by Melanie Ray
"Yed?" Ezra tried again. "Were you captured? Hurt? Where's Muin and mother?"
"Muin and mom took off with Zaria," Xiam said speaking for him again. "There was only room for three. We're stranded. Still no food and no covetall, but maybe some scraps are upstairs?"
"Don't." Yed looked up the stairs. "I'll go, I'll go." He stepped up the stairs, opened the secret door and looked around. He checked the usual spots in the kitchen, but it was ransacked. Not surprising, food was scarce, and the place was empty. Hit and run. He checked under the counters, table, and even the freezing compartments. Zilch. "Dang, get with the program, Yed." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The future was gone, he had abandoned it. This was his time now. He had to make it through; there was no dial to redo what he had done. All those years on Earth with his brother and sister, X and M-Win. M-Win. When would he see her again? He had his sister and mother back, even his father for a time. He had everything.
He could have stayed and...and what? Pagnia was blowing up, half of his family and friends were on separate planets. They were as safe with him as without him. Seeing if the time machine worked was his father’s dying wish. He wasn't actually needed anywhere else. Even here, what could he do? Couldn't even find crumbs to eat for his starving family.
This is it, I have to accept it. I'm in the middle of the war again. The future is gone. I may starve from hunger and watch the others die too. I might have turned things worse than they ever could have been. At this rate, we'll starve or die of dehydration before the war is over. Lesson learned. Don't mess with the past. No matter how bad it sucked, it can always suck harder.
Warnos always learned things the hard way, and he was no exception. Fine, I'm here. I screwed up, but I'm here. I am an A class Protector. I graduated at the top; I have the best training skill than any other warno. I can do this. I can find a shred of food somewhere.
He left the kitchen area and searched in the cushions. Sanitation had to be damned at this point. He grimaced, but he did see some crackers that fell beneath the cushions, along with some half eaten candy, small toys, and an expired moldy piece of bread that he could trim the mold from. He scooped the items up and moved over to the chairs, finding nothing but some small toys.
Toys. Leaving the cushions he went to the hall closet. Turning on the light, he saw many little warno games. He knew that many times Grammies were strict, kids did love treats and were big troublemakers. He knelt down and opened up the board games when he found what he was looking for. In the back of the closet, the furthest game. In plain sight, not easy to get to without small hands. An elderly warno wouldn't waste time crawling on their knees to pull it out: A perfect hiding spot.
He crawled over to it, pulled it out, opened it up and found the prize.
Chocolate bars, soft candies, hard candies and three small baggies of fried bread chips. Some little warno had quite a stash, and Yed found it. He chucked the unsanitary food to the side of the closet. If need be, he could come get it later. He was about to close the box when he noticed a strange vibe coming from the top shelf of the closet. He stood back up and felt around.
He pulled out a small piece of inhibitor. No surprise, kids were barely affected until a certain age. A little extra help didn't hurt being tucked in the corner. He felt the power in his hand. "A blessing and a curse." He brought it down, but by doing so he felt his hand touch something.
"By the planet of Pagnia, you found some?" Iri reached inside for a candy bar. "Will it last long enough?"
"Where'd you find this treasure?" Xiam questioned as he reached for a candy bar too.
"Some kid had a sizeable stash. You know how kids are," Yed answered him but moved over toward Ezra and gave her two candy bars. "You need to stay strong, you'll have to support Tiger and Carress. Not for long though, it's almost over." He reached into the bag and pulled out covetalls. "Fornotia Marks placed it near the games, probably hoping the waryes wouldn't find it."
"Covetall!" Iri cheered. "Why place an inhibitor near it though?"
"Too small for a waryes to sense," Yed said as he placed the covetall back in the bag. "I think the top of the closet where little warnos couldn't reach was her hiding spot."
"Keeping her things out of young hands saved us," Iri said as she looked over at Ezra. "We'll be alright."
Ezra stayed near the crib of Tiger and Carress. She brushed Tigers cheek softly, the boy fast asleep. Yed couldn't help but compare him to the rebellious anarchist yet also worshipped boy he came to know in his time. No bad experiences, no crimes, no lack of faith. A baby sleeping gently in an old crib. He came forward closer and looked in. "Maybe it will be better for him now."
"Well it's not home, but I can't complain. I shouldn't even be here." Ezra turned her eyes toward his chest, not looking him straight in the eye. "That was so risky, what if you had got caught? What would the others have done?"
"They'd be fine," Yed answered. "I'm not better than anybody else. Chances for our survival don't raise because I'm here."
"That's not true," Ezra's eyebrows pierced together. "How can you think that? Without you, we never would have survived the ordeal. The chances of any warnos surviving are so low."
"Maybe they raised a little then," Yed said back, "but not by much."
"That's not like you." Ezra looked back toward Tigeravich and Carressela. "I know it's hard. I know we've lost, but we could have lost so much more." Carress began to cry, causing Tiger to do the same thing. "They've never eaten yet."
"Yeah. Xiam and I will go over to the other side. Iri, you want to see if you can help here?" Yed asked. "Not a scene for me." Iri chuckled lightly and headed over with Ezra, while Yed and Xiam moved to the other side.
"I am really glad Muin didn't have the kids here," Xiam said. "They couldn't travel in a transporter. It was risky enough." He looked over at Yed. "Thank you for your help."
"Xiamipoc Vallencio, I swore to the king I would not tell or I'd be branded a traitor to come back. King Sheward was responsible for Tigeravich and Carressela being conceived." Yed wasted no time. It would be a difficult life, it would be beneficial to have his friend-if not brother-talking to him more again. "Doesn't matter now, but thought I'd let you know."
"Figured." Xiam's attitude was still high.
"I didn't have any choice," Yed said again. "Death or tell."
"Fine, I get it. It wasn't your fault." Xiam looked away again. "You still don't belong with my sister."
"Dang man, you'd keep that against me for eighty years if you could." Yed looked the other way. "I would not have treated her or the children wrong."
"What do you mean would not?" Xiam groaned. "You're doing the tense thing again. It is 'will not', and you'll have to prove it. You're unstable, and were in the middle of a crisis. You've got your work cut out for you."
"Yeah, it's different. Fatherhood." Yed gave a light nod. "I can manage."
"I was talking about Ezra," Xiam said. "She had the babies, her scent will come back stronger than ever, and she has no medication! Not to mention, how many generations has your gene pool been pure?"
"What?" Yed didn't understand the question. "What do you mean? Always."
"I mean a slip up. Everyone has some waryes in them, it's not always 100 percent." Xiam looked over at him. "Small slip up, not quite waryes."
"There isn't such a thing as a slip up," Yed disagreed. "100 percent."
"No, recovery. A family line can revert if they have a 100 percent pure come along."
Yed grunted. "No. It can't."
"Yeah, it can."
"Can't."
"Can."
"Can't."
"Can!" Xiam shouted. "Why do you think they took out the pure warnos? To make victory come faster?" He rolled his eyes. "Genes can't be perfect."
"Well, my parents kept me out of the loop. Figured it was safer I guess." Yed looked back over at him. "I didn't even know we'd have twins."
"Clueless idiot. Protector of limited knowledge can't do much,"
Xiam muttered.
"Still impossible," Yed insisted, noting that Xiam in the past reminded him of Bibble. Very bitter. "I've seen the book of lineage."
"Good for you. Tell me Yeducavich, how did you check every name and see that the waryes number never went down?" Xiam scoffed. "At the beginning, we were shifting. It wasn't until pure warnos were getting too slim that it became impossible." He brought his tail forward. "I'm one hundred percent but four generations prior the Cattral line was ninety six percent. In fact, even before the term 'waryes' they were just 'specials'. Ever hear that?"
"Flukes." Yed shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, I guess."
"Well Mister Perfect, even before waryes, those flukes impaired the lineage. There is no such thing, and there never has been an absolute pure, never removed." Xiam gestured toward Ezra. "Except her." His eyes faced forward. "Now the babies have whatever you had in your past line. That goodness is gone. It doesn't exist. Warnos will be extinct soon ourselves, we're all on a spiraling ride downward." He smiled. "At least I have Iri for the ride down. Thanks."
"That? It's that, that is why you are such a pain in the rear end with her and me?" Yed groaned. "Beautiful paradise falls. Paradise never could have done anything."
"I know, I know. It was gentle though. Nice to have the thought. One line uncorrupted throughout all of history." Xiam sighed. "The final sign it's all over."
No. King Sheward would have said something about 'recovery'. Why would he bother hiding that? Why had his family used so much more caution than others, becoming the last to get nabbed? The king had been positive there was only one option: Ezra. King Sheward had a plan for Tigeravich and Carressela. I don't know what it was, and I can't prove it, but I'm sure my family was the same way. "Say that I had been like her, positively no recovery. Let's say we didn't get hit by any flukes. Ever. What then?"
"That's impossible, you're not perfect."
"Say I was. No flukes, ever."
"I don't know," Xiam answered. "No one could."
"Maybe one warno. The one with access to the book of lineage twenty four seven. King Sheward." Yed sighed, almost exhausted. "He's gone though, and he never told me."
"Maybe we'll find out when they get bigger," Xiam said.
"I've seen him older, he was like an average ordinary warno. Sort of." Yed stuck his tongue to his cheek when he saw Xiam's expression. "Little psychic?"
"Little psycho." Xiam moved a small ways away. "You've been acting weird since you returned with Iri and Ezra. Are you sure you're up to this?"
"I don't have a choice, the war has us all," Yed said.
"No, being a dad. You're mind is clunky. Did you get hit in the head between here and rescuing Ezra?" Xiam asked.
Yed looked down. He couldn't tell him that he was from the future. He'd never believe it, no one would. "Yeah, from behind, but I got him in the end."
"Your brain better fix itself then. You've got two little lives depending on you. Raising them in this new climate, it won't be easy." Xiam stood up. "You done yet, Ezra?"
"Hang on." Iri went over by them and clapped her hands. "We got them suckling. Ezra felt shy, so we found a small blanket in the corner to cover them, so you can come over."
Tired and grimy, Ezra's face glowed as she fed the babies. Yed watched her like a hawk, feeling overprotective. He screwed up so much already; he couldn't lose his only family left. "In a couple of days, we'll travel topside with covetall. I want to make sure it's safe, then we're heading out."
"How do you know we won't get caught?" Xiam asked as he crossed his arms. "They have snuck into every nook and cranny."
"Just trust me," Yed said. "We'll visit Fallensworth one more time. Grab anything precious you have that you can carry, but I can't guarantee it's not plundered. Say goodbye too, we won't return."
"I was fond of Fallensworth. Vallencio's. I can't believe it's all over." Iri hugged Xiam for support. "Our restaurant will be in ruins."
"There might be food though. Below the bar, I have a cubby hole I store food in." Xiam looked over at Yed. "I was being cautious, but I can't guarantee it's still there."
Yed nodded, not knowing the answer. It was a small amount of hope though.
"Yed?"
Yed turned and looked at Ezra. She looked like she was ready to collapse.
"They let go but they fell asleep on me. Can you help? I want to be near them but I can’t." She needed sleep, and everyone saw that. Xiam helped him with the babies, while Iri helped her beneath the blanket. By the time they were in Yed's arms and the blanket was taken off, Ezra was fast asleep.
Birth, capture, feeding and lack of decent food. Ezra had been exhausted. Yed tried to hand off the twins to Xiam so he could help Ezra, but Xiam and Iri helped lay her on the floor instead. "I can go get some nicer blankets, saw some upstairs." He handed the twins off to Iri. "I'll be right back." He came back with warm blankets that were stashed in an old storage area he had run across last time he was searching for food. "One pillow, but the blankets can be pillows too." Xiam took two, as well as Iri. He draped one over Ezra and stuffed the only pillow below her head.
"Done moving around yet?" Iri came back over to him with the twins. "We are as secure as we can be. Stop, sit down, and hold your own babies." Yed looked over at Xiam, who looked straight back at him.
"You can lie down; I'll put them in the crib. I didn't mean to stress you out," Yed said.
"No Yed, take them," Iri insisted. "Sit down on a blanket, and I'll hand them to you."
"Iri, I am worn out too. The babies will sleep more comfortably in the crib," Yed insisted. Iri didn't listen as she stuffed them in his arms.
"A few minutes, then you can put them over in it. Spend a little time with them before bed." Iri lied down, soon falling asleep next to Xiam.
Yed groaned, he needed sleep. He couldn't sleep holding two babies. Just a few minutes. He watched as Carressela began to open her eyes. "Go back to sleep. Everything's fine." She continued to look at him, but didn't cry. "Okay, don't then. I don't know." He looked at her eyes. No fright, only a warm glow similar to Ezra. Innocence. So small, a single drop could damage her. He held the twins tighter, remembering the last time he held them that close.
Right before he took off to Earth. He found his eyes starting to sting, but refused to let anything fall. Those kids had grown up without him, living a life of who knows what. Yet Carress' eyes were so soft. He watched her until she closed them, falling asleep again. He stood up with a little extra coordination, and headed over to the crib, settling them in and tucking the tiny blanket around them. Before he moved, Tiger opened his eyes. Calm. Trusting. He tucked him in more as the babe closed his eyes again.
"Yed?"
Yed looked over at Ezra, calling him from behind. He moved over and sat beside her. "Sorry you didn't have a healer, or any medication."
"It doesn't matter, I'm happy to be here." She reached out for his hand. "I believed that would be the last time I saw my family."
"Not now," Yed answered. "You're here. I gave you the time you deserved. I mean, deserve."
"Mm, and you two. You'll be great. I never told you something that I should have." Ezra moved closer to him. "I am glad it was you. It would have been harder if it had been someone else."
"It's hard no matter what," Yed disagreed. "Probably be better off with someone else. I haven't studied anything about the process of fatherhood."
"There's not a process." Ezra patted the ground next to her and Yed lied all the way down. "You have low self esteem Yed, with little faith in much. I don't know what change you've gone through today, but you need to raise yourself higher again. Your confidence helps more than you know. How should we feel about our chances when you are so unsure of yourself?"
Yed looked downward, a little ashamed. One, because he knew what she was talking about. Protectors were revered, looked upon as examples. If he broke, everyone would. Two, he realized he had been staring downward for some time, and his position was different lying
downward. Ezra was covered, but her clothing had shifted. He quickly looked back up. "Yeah, okay."
Ezra chuckled. "Protector Yeducavich, are you blushing?" She looked down at herself. "Oh yeah." She covered herself up more with her blanket. "At least the worst is almost over." Yed began to stir, but Ezra stopped him. "Stay here. Please?"
"I." Yed looked over at the crib, then back at her. Her red hair, so bright and gorgeous. Any woman on Earth would give anything to have that hair. "Xiam might be a little teed."
"Xiam will always be teed. I'd rather be near you. If I had more energy, I'd even ask to play with your yo-yo. Something normal and fun." Ezra closed her eyes. "Maybe another day...can't seem to..."
She fell asleep mid sentence. Yed relaxed his body and closed his own eyes. He needed rest. Soon they'd be on the open road. And no matter what, he'd find another transporter for them. He'd get Muin and her family back, and take everyone to the safety of Earth. Another transporter. Just one more...no matter what it took...
Chapter 59
DIFFERENT
"Hey, you awake? The doctors say you're too medicated to know, but I know you. Well, it's me. Xiam. You'll be okay soon. Yed?"
Yed moved his finger. He couldn't see well, bright lights were all around him.
"See? Even awake. I knew you'd be okay."
"I should kick your butt for trying something so stupid!"
Millie's voice. He concentrated on the figure beside him, barely making her hand on the hip posture out.
"Told you, complete idiot. Did you accomplish anything besides getting yourself almost killed? Mind you, of course I kept you alive. I promised I'd do that. There is the business of your bill though."
Bibble. Only one being said moron, stupid, and dumb so much it was cliché. He waited to hear Muin's voice or Ezra's, but no other sounds came. He gestured with his hand.
"What's wrong? Something wrong, Yed?"
He took his finger and traced a small E in the air.
"E. Ezra? Back home, I didn't want her seeing you like this. You don't look too good and her mind's fragile. I wish you hadn't done this, this was something your father wanted to do, not you."