CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Kane, Spook, Aislin, Hawk, Fiona, Adam, and Ivy all sat in front of the team wondering why they’d been called from the other island.
“The rest of the group is helping Mama Irene at the animal sanctuary. Something about making space for new animals. What’s up, man? What can we do for you?” asked Kane.
Luke stared at the group in front of them.
They were part of a larger group that all had been subjected to some strange military experiment years ago.
They possessed bizarre gifts that plagued them most of their lives, until they found one another and the team at Belle Fleur.
Now, having mastered their unusual gifts, they were valuable members of the team at Belle Fleur.
“Nothing is wrong, at least not with all of you,” said Luke. “We need to ask you a question that only you all can answer, or at least some of you. Does the name Judy Moore sound familiar?”
They all looked at one another and shook their heads, not identifying with the name.
“How about Colonel Weston Moore?” asked Eric.
“Now that son-of-a-bitch we know,” said Kane. “Sorry, Fiona.”
“Don’t be,” she smirked.
Moore was Fiona’s biological father but he’d left her mother alone, and older brother, also Moore’s biological child, unable to manage life with Fiona in Ireland.
She’d been adopted, later finding out it was an arranged adoption for she and her brother.
She hated the man and was thrilled to learn of his death thanks to Nat years ago.
“But the name Judy Moore doesn’t ring a bell?” asked Luke. Again, they shook their heads. “We believe that Judy Moore is the daughter of Colonel Weston Moore and she has taken up her father’s cause, or at least something that looks similar to her father’s cause.”
“No,” said Kane, shaking his head. “No fucking way. It’s been decades. There’s no way.”
“Kane, think about it. If she knew of her father’s experiments with all of you and knew that you had special gifts, she might have taken up his sword with a new group of children, for a different purpose.
It could have been accidental, it could be intentional, we don’t know yet.
But we know she is working with Jericho. ”
“God, no,” whispered Fiona. “I have a sister?”
“Half-sister,” said Cam. “Or at least that’s what we believe.
We found her name buried inside a webpage that was advertising demonstrations of special children with disabilities, who could play, read, or write music.
They claim to have perfected a powder used on the children at birth, when their lack of hearing or speech was discovered. ”
“Holy shit,” muttered Hawk. “The pink dust. Someone actually brought that shit back to life?”
“Maybe,” said Luke. “We honestly don’t know yet but it seems likely given that she’s related to Colonel Moore and what she posted. Or at least she’s been able to create something similar to it.
“She would have been a child when he died, maybe ten or twelve. That would put her in her late forties, maybe fifties, we’re not sure. If this powder or dust actually made these children savants, we might know what happened to all of you as well.”
The small group representing the larger group stared at one another. Fiona stood and shook her head.
“All due respect, Luke, I don’t want to know. I am the way I am and I’m good with that. So is Adam.” Adam nodded at his wife, then at the four men at the end of the table.
“I understand,” he nodded. “This isn’t about changing all of you. But now we have to stop this woman and the two men she’s working with. The story they’ve been telling is they want to replicate the gifts that these kids possess.
“Now, that means that what we originally thought about their brain surgeries and experiments may have been them opening the brain to inject or somehow use this powder directly on the brain or part of the brain they wanted to affect.”
“This is a lot, Luke,” said Kane pacing back and forth. “Those kids possessed their gifts before they went to that hospital. If they’re using the powder, or something similar, it would have been delivered long before the actual surgery.”
“That’s a fair point,” nodded Eric. “See, you’re helping us sort through this already. Adam? What do you think?”
“I think if it’s what was used on us, the children were exposed to it, most likely intentionally, long before they became orphans. I think you have to figure out what happened to make them orphans. You already know that Sutton and Pip’s parents were most likely murdered. What about the others?”
“We’re working on it,” said Eric.
“We thought we were exposed as children for no main purpose other than to see what it would do to us, which was bad enough. Their intention was to see if they could create a super army or super soldiers of some sort. Now, you’re telling me that this woman and two madmen are intentionally putting it in children’s brains, or a part of their brain for a specific purpose,” frowned Kane.
“It’s all suspicion at this point, Kane. We just felt like you’d want to know,” said Eric.
“You’re damn right we want to know and we’re going to want to be part of stopping this. Permanently.” Kane stormed out and Aislinn stared at the other men.
“Let me talk to him. You must understand how upsetting this will be for all of us. We thought it was done. We thought we were safe and now we find out that someone is out there doing the same horrible things. It’s a lot.”
“I know, Aislinn, I know,” said Luke. “Get with the others and talk to them. If you all feel that you need to leave here, we can find somewhere safe for you but I have to believe nowhere is safer than here. Besides, these people seem focused on children at this point. We’re all a long way from being children. ”
“I’ll talk to everyone,” said Hawk. “But I can guarantee this. If these people are using whatever that damn pink dust was, we’re going to want in on stopping them.
Use me. Use our skills. We can all be of value to you in finding them.
We may even be able to identify the woman by a feel if she’s related to Moore. ”
The small group left the offices and Luke, Cam, Eric and Hex sat in silence for a long moment. Hex tapped the table with his knuckles.
“This is turning into something bigger than we thought. We need to notify medical and see if they can find any traces of what Kane and his team had in their blood, in the children,” said Hex.
“I don’t think it surprises any of us that Moore had more illegitimate children. The question is, how many more. Are there others out there helping Jericho and Moore? And who is the other man?” asked Cam.
“I know we have a lot of hands in the fire right now but if you’re asking me my opinion. I think we need a few more,” said Eric.
“Who are you thinking?” asked Luke.
“We need to find Jericho, Moore and the third man. My suggestion is we put together the best team in the world. A team renowned for their tracking abilities, across our teams.”
“That would be Trak, Zeke, Kiel, Joseph, Nathan, Hawk, and Juan. Seven of the best the world has never known and never seen.”
There was a sound at the door and someone cleared their throat. They all turned to see the seven faces they just mentioned. Trak stood out front. He was simply standing there, stoic as always.
“We’re all in.” Eric shook his head and grinned at his father-in-law.
“Damn he’s scary.”