Angels Among Us

by C. E. Barrett

  Jessica had never asked who the donor was, hadn't even accompanied Marie to the Proc-Bank for the procedure, to Marie's dismay. Jess had been there for the birth, though, which made up somewhat for her earlier neglect. Jess had wanted to name the baby ‘Clarice', but Marie insisted on Daphne.

  “Where on Earth did you pick up that name?” Jessica had wanted to know.

  “I don't know, I read it in a book somewhere, I guess,” Marie had replied in an offhand manner. She didn't tell Jess that in her secret heart, it was a form of Daffyd, her tribute to her baby's sperm donor.

  And now, here was Jessica not only doing her best to destroy this man, but rejoicing in the fact of his disappearance. Marie was more furious than she had ever been in her whole life. Daphne wasn't even a year old yet, and Marie had always imagined telling her who her donor was when she was older. Now she didn't dare. And it was all thanks to Jessica's greed!

  She lifted her tear-streaked face. Jessica, who had expected to see grief on Marie's features, fell back from the hot hatred that poured out at her. She half-lifted her hands, as if to ward off an assault. But in a moment, the expression was gone and there was just a weary sadness in its place. Jessica wondered if she had been imagining things.

  “Jessica.... “Marie began. “Before you go any further, I want you to tell me something.” Jessica nodded. Anything to get Marie out of this horrible mood. “Last night, before you took him back to your hotel, what did you think of him? What was he like?”

  Jessica thought over the events of the previous evening. Marie did have a point, she thought. Ap Owen had been sitting quietly at the bar, enjoying his cognac, not even looking around the room. She had bumped his arm deliberately, thrown out the bait and reeled him in when he had taken it. However, during their conversation he had been pleasant, witty, a charming companion. He had made no overt moves until she had come out of the bathroom almost naked. Really, he hadn't been as predatory as her rough draft was making him out to be. Still, there was no doubt in her mind that he was a twist, and this story would definitely boost her career. On the other hand, she could play it down right now, just to placate Marie, and work on it at the office.

  She sighed, “He was very nice, very charming. I guess he was the kind of man a lot of women would enjoy talking to, before he showed his true colors.”

  Marie frowned slightly. She didn't care much for the aspersions being cast on ap Owen's character, but at least Jess was admitting he wasn't all monster.

  “What do you want me to do, Marie?” Jessica asked, almost pleading.

  “I think you should go to the police and tell them what you know,” said the other. “He might have gone hiding in places that normal men wouldn't go to, you know, some het hideouts or something. Anyway, it might give them a new lead.”

  Oh yes, thought Jessica. Let the cops blab the story, ruin my exclusive. I don't think I care for that idea. What she said was, “I'll stop in at the precinct tomorrow and talk to the captain personally. Will that make you feel better?”

  Marie nodded, hoping that Jessica would keep her word. Daphne woke in her room at the other end of the apartment. Marie stood up, looked deep into Jessica's eyes for signs of deceit. Jessica met her gaze unblinkingly, a conciliatory smile on her lips. They hugged and kissed briefly, a quick make-up gesture, and Marie hurried off to tend to the baby's growing cries.

  She returned with Daphne in her arms, and sought one more concession.

  “Please, Jess,” she said. “It's important to me that you give him a chance. How about holding off the story until he turns up? Could you do that?”

  “Sure, Hon, I could do that,” said Jess. I could. You big innocent! Don't you realize what this can mean for us? She chucked their daughter under the chin and made her smile.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  * * *

  CHAPTER 17

  Daffyd awoke to the smell of coffee brewing. He looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, uncertain where he was. The previous day's events flooded his mind, and he sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

  “What's that smell?” The small voice came from the doorway to the office. Devany made her way to the couch where Daffyd sat, the blanket puddled in his lap. She climbed up on the far end, sat down and looked at him. “Well? What is it?”

  “I think it's coffee, Little One. It's a stimulant.” He swung his long legs out of his makeshift bed and reached for his pants. Tossing back the covers, he rose, pulled on the pants, and picked up his shirt. The rest of his suit he left where it lay. He wished he had been wearing something less formal when whatever it was had happened yesterday. He didn't care for the idea of wearing one of his good suits to rags, but the chances of a dry cleaner's appearing next door seemed slim. He buttoned the shirt and tucked the tails into his pants as he and Devany made their way to the kitchen.

  Seren looked up from the stove where she was busily stirring something in a pan.

  “Hi, you two,” she smiled.

  “What on Earth did you find to cook?” Daffyd peered over her shoulder at the contents of the pan.

  “Eggs.”

  “Eggs? Where did you get eggs?” He remembered discussing them last night and that Seren had not brought any with her.

  “From the chickens out back.” She grinned at him. “There's a henhouse out back, and chickens scratching around the yard. I don't know how we missed them yesterday.”

  “And is that coffee I smell?” he asked hopefully.

  “Yes, it is. I found coffee in the pantry—by the aroma—and the percolator right above the coffee canister. The coffee mugs are in that cupboard there—and if you would get plates down, too, we can eat.”

  Devany stood in the doorway, rubbing her eyes in astonishment. She was having the hardest time accepting that one person could do so many things. What kind of a place had Seren been raised in?

  Seren gestured at her. “Come on, kiddo. Get out forks and spoons. You know where they are.”

  Daffyd poured coffee and sniffed at it appreciatively. Seren laughed.

  “Don't get too excited about it. That's my third try at it so far. I've never used a percolator before and it's been kind of an adventure.” She divided the scrambled eggs among the three plates. “Oh, and I couldn't find any milk, powdered or otherwise. After the chickens, I was hoping for a milk cow or a goat or something.” She opened the warming oven above the stove and took out the toast she had put there to keep warm.

  “I don't suppose we should push our luck,” Daffyd replied, blowing on his coffee to cool it. “Is there any sugar, do you know?”

  “Check the pantry. There are some canisters there that look promising.”

  She set the plates out on the table and showed Devany how to put the forks at each place. Daffyd disappeared into the pantry. A moment later, his cry of triumph announced his success. He reappeared with the large enameled container. “It's almost full,” he said. “This is positively civilized.”

  Devany settled for water with her meal. It was what she was most accustomed to, anyway. Seren and Daffyd decided that the coffee wasn't too bad, and an altogether pleasant meal was enjoyed by all.

  As they tidied up afterwards, Seren said, “I want to explore the yard today. It seems different somehow. I thought the edge of the hillside was much closer, but it almost seems to have moved in the night. And there are more trees than I recall seeing. The chicken coop was behind some lilac bushes. Do you remember seeing lilacs, Daffyd.”

  “I think I noticed them from the window upstairs,” he admitted. “But I didn't see the henhouse.”

  “What are lilac bushes?” asked Devany suddenly.

  Seren, standing at the sink, washing up the dishes, was brought up suddenly by the unexpected gaps in Devany's knowledge base. “I'll just show you later, okay?”

  Devany had already deduced that ‘okay’ was a form of verbal short speak that meant ‘is that fine’ or words to that effect. She tried it out as a reply to see what would happen.r />
  “Okay.”

  Seren nodded, satisfied and finished the last dish. She pulled the stopper and let the water drain. Daffyd stood nearby, drying and putting away. He passed the utensils to Devany for her part of the chores.

  “Put them back in the drawer, Devany,” he told her.

  “Why?”

  “So we'll know where to find them when we need them the next time. Seren worked hard to make breakfast for us all; it's only fair we clean up.” He looked pointedly at Seren. “The next time you cook, Seren, please let us do the dirty work after.”

  “I guess I'm just too used to cleaning up after the kids. I mean, they do help, but I have to jump-start them.” She wiped her hands on her shorts to dry them. “My part is done. I'm going outside. Join me when you're done?” she asked, part way out the door.

  “We'll be along in a few minutes,” said Daffyd.

  Devany listened to this exchange with a worried expression. She wasn't certain about this ‘going outside’ plan. There were no walls around the yard, no boundaries. How were you supposed to know where the limits were? She saw Seren bounce down the steps and disappear around the corner of the house.

  “We'd better hurry,” said Daffyd, breaking into her thoughts. She looked up at him and shook her head. “Don't you want to come outside?” he asked her, sitting on the bench. This brought him closer to her level so she didn't have to look up quite so far. She shook her head again.

  “Why not?” he set the dishtowel on the table, folded neatly. “Don't you want to find out about this place?”

  She shrugged. “I don't want to get into trouble,” she said.

  “You won't get in trouble, Devany,” he looked at her earnestly. “You'll be with me and Seren. Aren't you supposed to do what grownups tell you to?”

  “Only Nannies and Supervisors, Teachers, people like that. You're not an Authority Person.”

  He decided to try another tack. “Don't you think Seren is an Authority Person? Who else would know so many things?”

  Devany frowned as she thought this over. So far, it seemed that Seren was pretty much in charge. Daffyd had been doing the things she asked without seeming put out by it. And Seren did know an awful lot. More than anyone Devany had ever imagined.

  “She did tell us to come out when we were finished,” he reminded her, hoping to convince her. He didn't understand the deep fears the wideness of the world stirred in her.

  “Ye-e-e-e-e-s, she did.” She scowled. “Are you sure I won't get in trouble?”

  “You're just following orders,” he inadvertently chose the perfect line to ensure her cooperation. She nodded. “Give me your hand, then,” he stood and held his down for her. She took it hesitantly and went outside with him.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  * * *

  CHAPTER 18

  Gerri Reznik woke suddenly. The sun's rays were slanting obliquely from the east through the foliage. This was an ordinary enough event for early morning, but something about it was not quite right. What could it be? She turned off her conscious mind; a trick she had learned during her first year in the Recruits, and let the information, which she knew was lurking at deeper levels to slide through her mind unhindered. The piece she sought surfaced.

  She shook Rapsim awake. He sat up immediately, wide-eyed and alert.

  “What do you remember about yesterday?” she demanded of him.

  Without stopping to think, he replied, “We were plucked from The Taravalan, your Mission ship, and set down in this godforsaken place. We're following the underground water course, and time here is not moving at all, although it seems to be passing very slowly at home. Why do you ask?”

  “Because time seems to have resumed, or started up, or something. At least the sun has. Look!” She gestured at the early morning light filtering through the leaves.

  Rapsim looked around. “So it has. Wasn't it at mid-afternoon yesterday, the whole time we were walking?”

  “That's how I remember it. What does the multi say?” Her tone was curious and more than a little perplexed.

  He took it out and checked. “It still says we're not anywhere in charted space, but local time seems to be ticking along at a regular pace. ‘Our time’ seems to have moved along briskly by a whole minute.”

  “Ooooooh,” she rolled her eyes. “I wonder why time is going so slowly at home ... I'm not wild about this, Rap.”

  “Look on the positive side, Rez,” he replied in his unruffled way. “When I finally figure out how to get us home, hardly any time at all will have passed ... unless we're here for years.... “He let the thought drift away into silence, and abruptly changed the topic. “So, ProtoLeader, back to the road for us then? Would you like to fill up on some fruit first?”

  She gave him a look that said, quite clearly, Don't try playing any games with ME, Rapsim ba Sharaval. But nice try. He grinned at her, knowing his remark about being stranded for years was rankling and that she would never admit it.

  “Yes, Rap, let's eat first, have a drink, and then hit that road again.” She had noticed he had been deferring to her all along, presumably because of her ProtoLeader status. She couldn't decide whether to be annoyed or flattered. The first, because he was so much more experienced and knowledgeable; she knew he had traveled to parallel universes before, as well as extensively throughout their own galaxy, while she had only been on twenty-five missions, and always as a Trainee. This led to the second feeling. His allowing her to make the decisions suggested that he trusted her judgment, and was actually letting her try her wings. She adored Rap, but sometimes he made her crazy.

  As she bent to drink from the rock pool again, Rapsim said quietly, “That's odd.” Reznik lifted her head, water dripping from her chin and lips.

  “Should I be worried?” she asked.

  “Oh, no. It's just this ‘spring’ here ... it seems to be a feed from the main pipe. There's a little one just between those big rocks that leads from the big one we've been following.” He looked at her with a puzzled expression.

  “What?” She wiped her chin and moved over beside him. “Let me see that!” She studied the schematic on the tiny screen. “How did you miss this last night ... yesterday ... whenever it was?”

  “It didn't show up last night, just like the sun wasn't moving. Or I wasn't paying attention.” He looked unhappy. Neither explanation made for peace of mind for him. He didn't care to have things changing at random, nor did he care to think he was losing his touch.

  Reznik passed the multi back to him. “I am really, seriously, honest-to-all-the-gods starting to hate this place,” she said in a quiet, matter-of-fact voice.

  “The peaches and berries and water are all still safe, if that's any consolation,” he said, privately agreeing with her.

  “Whoopee.” Her tone did not match the word, being somewhat dry and unenthusiastic. She drank deeply, then climbed nimbly into the tree to reach the better pieces of fruit on the higher branches, tossing them down to Rapsim. After returning to the ground, she sat with him and ate in almost grim silence. Then, shaking her head in disgust at their situation, she led them back to the road.

  * * * *

  Dommi again checked on Mykal's project. You are managing well? He noticed the slight deviations in the perceptions of the two in the forest, but forebore from mentioning it.

  Mykal himself indicated them. I was able to change how they perceive the sun, he sent. But I cannot erase their memories. Their minds are different, somehow.

  Dommi examined them more closely. You are correct, Mykal. They think more clearly, they have more discipline, especially the male. However, I believe this will not interfere with the success of your work. I thought at first that you might have to start over, when you took the two instead of the one. But there are times when what seems to be a mistake turns out to be the very thing you needed. It seems well so far. His warm glow of approval pleased Mykal.

  He projected humble gratitude. Dommi moved on to the next student.r />
  [Back to Table of Contents]

  * * *

  CHAPTER 19

  Seren waved her hand above her head and called out to Daffyd and Devany, “Over here!”

  Daffyd acknowledged her with a nod and a lifted hand.

  “Come see what I found!” she called to them.

  They walked past the lilac bushes and the henhouse, which Daffyd knew he hadn't seen last night, although it should have been visible from the upstairs window. They found Seren on the far side of the hedge. She was standing at the edge of a tidy garden plot that apparently was nearing the end of a very healthy growing season. Fruit and vegetables abounded. It meant nothing to Devany, but Seren and Daffyd were pleased. Devany was more interested in the lilacs. She slipped her hand from Daffyd and wandered over to the bushes.

  “Lots of fresh veggies,” Seren enthused. “I wonder what else there is.”

  “It's certainly very convenient,” said Daffyd, in his cautious manner. His mind was beginning to wrap itself around some things, to connect and sort information. He said nothing, but let things simmer on a mental back burner.

  Seren noticed the serious look on his face. “Is something wrong, Daffyd?”

  His brows drew closer together as his frown deepened. He scratched his jaw through his beard. “I don't know a lot about gardens ... but I do know that lilacs bloom in the spring, and that this kind of harvest shouldn't be ready until late summer.” Seren looked over at the purple blossoms springing from the tall bushes, and sniffed the familiar sweet aroma as it drifted past on the breeze.

  “Maybe the rules are different here,” she suggested. “I mean, we're not in Kansas, anymore, Toto. You know what I mean?”

  He stared blankly, shook his head in bewilderment.

  “The Wizard of Oz? Dorothy? Somewhere over the rainbow?” She threw snippets at him. He indicated ignorance of the reference.

  “Oh my god,” said Seren. “What ... eight or nine years go by and The Wizard of Oz is gone? Where the heck did you spend your childhood that you never heard of it? I mean, in my time, you would have been about fifty ... how could you live for fifty years and not ever hear of The Wizard of Oz?” She stared at him accusingly, as if he had deliberately avoided any exposure to one of the most visible icons of her time.