“Yes. The original goes to the Ryxin PI Bureau, who monitors your training, but I also run off two copies – one for the mainland RJD and one for the island branch. So you see why they are valuable documents?”
Janux sighed. She hated doing reports.
Her next assignment was to gather background information on Nayxana. Curtis directed Janux to visit the Ryxin Women’s Refuge and interview anyone who might have known her. This too had to be made into a report that she must then present to Curtis who would be sending off copies, so she felt bound to make her work as accurate and informative as possible.
Janux went first to Kieran’s website to search for more information about Nayxana.
When she was two a Human couple called Freda and Ogar Stallf adopted Nayxana. They were an older couple. Ogar Stallf was a statistician for the Human government and therefore had priority when choosing a child for adoption. As instructed, they moulded Nayxana to be like a Human in every way. When she turned eighteen, a marriage was arranged for her. Ogar had a workmate who visited him often and it was he who was chosen to marry Nayxana. His name was Oskin Vasco, aged thirty, and they were married.
It was mid-morning when Janux arrived by scooter at the Ryxin Women’s Refuge. She waited several minutes before Cyxia, the woman in charge, allowed her to enter.
“I work for Curtis McCoy, a Ryxin Private Investigator, employed to find out who killed Mrs Vasco. Our job is to make sure the person responsible pays for what they’ve done.” Janux wanted to reassure Cyxia they were doing all they could in this regard. “I’m his Trainee Assistant and I can tell you now, we’ll both do whatever it takes to get justice for Nayxana and make this island a safer place.”
“The cops have arrested her old man. No need to look any further, Janux, trainee PI.” Cyxia gave a wry smirk.
“We think he’s probably a fall guy. They like to tidy things up pretty fast, these cops, you know. Just clear it away and make everyone feel better. We want to find the truth.”
Cyxia led Janux to her office and closed the door. “Nayxana was well known to us all here,” she said.
“What was she like?” Janux asked.
“We all liked her. She was pretty quiet and timid at first, but then she opened up to us more. Some of the women here reckon she was special. They called her ‘the known one’. You know what I mean?” She looked expectantly at Janux.
Janux pretended ignorance. “In what way was she ‘the known one’, sister?”
“She had the gift, eh? We’re not supposed to say, but we knew.”
Janux also knew. Nayxana had the telepathy gene, just as she did – Uxxl had made that clear. “Did her husband know about this gift she had?”
“No way, but she trusted us, eh? We’re all sisters here. She was scared of her old man. Coming here was her escape for a day. It was the only freedom she had.”
“Sister, you’ve helped me a lot today. I thank you.” Janux already felt a bond with Cyxia.
“C’mon, I’ll get you some coffee and you can talk to some of the other volunteers.” Cyxia took Janux by the arm and steered her into a kitchen-like room where several women were seated round a table, drinking coffee and chatting.
Janux dared not disclose that she too was a ‘known one’. She was still alive and her gift had always meant danger. Her father had taught her well.
When she rode the scooter home again from Seal Bay, Janux went straight to her computer and began to search Ryxin sites for any further knowledge of ‘the known ones’. The saying seemed to have originated from women who were born with the telepathy gene and this fact had become known to some select friends and even family. Eventually ‘the known ones’ became a saying that meant they were known to have this gift. Janux had never heard it before.
More than anything, Janux wanted to find other women who could communicate telepathically. She decided to send out a message next time she heard static coming through. This usually happened about three times a day, sometimes more often, and had increased since their return from Ireland.
At 3.10 p.m. some static came through and she thought she heard a voice saying, who are you? so Janux sent back a message: Whoever you are, please meet me outside the village library at 10.15 a.m. tomorrow. I’ll wait an hour. You are quite safe.
Next morning Janux decided to travel by bus to the village. The Vespa had been coughing and sputtering and she suspected it needed to have its spark plugs cleaned.
The island bus, usually driven by an old and unreliable driver, had today turned up at the stated time of 9.30 a.m. Janux had to rush to get on board. The young new driver was polite and obviously keen to get passengers.
“Old driver passed away,” he announced. “That’s why you got me now. No more worries, eh?”
“No more worries, you’re right,” Janux replied. “Are you taking over the run?”
“Sure am, ma’am. No more late runs, eh?”
They arrived in the village at 9.55 a.m. and Janux went straight over to the library and sat on one of their outside seats. She looked up and down the street but there were only a few elderly women pushing shopping carts. Yet within ten minutes a woman with long auburn hair was sitting at the other end of the seat, quietly reading a magazine.
Janux noticed but made no move to speak to her. Instead she sent her a mind message. My name is Janux. Did you contact me?
The woman didn’t move from her position and kept reading her magazine, but within a few seconds Janux was receiving a message back.
Yes, I’m the one. My name is Lodax. Can we go somewhere else and talk?
The Blue-Planet Café, just down the road. Meet me there in fifteen minutes.
Janux got up and walked slowly down to the café, stopping to look in shop windows on the way. A surreptitious look back showed Lodax still sitting in the same position, reading. When she reached the entrance she stopped for a moment and read the notice in the window that explained how the now dead planet, Ryxin, looked an inky blue colour when viewed from Earth’s planetary observatories, hence the name Blue Planet.
The far end of the cafe was very dim so Janux chose a table there, facing the door so she could see when Lodax entered and beckon her over. The waitress came and she ordered a flat white. She looked at her watch, ten minutes had passed. Surely any minute now Lodax would come striding through the door?
After taking another sip of her coffee, Janux looked up and saw a large man entering the cafe. He had an extremely bloated stomach. Janux thought nothing of it, until he flicked open a newspaper he was carrying and began reading. She’d seen that gesture before, not too long ago. Then to her horror she realised when. She’d told Curtis how a man had followed them through Dublin Airport on their way back to New Zealand. He’d been large with an enormous stomach, a small head and a pasty face. As they’d taken their seats she’d noticed he was on their left just four seats away. Shortly afterwards he’d taken the liberty of patting the air-hostess on the bottom as she walked past. When the hostess had abruptly turned to see who had done this, the man had his head conveniently hidden behind a newspaper.
What was he doing here, in the cafe? It seemed to Janux too much of a coincidence. She had to warn Lodax not to come. The man was hidden behind his paper now so she couldn’t see his face at all. But before she could send her a telepathic message, Lodax was sitting beside her, and looking at her with a serious expression.
“Shh,” Janux said, before Lodax had a chance to say anything.
“What do you mean?” Lodax whispered. She had her back to the man.
There’s someone in here I don’t trust, Janux messaged her telepathically. Can I ask you how you found me?
You’re in danger, Lodax sent back. My mating-partner has been given a list of women who have the telepathy gene. Your name is on it which means him and his kind mean to eliminate you. So far they don’t know I’m also one. If he ever does find out I’m done for. And just for the record, whether you use your telepathic powers or not, it makes no
difference. The simple fact that you were born with the gene is enough. They don’t like that.
My father always warned me to tell no one, Janux messaged back. But obviously I haven’t been careful enough.
They have a powerful source tracking us down. Can we meet again somewhere?
The waitress was by their table now. “Coffee, ma’am?” she enquired of Lodax.
“Cappuccino, thanks,” Lodax replied, sitting back in her chair and putting on a smile.
“The weather looks bad,” Janux said, as if it was the most important thing.
The waitress walked away, humming to herself, past the large man who reached out and patted her bottom as she passed. Janux watched as the waitress gasped and turned but the culprit once again had his head buried in the newspaper.
The waitress obviously decided not to pursue the matter and everything seemed normal again, but Janux’s mind was racing from one thing to another. She asked herself how anyone could know or even suspect she had the gift. When she looked up again, the man was gone, his empty cup on the table the only sign anyone had been there. The waitress came and took it away, scowling in the direction of the door.
CHAPTER 9
Curtis was obsessed with the thought of Luxinda and their unborn child. He told himself to forget about her and get on with his new case. He couldn’t afford to get side-tracked. But still, he was the father and this consumed his mind, day and night. He’d been denied the right to father Marzy’s child and now Luxinda was locked in that vile prison-like Home for Single Mothers and he was forbidden to see her.
He also remembered his father’s advice. When you fall in love suddenly, son, don’t let it throw you. Be good to whoever those women are and know that they too are in love with you. That’s the Ryxin way, son. That’s how we’re made.
A cold, steely rage had been slowly building inside him whenever he thought of Luxinda and how she’d been treated. It was as if she had no real sense of identity and had allowed herself to be brainwashed into believing that her role in life was solely to produce children for the great Ryxin cause. That, for her, was the only way to receive any kind of love. Of course right through her childhood, after being born to be a number, the reality had been that her own will had always been overpowered by someone else. Perhaps she didn’t believe she had a choice.
Months ago, when he’d first told her about the plan to escape with him, he was certain he’d seen a bright spark of hope in her eyes. Yet as soon as her ruthless masters knew about her pregnancy she gave up, once again confirming her own conviction of powerlessness.
He hated the Ryxin pure-blood control, sometimes even more than the Human controls all around them. Why should he wait any longer? He kept arguing the case with himself and finally made up his mind to go to the mainland and find a way to get in to see her. He knew her name now, so surely they could not refuse him again?
I’m going to the mainland today to try and find more leads, he telepathised to Janux. Let’s get together tomorrow to discuss your report on the interview.
All right. Send me a message when you’re free.
Curtis watched a black utility drive out of the enclosed backyard of 105 Lenixx. The heavy metal doors closed behind it with a clang and the vehicle sped away. Curtis couldn’t see who the occupants of the utility were as the tinted windows hid them from prying eyes. He hoped Luxinda wasn’t being whisked away somewhere.
He reached out and pushed the button to let the door-keeper know he wanted to visit his former breeding-mate. Knowing her name now, the one given to her by her masters, must surely allow him entrance? Last time he tried she was only known to him as 17. But he knew they might well have other barriers in place to make it hard for him to get in.
Curtis heard a click and a metallic voice asked, “Please state the purpose of your visit.”
“I’ve come to visit Luxinda,” he said, trying to sound confident.
“Do you have visiting rights, sir?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Please state your visiting permit number.”
Curtis froze. He didn’t have one. Never mind, he’d try to bluff it. “The number is 994126,” he said.
There was a pause. He heard another clicking noise. “Can you repeat that please?”
“994126,” he said and held his breath. He’d used his mother’s old phone number.
“Please read out the name of the staff member who issued you the permit,” the metallic voice asked in an ominously flat and sombre tone.
“Mrs Gortix, House Controller, 7 Xlesky Street,” he said, not even knowing if she was allowed to issue such permits. Her name was the only one he knew.
“Date of issue?” the voice demanded.
“20th May,” he fired back. Curtis knew he was playing a dangerous game. At any moment he could be found out, if not already. Then they would try and capture him and he would be punished by Ryxin authority for causing a disturbance to the peace of their corrupt world.
There was a longer pause this time. He waited, looking up and down Lenixx. It was a desolate street with buildings all along it that resembled warehouses or old factories. He shivered, wishing they would hurry up and open the door. He longed to see Luxinda more than he’d ever thought he would. He craved to feast his eyes on her face, to kiss her soft lips. To tell her he cared – but would she even want to see him?
There was another click. “Your visiting permit is not authentic. You have been photographed and logged into our internal monitor. Please do not visit here again. If you do, we cannot promise you will be safe. Do you understand?”
“Please let me see Luxinda,” he begged. “She was my breeding partner. Together we made a Ryxin baby. I’m begging you to let me see her. I’ll do whatever you want. Please.”
There was another click. “You are now a security risk and your safety cannot be guaranteed. Please leave while you still can. I am warning you for your own good. If you do not leave Lenixx immediately, our defenders will remove you. This is a final warning.”
There was one last click and then he could hear a buzz somewhere beyond the walls. It was continuous, like an army of bees, and it was getting louder. He turned and walked quickly away from the Home for Single Mothers and headed for the ferry building, feeling numb with grief and shock that the Ryxin hierarchy could treat him, one of their own, like this. He had been thoroughly used by them and so had Luxinda. He was determined not to fail next time.
Only now he had to make a proper plan and it had to be a good one. There wouldn’t be a second chance. Not with these people.
CHAPTER 10
Curtis left the ferry and within a minute had pushed open the heavy swinging doors of The Deer’s Antlers. Inside the bar he saw two men standing at the counter and a woman sitting alone at one of the tables. He didn’t pay them much attention but concentrated on his old pal, Harry, who stood behind the bar as always, serving the customers. He was a welcome sight.
Harry looked up and a smile lit his face. “Well, I don’t believe it. Yuh know I never thought I’d see yuh again, mate. How are yuh? Where yuh been?”
The other two men were deeply engrossed in their own conversation and didn’t even notice when Curtis sat down on one of the high stools. “You know what I need, man, don’t you?”
Harry nodded. “Sure thing, mate.”
Curtis felt good seeing Harry again and looked forward to downing the medicinal gold liquid. “Thanks, Harry – just the whisky today, mate,” he said as he saw the open packet of cigarettes, tempting him to take one. He’d given them up while away in Ireland.
Within half a minute his drink was set down before him and he took a large swallow. Harry left him in peace and Curtis began to treat his own emotional pain in the best way he knew how. He stayed longer than usual, and was on his third drink when one of the two men at the bar stood up and turned towards him. Curtis hardly noticed him, he was so engrossed in his thoughts.
“Hey, brother,” the man said quietly, “what you doin�
� round here?”
Curtis glanced briefly his way. He noticed a broken-looking face displaying an angry expression. The eyes were fixed, black and staring. He knew him but didn’t care to speak to him right now. He wanted to be left in peace. “Can’t say I know you. What’s your name?”
“Ferdy Xyle. Does that ring a bell? You better say yes, pal, ’cos I knows you, all right.”
Curtis took a long swallow of the fine malt whisky. “Are you the animal I think you are? Part of the Ryxin Breeding Programme?”
“Okay, guys - come on,” Harry pleaded, walking over to where they stood. “I don’ wan’ no trouble here. Jus’ leave it now.”
Curtis faced the bar and kept swallowing whisky. He was thinking about Luxinda and Janux, the two women he loved equally but in different ways. This powerful multi-faceted love, part of his innate Ryxin makeup, was what was making him focus solely on his need to find Luxinda and save their child from the slave trade. He felt sure that was what she wanted too – that the power of her love was somehow transmitting itself to him now. He was barely aware of Ferdy Xyle still standing beside him.
“Just watch yusself, you half-breed. I knows about you and your stupid woman, Janux. She’s playing a dangerous game. Sly told me all about her. You better watch yusself. If he wants her he’ll get her. Just remember that, half-breed. No one says no to Sly and gets away with it. You hear me?”
Ferdy had moved closer to him and was now standing just a few centimetres away. Curtis instinctively wanted to move away. Ferdy reeked of body odour and beer. But Curtis refused to either move away or look at Ferdy. “Go away, you animal,” he said. “I live in a world that honours fair play, honesty and courage. Another, please, Harry.”
“You’d better leave, Mr Xyle. Mr McCoy is a special friend of mine. “
“Hah. You half-breeds are soft in the head. Emotions rule your lives.” He turned then, his mate following him silently, and they both left the bar without looking back.
“I thought they were supposed to be soulless.” Curtis put down his glass. He could feel himself swaying but his emotions were dulled now as he felt the blessed subjugation of his own inner pain.
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