Then Philippa took a deep breath. “All the signs suggest she is my daughter.”
Chapter 36
Time to Act
Miami, Florida
Since Brigid’s attack, Evan had not often been in his office. He felt disoriented and could not focus on work. Normally he was not much of a reader, but now he buried himself in novels and any magazines that came to hand. He took long walks and sought anything to distance himself from the feelings and images haunting him. By telling himself over and over that he was a powerful man, he tried to regain his footing. It was impossible for him to believe he could be so shaken by such an incident with a woman. After all, she was nothing but a pretty bed partner. No woman could possibly have such power. There had to be another explanation, but the remembrance of the banshee wail continued to terrify him.
Beck could feel the corporation drifting. Before, he could read the defensive attitudes in meetings. Now everyone had gone into hiding. The building was eerily quiet. He wondered how much longer the drift could continue.
Over the years he had continued to develop his hacking skills. He went to work on his office computer, but the tight security made it impossible to access what he wanted.
Then he remembered a meeting in Evan’s office, when he had been looking for something on his computer. He stopped and peered into a drawer and then continued. Beck shook his head. Was it possible that Evan had done what no one was ever supposed to do?
He took a deep breath and headed to Melanie’s office.
“Good morning, Mel. How’s the world treating you?”
She eyed him suspiciously. Throwing herself back in her chair, she said, “The world sucks today. Evan has disappeared and his secretary seems to be on an indefinite vacation. That makes me the interim CEO.” There was an obvious edge to her voice. “So, what do you want?”
Beck dropped into the chair in front of her desk. “Sorry, Mel. I’m not here to irritate you.”
“That’s good because I’m in no mood.”
“I understand. Everyone seems to have gone into hiding and I’m wrestling with work. I’ve tried to get some account and project information I really need and I can’t seem to access it through my computer. I’d like to try through Evan’s. As long as we’re trying to run this place on our own.”
“Look, Beck, if you can get anything moving, I’d love to have some help. I don’t think it will get you anywhere, but feel free.” She turned back to her desk. “I wish you luck.”
He entered Evan’s office and booted up his computer. At once he ran into the same brick wall of security. He nodded and opened the right-hand desk drawer. On top was a report which he lifted out. And there it was. A Post-It note with what looked like a password written on it.
It worked. He was in and began to dig in the systems. Out of the corner of his eye he watched for any movement. He needed to finish and then get out of the office.
Beck worked quickly. Evan was not good at mincing words. It was clear he was concerned about the out-of-control weapons system, and it was equally clear that he and Sergey had planned to sell it to the highest bidders. Beck smiled at the fact that bidders was plural. He wondered just how careless Evan might have been as he searched deep into the e-mails. Not only was Evan careless with his contacts, but he also was careless with what he said. He clearly believed he and his sleazy comrades were above it all.
First Beck gathered information on what Evan and Sergey were saying about the weapons system of interest. There was nothing after Sergey’s death. Then he pulled information on other dealings. The men were incredibly talkative.
Beck copied information about Evan’s business network onto a thumb drive. This was a gold mine.
And then came something unexpected. He found a database Evan had been assembling about people who were adversaries of the Overlords. Some of the names he recognized from his conversations with Avery. Could these be Tethyans?
He knew he needed to wrap up and get out so he pulled out another thumb drive and copied the information. Then, he erased the database on Evan’s computer. It might be possible to resurrect it, but it would take time.
The question was to whom all this information should go and when. But right now he needed to get out of Evan’s office.
To cover himself he spoke with Melanie on the way out. “It was a good idea, Mel, but I still couldn’t find what I needed.” He tried to be low-key and pleasant.
Melanie looked disgusted. “Something’s got to give soon, Beck. We can’t go on like this.”
“I know. Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you. I guess I’m back to paper shuffling.”
Melanie watched him leave, but could not dismiss the feeling that something was wrong—more wrong than what was happening to the company. She recalled the tickets to Brazil she had seen and his excuse about a family crisis.
Chapter 37
At Last She’s Coming
Miami, Florida
Beck filled Avery in on what he had learned.
She studied his face. “I can’t begin to imagine how useful this information will be.”
“Do you know when you’ll hear from Philippa again?” asked Beck.
Avery shook her head.
“She’s the logical person to share this with. She can either take it or will know who should get it. Certainly the Andromeda can use it, and she’ll know how to get it to them. They can decide what they want to do. In the meantime, I guess we have to sit tight.”
In the days ahead Avery settled back into her work. Although her travels had at times made her feel like some free-form jet-setter, she did have a job and obligations to the people she served.
In the meantime, she sent an e-mail to Philippa asking when she was planning to come to Miami and indicating she hoped it would be soon. She wasn’t sure why, but felt she couldn’t press too hard.
She decided to pull back, relax with Beck, and do research for her work online. She delighted in the us being intense and passionate. The nights were long and fulfilling. In that part of her life she felt vibrantly alive.
Then Philippa called. “Would early next week work for an extended visit?” She told Avery there was a lot to discuss, but would not go into it over the phone. Avery was intrigued, and held back what Beck had found. Big black Xs went on her calendar for Philippa’s visit.
When Beck showed up that evening, she pounced. “Now that I know when Philippa is coming, I can look forward to clearing up some of the mystery.”
Beck noted the sparkle in her eyes. “What mystery, Avery? Isn’t that just how things are now?” he teased.
She narrowed her eyes. “You know. Whatever Philippa has been withholding.”
Beck hugged her and stroked her face and hair, then turned serious. “What’s the bottom line, Avery? What’s bothering you?”
“Who said anything’s bothering me?”
“To be honest, it’s written all over you.”
She sighed. “Didn’t you have a life plan, Beck?”
“Sure. Go to college. Get a degree. Probably an advanced degree. Go into a business and move up. Most of us don’t make it that complicated.”
Avery touched his cheek. “Picture this. I traveled through Africa and the Middle East with my parents. I was being homeschooled. My future seemed to be on worthy projects with interesting and committed people. Going to anything like graduate school just never came up. Everything was about the moment, the near term, and the next project. That was all I knew.”
“Was it bad?”
“No. That’s just was how it was. Then suddenly, for whatever reason, which was not explained to me, I was sent off to boarding school in New England. Everything was ordered. I entered college for a generic degree, and—then—my parents were dead. They just vanished. I had enough money to do whatever I wanted to do, but I had no family. I was alone.”
He reached for her hand. “What did you do?”
“I never tho
ught about it. My whole life was always ‘just how it was.’ With my background, I was committed to worthy projects. Eventually I got this job, and the people I worked with became my family. There was a new kind of order in my life.”
“And?”
Avery whispered, “And then there was you.”
He took her face in his hands. “What’s happened with us is something I want too.”
Tears started to run down her cheeks. “But it’s getting more complicated. My biological mother surfaces and all this strange mythology, which isn’t really mythology. It’s disorienting. My head says Philippa is my mother, kind of, but my heart and my feelings aren’t there. Who is this woman, really, and how do I relate to her? Am I crazy to feel overwhelmed?”
He drew her into a hug. “There would be something wrong with you if you didn’t feel overwhelmed. It’s a lot for me to absorb too—including the mythology.”
“I’m still afraid, Beck. Afraid you might run away.”
“Avery, I’m not going anywhere without you. In some ways I don’t care about the mystery. I’m trying to dwell on the adventure part. I want you and that’s all that counts. I’ll give you the best I can, and you tell me if it works for you.”
“I know you care for me, Beck. And believe we can work it out together. I’ll work on accepting the adventure part and trusting in a future.”
Beck brightened. “You said Philippa is coming. Did she say anything more about why or when?”
“I know there’s someone she wants me to meet. I don’t know what to expect. Each time I see her, there’s a new revelation. For all I know it’s about some kind of Mayan prediction. The last one didn’t work out. Maybe they revised the date.”
“Okay, Avery, you’re getting strange.”
“I’m not getting strange. I’m just finding out how strange I really am. Maybe the someone she wants me to meet is some fishy friend. But it’s making me anxious. At the same time, what you found is really important. We need to get it to her.”
They stood looking at each other.
“Don’t you want answers, too, Beck?” Avery asked. “Sometimes I think this is all about me. You must have questions.”
“Look, Avery, maybe I’m partly in this to find out what it all means, but right now it really is about you because it’s you I want.”
Chapter 38
The Discoverer?
Miami, Florida
At the airport, Avery was pacing, waiting impatiently to meet the woman who said she was her birth mother—a woman who came with a lot of things Avery found hard to accept. If only it could be simple.
People were bursting from customs and rushing into waiting arms. At last she sighted Philippa. Behind her was a young woman who looked familiar.
As Philippa approached, Avery was assaulted by conflicting emotions. She calmed herself and gained control as she reached out to take her carry-on. Philippa turned and motioned toward the young woman. “I believe you know Adelais, or so she tells me. She’s joining us and will spend some time with us in the Turks and Caicos.”
With marked formality Adelais extended a hand. “Bonjour, so nice to see you again.” Then she excused herself to visit the ladies’ room.
After she was out of earshot, Philippa moved closer to Avery and said softly, “You may have heard about the environmentalist who was murdered in Paris. Adelais is her granddaughter and was present. The trauma was terrible, and she has been working to put her life back together. She’s made great gains but we’re trying to help her build a future.”
Avery couldn’t think of what to say and looked steadily at Philippa. Finally, she managed, “Brigid introduced me to her in Paris.” Avery felt anger rising. “But I didn’t know her history or that we’re going to the Turks and Caicos. Nice to know,” she said drily.
Philippa noticed her tone and looked stricken. “I’m…I’m so sorry. I’ll have to fill you in. It’s been a frantic two weeks. Forgive me.”
Avery pushed her anger down. “You come on a visit, but there are things planned I know nothing about and suddenly my Andromeda contact from Paris shows up. Can we have a little less mystery?”
“Give me some time,” pleaded Philippa softly. “I’ll do everything I can for you. And I have to do the same for Adelais. There’s so much that’s starting to spin out of control. Sometimes we have to deal with what’s in front of us regardless of what we want.”
Avery felt the plea. In return she down-keyed her emotions. “Yes, of course. Here’s Adelais. Let’s go get your things.”
The wait for luggage was caked in silence—separating them.
They had dinner at the same family-run Italian restaurant favored by Avery and Beck. They managed to chat amiably about how lovely the islands would be. Avery forced herself to express approval. Her questions remained unanswered, but she didn’t want to talk about the islands. She wanted to talk about the purpose of the trip. She was tired of Philippa’s statements that it would be revealed.
Philippa asked about Avery’s work. To Avery it seemed more than gracious curiosity. Philippa, a sound business woman in her own right, asked definitive and probing questions. She seemed particularly interested in the lives of the women Avery was helping and talked about the needs of women and their families worldwide.
“It seems you can relate to the purpose of my work,” Avery said. “I don’t just pass out loans. I help build lives, families, and communities. So many people miss the point entirely.” Her anger was subsiding.
After dinner the three women went back to Avery’s condominium. Avery and Philippa made their way to the community pool where they sat enjoying the evening warmth. Adelais excused herself and went to sleep for awhile in the guest bedroom.
When the conversation faded, Philippa stood and walked to the edge of the pool terrace looking toward the last of the fading sunlight. She beckoned to Avery to join her and said, “There’s something missing.”
“Which is?” asked Avery.
Philippa took her in her arms. “It’s time I hugged my daughter. I’ve missed you so.”
Avery was seized by sadness. She stood enfolded in Philippa’s arms, trying to sort tumultuous feelings, then began to sob so hard she couldn’t speak.
Philippa kept her pain to herself and said, “The lost years have been difficult for both of us. You had to be strong and independent and over and over I was warned off. I know that means I failed you. I was afraid to look for you or make contact. If I ignored the warning, I couldn’t know what the consequences might be.” Philippa shook her head. “Avery, it’s so hard to explain. You haven’t lived the life of a Tethyan. There are unspoken communications which are felt more than heard. Instinctively we know they’re not to be ignored and can only assume they come to us from a Tethyan priestess or Gaia.”
Avery stared at her. “You mean you have to be prepared to respond to a warning or direction from out of nowhere?”
Philippa took a deep breath. Her tone was firm. “Yes, and it’s so hard to convey. The Tethyan world is filled with unspoken communications, intuitions, tacit understandings. I guess one way to put it is that we live on the edge of ordinary human reality. Spirits hover close, and we’re aware of our Earth Mother being near, as well.”
“I’m trying to understand, Philippa. But I’m failing.”
Philippa thought for a moment. “Think of it as being in constant communication with the life forces of all kinds on our planet combined with the sense of wonder and understanding of our stewardship. It’s deep inside, and it must be felt and understood. So, when something as distinct as a warning comes, we attend and know that the meaning will in time be revealed.”
Avery spun away from Philippa, speaking into the void beyond the building. “Why does it have to be so complicated? Isn’t this supposed to be a storybook ending? Reunited at last. Hooray!”
Philippa took Avery’s shoulder and spun her back around. “Avery, you’re a truth teller. We both want
the storybook ending, but we must deal with what we’ve got. And now I have to truth tell as well.” Her tone was rising with anger. “This is the Tethyan world in which I live. We know we’re here to deal with an eventual crisis that will determine the fate of humankind. I’m sorry about what happened to you. But I also have to deal with the world in which I live and in which my—our—people live. And sometimes it’s cruel or involves moving forward with a lot of faith and determination.”
There was a profound silence as Avery stared back into Philippa’s eyes, which had become like glistening steel. Avery nodded slowly.
“Yes. Truth.” She sighed. “I need time. I understand there’re things I have to accept, and I’ll work on my feelings.”
Philippa nodded. “I can’t ask any more of you than understanding.”
And then Avery asked, “Why is it okay now to be in contact and for us to admit who we are?”
Philippa nodded. “A natural question, which I also ask myself. Again, it’s a matter of the communications we receive. It may be that what happened to you in the harbor off Alexandria was a signal to you. And when I met you, I felt the need to be in touch with you even though I didn’t know for sure who you were.”
With a mutual sense of hope, they admitted their exhaustion and Philippa retired. Avery lingered by the pool and caught a retreating glance from Philippa. She thought about how delicate it all was and how much they needed each other.
~~~
The next day Avery felt the need to challenge Adelais’s presence and asked, “Philippa, why is Adelais here?”
“Adelais is attached to you,” Philippa stated flatly.
“Attached? She was introduced as my contact in Paris. What does attached mean?”
“She was to meet you and her assignment with Andromeda is to be nearby.”
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