…”
“Miss Lauren,” interrupted Cliff, shouting mildly over the top of her rant. “I understand your feelings, and I’m inclined to agree with you, but let’s let Prim finish, alright?”
Lauren glared at the old man as she folded her arms across her chest and leaned back into the couch. She ignored Prim’s hand as it rested on her thigh, even though his touch felt good.
With a sigh as he looked at Lauren’s bitter expression, he continued. “It should have been pretty simple, and it worked too. The only problem is that we didn’t take the boy’s powers into account.”
“We couldn’t have planned for that,” said Iku.
Prim looked over to him and nodded his head subtly.
Wanting nothing except to hear what had happened, Test laced his fingers together in front of him and squeezed until they hurt as he tried to keep himself from sounding like Lauren on a bad day. It didn’t work. “Do you two want to fill us in on everything or are you just going to keep giving each other looks all night while we sit in the dark?” As he glanced back and forth between Iku and Prim, he caught a glimpse of Lauren and could’ve sworn he’d seen her smile.
“The boy can take our power,” said Iku as he leaned forward. “We had Casper and Ashley in our grasp, and then the boy used his gift.”
“Wait a minute,” said Lauren with a look of disbelief. “You’re telling me that the kid beat both of you—at the same time?” As she glared at Iku, Prim answered.
“Yes. He has a power like nothing any of us have ever seen or heard of in a Shadow.”
“Reaper,” said Iku. “The boy proclaimed himself a Reaper.”
Wrinkling his brow, Prim replied curtly. “Semantics, Iku. Do you want to tell the story?”
With a lowering of his head, Iku conceded without response.
“Anyway,” continued Prim. “There was nothing either one of us could do. It was bizarre. The kid’s power almost seemed to flow in reverse. The glow of his energy raced backwards from his hands to his chest. It almost felt like we were opposite ends of a magnet and I was being pulled towards him.” Now regretting snapping at Iku moments before, Prim revealed the truth that he knew would send Lauren over the edge. “If it hadn’t been for Iku, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
Prim watched Lauren for a response, and was confused by the lack of one. She sat in a reclined position, continuing to have her arms folded across her chest as she stared at her knees. After a moment, he heard her voice in a whisper.
“I can’t do this anymore.”
“What?” he asked, turning slightly.
Lauren’s mouth hung open and the bags under her eyes seemed to grow two shades darker. “I can’t do this anymore,” she said, this time with more force.
Prim watched her face as she looked to him. He’d never seen her look so broken before. “What do you mean?” he asked.
As she began to stand, she felt Prim grip her forearm and, with an explosion of fury, she ripped it from him. “I can’t worry about whether or not our baby is going to have a father anymore! I can’t worry about if you’re going to be there for us, or if you’re going to be some bullshit dad that puts everything else before us!”
As Lauren stood in front of Iku while leaning towards Prim, the room seemed to enter a vacuum. Everyone, even Alyssa and Cliff who knew the truth, looked at her with a profound, jaw dropping amazement.
Prim’s ears were ringing in the silence. He rewound her words and tried to process what it was that she had said. “You…you’re pregnant?” he asked in amazement.
Not knowing if she wanted to hug him or punch him, Lauren replied bluntly. “Yes—I’m pregnant.” She watched as he continued to stare. He wetted his lips and swallowed a couple of times as she awaited his response.
Glancing to the floor and nearly breathless, Prim whispered to himself. “I’m going to be a father?” He looked back to Lauren. “We’re going to have a baby?”
Lauren looked down on Prim and saw a warm, happy glow wash over his face. Her words failed her. All she could do was nod. She watched as he stood and, as he reached out both hands to her, she took hold of them as her own hands trembled.
“How long have you known?” he asked.
The lump in her throat could have choked a blue whale. “For a while,” she replied.
Prim looked down to her stomach. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was afraid.”
As he caressed her hands with his thumbs, Prim asked the question tenderly. “Of what?”
Lauren couldn’t stop the tears from coming as the swell of emotion burst. Her bottom lip quivered and her chin dimpled as she tried to speak. “I don’t know,” she replied as she rolled her eyes. “My only experience with a father wasn’t so…”
“Lauren,” interrupted Prim. “I’m not your father.” He pulled her closer to him and rested his hand on her stomach. “I love you and I’m never going to leave your side. Do you hear me?”
With her head hanging low, her hair draped over her shoulders, Lauren collapsed into Prim’s arms. He hugged her with a desperate affection that he’d never thought himself capable of. “We’re having a baby,” he whispered in her ear.
With her voice muffled, Lauren asked, “Are you happy?”
He pulled her away from him and placed his hands on her face once again. “Happy?” he asked with a twisted look followed by a grin. “No—I’m not happy. I’m ecstatic.”
Everyone in the room felt warmth in their hearts as the couple shared their moment; each of them forgetting, just for a moment, how dangerous the days ahead could become.
Chapter 27
It was late. Though each of those that required sleep were tired, they were unable to put away the excitement and anxiety that the day had produced.
Test had gone to his room while Iku had decided that a night under the stars would do his spirit some good. Cliff, Alyssa, and Aiden had all gone out for a late night stroll through the forest, hoping to see some of the nocturnal animals that might be on the prowl. Aiden was particularly excited about seeing an owl or some bats.
Alone in the living room, Prim sat on the far end of the couch with his head leaning back and resting on the wall while Lauren sprawled out the length of the couch with her head in his lap.
She felt calm in what seemed like the first time in forever. She held her eyes closed, relishing each passing of Prim’s fingers through her hair. If he paused, she would turn into him and nuzzle into his stomach, hoping to spur him to continue.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked softly.
With a grin, she replied without opening her eyes. “Nothing—nothing at all.”
“You’re beautiful.”
Her grin turning into a smile, she opened her eyes and looked up into his. “You’re not too bad yourself,” she replied.
Rolling his eyes, he rested his right hand on her stomach. “Say thank you. You need to learn how to take a compliment.”
Marveling at how warm his hand felt as it rested on her belly, she closed her eyes once again and ignored him.
“Have you felt him kick yet?” asked Prim.
Her eyes shot open. “Him? What makes you think it’s a him?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I didn’t mean that I thought it was, that’s just how it came out.”
“No,” replied Lauren.
“No it’s not a boy?”
Squishing her face comically, she replied. “I haven’t felt it kick yet, doofus.”
He gazed down into her eyes and studied her face for a moment. “How far along do you think you are?”
Looking away from him while in thought, she replied. “I’m not sure.”
“Do you think we should go to a doctor?”
Lauren lifted herself from Prim’s lap, sitting up on the couch next to him, and turned. “Are you serious?”
His head recoiled. “I don�
��t know. I guess? Maybe? Isn’t that what people do?”
“That’s what humans do, but what do you think would happen if a Shadow walked into a gynecologist’s office?”
“The same thing he does with everyone else. Check under the hood?” he replied with a smirk.
Finally realizing that he was egging her on, she slapped him on the chest before she leaned in for a kiss. As she pulled away, she spoke with a feisty tone. “You’re bad, Primus. You are bad.”
“I must be,” he replied. “You never use my name like that unless I’m in trouble.” He paused for a second and looked at her with hopeful eyes. “How bad have I been?” he asked.
She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Dream on, lover boy. We’re having a baby. Those days are over.” Before he could reply, she stretched back out on the couch and rested her head on his lap once again. “We’d better get some sleep. You’ve had a rough day and tomorrow we’ll have to figure out what we’re going to do.” As she allowed the peace to envelop her once more, Prim’s stern voice fractured the moment.
“We?”
She opened her eyes to his brow forked with concern. “Well, yeah; you, me, Test, and Iku; we have to figure out what we’re going to do next.”
Shaking his head adamantly, Prim replied. “No, no, no—you’re out of this conversation.”
With a sudden swell of resentment flooding through her, Lauren shot up again. “What are you talking about? You need me. If this kid is a strong as you say he is, then…”
“No!” shouted Prim. “Things are different now. You have to think of the baby.”
“So what, I’m just supposed to let you go off and die without us?” she snapped.
“That’s not what I mean!” he shouted.
Lauren stood from the couch, her words echoing in the tiny room. “Then what do you mean?”
“I mean I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you!” he shouted back as he stood in front of her. “What if you go? What if you’re the one that is killed and I survive? I could never forgive myself! I won’t take that chance!”
“What in the hell is going on in here?”
Both Prim and Lauren spun towards the doorway where Test stood wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. In unison, they both roared. “GET OUT!”
Flinching at their volume, Test held up his hands and quickly retreated.
Turning back to Prim, Lauren continued her barrage. “That’s pretty selfish of you, don’t you think?”
“What, that I want you and my child to be safe?”
Lauren stammered for a moment; her thoughts coming too fast. “No!” she shouted back.
Prim’s head tilted to the side as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to make sense of her response. “Look,” he said. “I don’t know that it’s even safe for you to be shifting to the other side. I don’t know anything.” He stopped and thought for a millisecond. “To be honest, I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of a Shadow being pregnant before.” He opened his eyes and looked at his love as she stood before him with tears beginning to well in her eyes. Closing his, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. As he opened them, he watched as her bottom lip jutted out slightly. Seeing her so upset, upset in a way he wasn’t used to seeing, he felt the intensity of the moment melt.
He reached out to her and took her hand into his as he pulled her closer. “Look,” he said tenderly. “There are so many things we just don’t know.” He placed his index finger under her chin and lifted so that he could see her face even though she refused to look at him. “There is one thing I do know for certain.” With her eyes straining to the side away from his, he gripped her chin and turned her head gently. “I love you. My mission in life now is to make sure that you and our baby are okay.”
With her bottom lip beginning to quiver, her eyes locked on his. “Then don’t go.” Her voice began to break. “Let’s go away, just the three of us.”
Prim felt his heart begin to break. “We can’t do that, Lauren. I can’t do that.”
“Why?” she asked as the tears began to flow down her cheeks.
“Because as long as the twins are alive—as long as that boy is with them—you will never be safe.”
Exhausted and feeling defeated, Lauren was unwilling to even respond. Instead, she fell forward with her forehead on his chest and allowed the tears to fall.
****
The phone ringing in the kitchen jolted Test from his slumber. His eyes shot open and he looked at the clock through blurred vision. He was surprised to see that it was after noon and, as the phone rang once again, he felt annoyed that no one was answering it. Throwing his covers off, he stood from the bed and slipped on a pair of cargo shorts as he yawned. He opened his bedroom door and shouted down the hallway as the phone rang again and again.
“Hey! Anyone want to get that?”
The house was quiet and no one echoed a response as the phone continued to ring. Test stepped out into the hall and headed for the kitchen as the front door opened and Iku appeared.
“Where the hell is everyone?” asked Test, turning into the kitchen before Iku could answer. As he took the phone from the receiver, a sudden chill ran through him.
“Hello?”
“Test?” answered Thad.
Rubbing the side of his face with his free hand, Test replied through a yawn. “Yeah, it’s me. What’s up?”
“Jesus, I was beginning to wonder if anyone was going to pick up the phone.”
Test turned to see Iku standing in the kitchen doorway. “Yeah,” he replied to Thad. “I just woke up and no one was in the house. I don’t know where they all are.”
“You need to find them,” answered Thad.
Hearing the urgency in his voice, Test cupped his hand over the phone and spoke to Iku. “Get everyone in here. Thad’s on the phone.”
With a nod, Iku’s form flared in white as he phased to the other side while Test placed the phone back to his ear.
“Hold on—Iku’s going to round them up.”
“Who?” asked Thad.
Before Test could answer, Iku flashed back into view. He stood behind the far side of the kitchen table as Cliff, Alyssa, and Aiden materialized by his side.
“Where’s Prim and Laur…”
Before he could finish his question, he heard the front door open and both Prim and Lauren entered the kitchen gasping for breath.
Puzzled by them not following Iku in the Shadow realm, Test pushed the button and turned on the speaker phone.
“Okay, Thad. Everyone’s here,” he said with a quick glance to Alyssa, wondering if Aiden should be in the room. The stern look on her face quickly told him that asking her to leave was probably not an option.
“What’s up, boy?” asked Cliff as he walked closer to the phone. “Did you see somethin’?”
“I told you I was going to Manhattan today, right?” replied Thad.
“Yes,” answered the old man.
“Well, I know where I’ve seen the dam before.” There was a short pause. “I’m standing at the spillway of it right now. It’s Tuttle Creek here in Manhattan.”
“Kansas?” asked Test. “Does this mean that the clones are being made in Kansas?”
“Maybe so,” replied Cliff.
“Why would they build a top secret facility like that in the middle of Kansas?” asked Test naively.
Stepping forward from the doorway, Prim replied. “That’s exactly why it’s a brilliant place to build it. Most would never consider looking for it there even though it is home to a large number of the United States’ most strategic and powerful military weaponry.”
“How do you know this?” asked Iku from his original position across the room.
Cliff looked to Prim and raised a brow. He remembered back to when he was a boy in Kansas; the day Prim had appeared to him in the hay loft. “Because he spent some time there,” he replied as he studied Prim’s features and marveled at how little he’d physically changed from what he remem
bered of that day.
With a nod, Prim replied. “That’s true, but my time in Kansas was spent well before this technology was in place.”
“So how do you know?” asked Iku once more.
“The internet,” he replied, making gestures with his fingers as though he were typing on a keyboard. “When the internet first came to be, I was consumed by it for a couple of years.”
“You’re never on the computer,” replied Lauren from the doorway.
Prim turned to her with a weak smile. “I find it boring now,” he said with a wink. “I have other ways in which I’d rather spend my time.”
Through the phone, Thad spoke with impatience. “Look, I’m glad I’m not the only nerd in the room, but what the hell are you guys talking about? Clones? What do you mean?”
Prim began to shake his head as he pursed his lips and then cursed under his breath.
“He might as well know,” said Cliff in a gruff whisper. Waiting for Prim to acknowledge him, he spoke only after Prim nodded his agreement. “We think the government is making clones of Test.”
The other end of the phone was silent for a moment.
“Boy?” asked Cliff.
Thad stammered on the other end before forming a coherent sentence. “Run that by me one more time.”
“Thad, this is Prim. The government has already made a clone of Test. What’s worse is that they already lost him.”
“Lost him?” replied Thad.
“Technically he was stolen, but that’s beside the point,” replied Prim. “The point is that we think the Reapers who took the first clone are going to try to create more.”
After another brief pause, Thad replied. “That’s bad, right?”
With a huff, Cliff answered. “Yeah, boy; that’s bad.”
“Thad,” began Prim. “I’m assuming that you’ve been to Manhattan before; are there any new buildings in the area? Something you’ve not seen before?”
“Heck yes. This town changes more than any other I’ve ever seen. The entire east side of town is new.”
Frustrated, Prim let out a deep sigh. “Smart,” he whispered to himself.