New Earth

by Orrin Jason Bradford

  "Meet me at the Sheik's office with the two girls," she instructed the guard, "and have someone take the older one on up to the Harem. Let Zillah know that I'll bring the other two to her shortly after Hassan has had a chance to meet them."

  Willow walked back to the Sheik’s office, which was only a few yards from the oasis area where he customarily started his day with a light breakfast and a swim in the pool. The exterior wall was all glass, with two large glass doors that opened onto the pool’s patio.

  She was surprised to find one of the other Kindred sisters already there from the Harem.

  "This is Tina," the Sheik said by way of introduction. "I figured she could help welcome her two sisters to their new home. You'll make them feel comfortable, right Tina?"

  The young girl nodded to Willow with a welcoming smile. She wore bright blue pants and a yellow top, both made of the most elegant silk fabric. Her feet were bare, and she had pulled her hair back in a ponytail.

  "It'll be great for us to be reunited with them," Tina replied. "We've all missed them so much."

  “Well, you certainly seem to have acclimated well,” Willow said.

  "Sure, why not," Tina replied. "It's great here. Oh, it was a little scary at first, but Zillah has welcomed us with open arms. Made us feel right at home, well, really better than home since the only home we've ever really known was the research lab where we were born and where we were treated like freaks of nature. No, being a part of Sheik Hassan's harem is wonderful."

  Willow nodded agreeably, but something inside her wasn't buying what Tina was selling. Before she could find out more, the security guard arrived with the other two girls.

  Tabitha and Kristin looked much worse for wear. Their clothes were wrinkled and dirty, their hair disheveled, and they looked as though they were still partially under the influence of the sedative. But both their faces brightened upon seeing their sister.

  Flip placed the phone receiver back in its cradle and sighed with relief. It had been a productive morning. As he rose from the bed where he'd been sitting, he looked over to where Damba stood so he could stare out the large window. In the last twenty-four hours, the boy had grown obsessed by the view.

  “Good news, Damba,” Flip said, joining Damba at the window.

  “I just contracted for two luxury limos with a ‘very discreet’ car service. Least that’s how my contacts described them.”

  Damba nodded but didn’t say anything.

  “Just one more acquisition and our work will be done here,” Flip continued.

  “What’s that?” Damba asked, finally breaking away from staring out the window.

  “I’ve got to retain a couple of fake license plates with low numbers for the limos.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Well, in Dubai, the lower the license plate number, the more important the person or people riding inside. We want to be sure our party appears to be very important so they can pass through the city without any interference.”

  “Oh, I see,” Dambai answered, turning his attention back to the distant scene out the window.

  “What’s on your mind, Damba? You’ve been staring out that window all morning.”

  Damba shrugged but didn't answer.

  “You know you can talk to me,” Flip persisted. “We’re in this together.”

  "Really?" Damba finally replied, turning to look at Flip. "I don't see that I'm in it at all. You're doing all the work. I just seem to be along for the ride. Isn't part of your job to babysit me and keep me out of James' and Pat's hair?"

  “No, not at all,” Flip replied, though he thought Damba was at least partly correct.

  “Then what is my role?” Damba turned away from the window and walked over to the bed and then back to the window. “I feel like I’m a wild animal locked up in a cage...a very fancy cage, but still a cage. Meanwhile, in less than twenty-four hours, James will be turning Alp over to some power-hungry crook that we know very little about.”

  “Is that what is troubling you?” Flip asked, relieved that the boy was finally talking.

  “Damn right!” Damba shouted. “I should be with her. How can I protect her from harm if I’m stuck here in this damn hotel room while she’s over there? What is my role in all this?”

  “Well, that’s a good question; but you might not want to announce it to rest of the world,” Flip said as he struggled to come up with a plausible answer. “We weren’t sure how easy or difficult it was going to be to obtain the transportation we needed, so I asked you to come along in case we needed someone who could blend in. As it turned out...”

  “I’ve been completely unnecessary,” Damba finished for him.

  “Well, I wouldn’t say that,” Flip replied.

  “You just did,” Damba shot back.

  “But the mission is far from over, Damba. We don’t know what might happen in the next day or so. You can think of yourself as our ace-in-the-hole.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Damba asked.

  “Well, it’s a poker term,” Flip replied.

  “What’s poker?”

  “Oh, never mind. It means you’re our reserve for unexpected contingencies.”

  Damba stared at him, a confused look on his face.

  “In case the shit hits the fan,” Flip tried again.

  Damba continued to stare at Flip for several seconds before turning away, anger replacing the look of confusion.

  "I'll be in my room if you need me," he said as he stomped out of the room. He stopped at the door to his bedroom. "You know if the shit hits the fan."

  The three sisters rushed to hug each other while Willow and Hassan looked on. After several seconds, Hassan spoke up.

  “Well, isn’t that sweet. I always enjoy a good family reunion.”

  Tina continued to hug Tabitha and Kristin while glancing over to the Sheik. “Thank you for bringing our sisters back to us.”

  But at the same time, she was also sending her sisters a different message.

  Play along with me.

  What’s that? Tabitha asked.

  Just play along with whatever I say. It’ll be mostly lies.

  Tina pulled back from Tabitha and Kristin and gave them a slight nod to confirm they understood. They nodded back.

  “Welcome home,” Tina said. “We were all so worried about you when you fell into the water. We were afraid we’d never see you again. Boy, you would have missed out. We’ve been having such a fun time; thanks to everything that this dear man has provided.”

  Tabitha and Kristin glanced over at their host, confused looks on their faces.

  Remember...play along. Tabitha reminded them.

  “I’m only too happy to provide you with a safe sanctuary,” Hassan replied with a nod to Tina. He turned his gaze to Willow, a smug look on his face as though to say, see how well this is turning out.

  “Where’s our brother?” Tabitha asked, pulling away from Tina and taking a menacing step towards Hassan. “What have you done with Mel?”

  Willow stepped between her and Hassan. “He’s indisposed at the moment. Best you keep your attention on you and your sisters, for now.”

  “What have you done with him?” Tabitha persisted.

  “He’s completely safe and out of harm’s way,” Hassan answered. “Don’t fret about him.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Tina said. Cool it, Tab. We’ll find Mel later. Promise.

  Tabitha glared at her sister but said nothing more.

  “It’s so good to see you,” Kristin spoke up, trying to relieve the tension. “How is everyone else?”

  “They’re just fine,” Tina answered. “More than fine. We’re having so much fun and have met so many wonderful people. I can’t wait to introduce you to them.”

  It's horrible here. They watch us constantly. We have to do exactly whatever the Sheik asks including wearing these ridiculous outfits. It's like being in prison. But as she shared their real situation, Tina continued to smile broadly.<
br />
  “I’m looking forward to discovering what special talents you two possess,” Hassan continued as he walked over to his desk and flipped a switch on the phone console. “But for now, I’ll give you a little time to become acclimated to your new home.”

  "Yes, sir?" A male voice came from the phone,

  Hassan leaned over the desk as he spoke. “Take our two new guests to meet Zillah.”

  He turned back to the girls. "My wife, Zillah, manages my harem and she'll make sure you're taken care of. Right, Tina?"

  “Yes, Sheik Hassan. She’s become like a mother to us. I don’t know what we’d do without her,” Tina replied. But I'd sure like to find out. She's a selfish, self-centered tyrant who continually nags us and keeps putting her nose in our business, she added for Tabitha and Kristin’s sake.

  The door to Hassan's office opened, and a pudgy man entered wearing a security guard uniform that appeared to be about three sizes too small.

  The three of us could overpower this jackass and get out of here, Tabitha said as she stared at Tina for confirmation of her spontaneous plan.

  It won’t work, Tina replied. There are security cameras everywhere. We’d get caught in no time, plus they’d still have our other sisters.

  Tabitha continued to glare at Tina for several seconds before finally relinquishing. Okay, for now, but remember who's the leader now that I'm back.

  The guard waved them towards the door. Still smiling, Tina led the way with Tabitha and Kristin reluctantly following behind her. After they’d left, the Sheik turned to Willow.

  "Good job bringing them in. What's the status of the boy?"

  "He's sedated and under close guard," Willow replied.

  “Okay, good, at least for now. Eventually, we’ll need to figure out what to do with him. He might be one of our greatest assets.”

  “Well, for sure he’s the most dangerous one,” Willow replied.

  “True,” Sheik Hassan agreed, “We’ll just need to find a way to turn that danger to our advantage.”

  Surprise

  THE GUARD ESCORTED the three sisters down the hall to the elevator that would take them to the upper level where the harem quarters were. Waiting for the elevator, Tina glanced first to Tabitha and then to Kristin.

  Something is different about the two of you, but I can’t put my finger on what it is.

  She noticed Tabitha trying to signal Kristin with a slight shake of her head. Unfortunately, Kristin either didn’t catch the motion or chose to ignore it.

  We’re both pregnant! Kristin conveyed enthusiastically as though she was just waiting for the opportunity to share the news.

  You’re what? Tina asked incredulously as the elevator dinged and the door began to open. How is that possible? You're too young, are you sure? Who's the father, never mind. It's Mel, isn't it?

  The three of them walked into the elevator with the guard close behind them. He pushed the button for the second floor and waited for the elevator door to close.

  Yes, Mel’s the father, Tabitha replied. You just had to spill the beans, didn't you, Kristin?

  No, wait, Tina interrupted. No time to argue. We've got to keep this a secret. There's no telling what Hassan will do if he finds out. Are you showing yet?

  Yeah, a little bit, Kristin said, but only without our clothes and if you look closely.

  Well, mother Zillah will do just that, Tina replied, and everyone is forced to take a shower or bath upon entering the harem. We’ve got to make sure she’s not around when you get yours.

  Okay, how we do that?

  I haven't the foggiest idea; Tina replied as the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

  The harem was a large room that occupied close to half of the upper story of Falcon Nest, divided into different areas by plush furniture with an abundance of colorful pillows and lounge chairs. There were tables scattered about with various activities ranging from simple cards to computers displaying the latest video games.

  As the three girls entered, their guard spoke briefly to one of the women sitting behind the reception desk, giving Tabitha a chance to look around. She estimated at least fifteen or twenty other women lay around the lounge room, a few munching on a late breakfast or snack. She noticed that while long dark hair seemed to predominate, several women were blonde and one or two were redheads. The two things they all had in common was their exotic beauty and healthy, youthful appearance. She noticed one other common quality; they all appeared incredibly bored until a couple of them saw her and Kristin. Immediately a wave of whispers flew through the room as everyone turned their attention to the new arrivals.

  Through the flock of femme fatale strolled a slightly older but still gorgeous woman, the translucent light blue fabric of her dress flowing behind her like a wave cascading on the beach. She wore her sandy blonde hair back in a severe bun that gave her face a harsh look accentuated by steely gray eyes.

  That's Zillah; Tina conveyed as she plastered a fake smile on her face. Don’t be fooled by her.

  “Hello, my darling girls. Welcome to your new home,” Zillah said waving her arms around like a dancer listening to her own music. “I’m Zillah, Hassan’s first wife, but just think of me as the mother you never knew. Isn’t that right, Tina?”

  “Sure,” Tina replied, the smile never wavering, but before she could elaborate, there was a commotion from behind Zillah as the rest of the Kindred sisters rushed forward.

  “Oh my,” Zillah said as the girls passed her. “What a wonderful reunion.”

  For several minutes, the room was filled with greetings, mixed with hugs and kisses and more than a few tears.

  "We've so missed the two of you," Mia said as she hugged first Tabitha and then Kristin.

  "Yeah, we've even missed your bossiness," Heather said as she took her turn to hug Tabitha. The sisters, dressed in colorful outfits much like the one Tina wore, encircled the two new arrivals, chattering without anyone listening, until Tina delivered the news.

  Listen up. We have a problem. Tabitha and Kristin are both pregnant with Mel’s babies.

  The scene instantly froze like someone had pressed the pause button on a video, and the chattering stopped as well, but only for a couple of seconds as Tina stepped up and exclaimed.

  "Welcome to our not-so-humble abode. Isn't this great?" She waved her arms to reanimate her sisters. The activity resumed but with a noticeable decrease in enthusiasm.

  Mimi Rawlins positioned herself several yards away from the front entrance in a distant corner of the harem room. Her feelings still smarted from the calloused comments from her first meeting with Zillah.

  "What are you doing here?" Zillah had asked in near perfect English. "You're not at all Hassan's type," she continued as she reached out and touched Mimi's hair with a disdaining wave of her hand. "Way too short and a terrible dye job." Zillah grasped her face between her two hands and studied it. "Nice bone structure though. I can work with it, though you'll never be one of his favorites."

  I have no interest in being one of his favorites, Mimi started to say, but then thought better of it.

  “She came with the other young girls,” her guard said to Zillah in Arabic. “Not sure what we’re going to do with her.”

  “So you dump her on me, is that it?” Zillah replied in the same language while Mimi looked on with a puzzled look on her face.

  The guard shrugged with a boyish grin. “Yeah, that’s about the size of it.”

  Zillah turned her attention back to Mimi. "We will start with a thorough cleaning. You girls come to me all filthy and smelling like pigs. Remove those nasty clothes. I'll have someone bring you a clean outfit, and I'll give you one warning. Do what I say, and everything will be fine. Cross me at your own peril. Do you understand?"

  Mimi nodded and began to disrobe. She figured the best thing she could do was to keep as low a profile as possible, at least until she got the lay of the land. She did as she was told and allowed two of the other women to take her into the shower
s where she was thoroughly scrubbed down. By the time she was finished, her old clothes were gone, and new ones were laid out in a neat stack.

  Afterwards, it didn't take her long to find Kristin's other sisters, since they were huddled together in one small group and were much younger than the rest of the harem. She thought about walking over to them and introducing herself but then decided to just play the newspaper reporter role by keeping her eyes and ears open. There would be plenty of time to get to know them later. It looked like they would all be here for quite a while.

  This should make an exciting chapter in my memoirs, she thought. How I tried to help out a new friend, only to find myself imprisoned in a sheik's harem. Yeah, good stuff for a book; but I'd prefer it be something I imagined for one of my works of fiction rather than my autobiography.

  She was about to doze off on a couch in the corner of the room when she heard a commotion at the front desk. She sat up to get a better view as Kristin and Tabitha entered, along with another young girl that Mimi suspected was another sister. Let's see that makes seven girls; she thought as she counted the ones she'd seen earlier. How many had the secretary back at the Research Triangle said there'd been? She couldn't remember, but it seemed like if not all of them, most of them were here, but for what reason, she wondered? Suddenly, both her reporter's radar and her survival instincts went on high alert.

  She noticed the sudden pause that took place for a couple of seconds. What had just happened? Every one of the sisters had stopped talking or moving simultaneously. But why? Even as she asked the question, everyone returned to normal...but not wholly. Something had just passed among the sisters, something important. And like any good reporter, Mimi knew she wouldn't rest until she found out what it was.

  As the clan of sisters moved back to the lounging area with Kristin and Tabitha, Mimi stood up and sauntered over, continuing to stay out of the way, waiting for the right opportunity to introduce herself.

  It didn’t take long before the moment arrived. Two of the sisters appeared to be keeping watch towards the front of the harem where Zillah continued to talk to the guard.