Chapter Two
Alody stated her name and country of origin. When they got to her year of birth, the questioner paused.
“What?”
She repeated, “I am fifty-six. I was born in the Sethir stronghold, sold to the capitol for their program, worked as a team member for five years before I was sold again to the Lorn emperor. He put me in cold sleep, and I woke up fifteen years later. I left with my son, travelled with him, and finally came to Aksalla just before the Uraddan walls came down so he could go to schools that are used to actives.”
He stared. “You declared all this to the immigration officers?”
“I did.”
“You are an active?”
“When the occasion calls for it. I register on scans as human. Yes, it is weird.”
The man checked his notes. “But you were a team member?”
“Yes. Code name Katta.”
He paused and looked it up. “Holy shit.”
She nodded. “My son is adopted and the light of my world. When he called me, I got there as fast as I could. No casualties and no major injuries. No fatalities, and the bus just has some holes in it to drain the water out.”
He made another note. “You made the holes?”
“No. Some of the children are early activators. A psychic contacted me, and I gave her directions to pass on.”
A large red figure walked in, his horns high. “I am here as her legal representation.”
“Oh, Attorney Vikor, we are nearly done here. She isn’t in trouble. We just needed all the information for legal liability for not being able to get our own defenders out to the children in time.”
Alody looked at Vaken’s uncle. “I appreciate your offer of assistance. The only property damage was to the bus, and Vaken did it.” She grinned. “And as the bus had taken on water, it was reasonable for him to punch a few holes in it to drain it.”
Vikor nodded. “We will keep the funds aside to repair or replace the bus. Thank you for responding when they called.”
“Well, since Ithal was on the bus, I didn’t need to secure childcare, and if my boss fires me, I will just go to work for some friends of mine in the dressmaking industry. There is always work if you are skilled with a needle.”
The door swung open, and the prefect was standing there. Alody grinned. “Wow, you got old, Titanium.”
“Katta. Oh, my god. We thought you were dead. You just disappeared.” The prefect of Aksalla walked up to her and pulled her out of the chair for a hug.
“The capitol sold me. They only knew me as a team medic, so I wasn’t much of a loss.” She hugged her friend and grinned. “Salat looked me up?”
“Yeah, well, Khytten did when Salat mentioned it. She can type faster. Smaller fingers.”
Alody smiled. “Does he know I used to babysit him when I was on loan to Aksalla?”
“I think the memories are flooding back. I know Torenne screamed and is on her way down. How long have you been in town?”
“Three and a half years. I came so my son could go to school here.”
Titanium smiled. “You have a son?”
“Yes, Titanium. He’s eight. Adopted and knows it, but mine to the bone.”
“You can call me Salmet.”
“You can call me Alody.”
Salmet hugged her again, and the questioner blinked. “She speaks the truth.”
Salmet laughed. “She always did. Wait, where is your son?”
“With Vikor’s nephew. They go to the same school.”
“He was on the bus?”
“Of course. No one else would have called for help. Well, they would not have called me.”
“You look so young.”
“Good genes or bad ones. I can’t decide.” Alody smiled. “Are you going to keep hugging me?”
“Yes. I am the prefect. It’s my right.”
Vikor was looking at her and asked, “How old are you?”
“Fifth or sixth decade. The recordkeeping is spotty at best.”
“You look...”
“As I always have. It has never been necessary to age.”
“Ithal said you always do what is necessary.”
She smiled at the devil over Salmet’s shoulder. “That is what I always do.”
Salmet chuckled and eased up. “Riko, Jennela, and Halko are going to be shocked and are going to hug the stuffing out of you. Oh, I have grandchildren now. Salat has five little ones and Khytten’s teenage daughter, so that gave me a huge boost. Before any of them, baby Delia arrived. I have seven grandchildren.”
“That is wonderful. Congratulations. I know you wanted a huge family.”
Salmet cocked her head. “No kids for you?”
“I haven’t started dating yet. There has never been time, and it has never been necessary.”
The questioner cleared his throat. “I have concluded that this unknown and undeclared activation is not a danger to the citizens of Aksalla.”
Salmet grinned. “Excellent conclusion. Katta was the best team healer we ever had.”
“And I have been here for three years.”
Salmet blinked tears away. “I want to know everything.”
“I want to pick up my son.”
Vikor spoke. “Shisha took him to Klauz’s for dessert. Probably with the rest of the link.”
Alody paused. “You have a Hyreno in your link?”
“Techor. Yes.”
“Oh, shoot. I need to get there.”
Vikor frowned. “Why?”
“He really hates Hyreno males. If Techor tries to make friends, it will not go well.”
Vikor stared and began sending a message through his com. “Why?”
“Because out of all the folks we have met in the world, the Hyreno goons working for the emperor were the only ones who tried to kill me. Ithal took it personally and has access to a mind spike if he is pressed, but that usually only kicks in if I am present.”
Vikor’s eyes widened. “Fuck.”
He spoke rapidly and told Techor just to ignore Ithal, aside from passing anything he requested. The words Be distant but nice rang in the room.
Salmet said, “Do you want me to come with?”
“Well, as I am half naked and burned, I don’t think I will pass the dress code.”
Vikor smiled. “I will come along. They are mine anyway.”
“Great. Let’s go. Ithal was under stress tonight, and I want that stress to stop.” She looked at the questioner. “Can I use my com now?”
He flushed and tapped his screen. “Yes, ma’am.”
She felt the availability and opened the com to Ithal. It opened immediately, and his expression beamed at her. “Mom. I sent a lawyer. Did you see him?”
She turned, and Vikor was behind her for a moment. “How could I miss him?”
Ithal grinned. “You are coming for me?”
“I am coming for you. I will be there in twenty minutes. Eat as much dessert as Klauz will feed you, and no one there is a threat to either of us. Are we clear?”
Ithal blushed. “Yes, Mom. Judge Techor got a warning from the lawyer as well. His brain went cool then.”
“Good. I am on my way, and I look like hell. So you know how happy that makes me.”
Ithal grinned and scrunched his shoulders. “Vaken’s aunt says she owes you.”
“Tell her I just finished the black lace-up gown she’s been waiting for.”
There was a pause as Ithal relayed it. She heard, “Alody?”
Alody laughed and looked at Vikor. “I want to hug my son. Shall we?”
Salmet tapped her com against Alody’s. “Gotcha.”
She looked at her friend and laughed. “Yes, Salmet, you got me. I work in the garment district. The fancy end. I am a seamstress. I specialize in those lace-up dresses that Drin is always wearing. I have a knack for load-bearing loops. I work for Morwithel.”
Vikor was staring at her in surprise. “You make those?”
“Sure. Making the lacing is my specialty. Evali can suck it. She only does pretty. I create sturdy.”
Vikor laughed. “You know Evali?”
Salmet grinned. “Katta was Iron’s first crush before he met Evali. They have met.”
Alody laughed. “Yeah, we’ve met.”
She signed her statement, and they left the query department. It sounded so much nicer than interrogation.
Vikor had a large vehicle waiting; with his horns, it had to have headroom. Salat and Khytten appeared and said, “We can take her. Mom, did you want to come with us?”
Salmet grinned. “Oh, yeah. I want to meet her little boy.”
Khytten looked delighted.
Alody looked at them. “Ithal is scent-sensitive. No scents of sex or friskiness, or I am going to keep your cookies for myself, Salat.”
He was holding the door for them, and he froze. He stared at her, and she grinned. “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.”
His hands started shaking, and Khytten grabbed him and shoved him into the passenger seat. “We will discuss this at the restaurant.”
Salmet laughed, and they got in the back. They buckled into five-point harnesses and were on the way. Alody rubbed the back of her neck. This was way more excitement than she was used to in the evenings. She was getting old.
Walking up to the hostess stand brought another surprise. Her eyes went wide. “Breen?”
Breen grinned, and tears formed in her elegantly made-up eyes. “Ohmygod. Alody?”
“I know I don’t match the dress code, but I believe my son and his friend are here for dessert?”
Breen nodded. “Of course. He’s a very polite young man.”
“He has practice.”
“Can I hug you?”
“Yup.” Alody opened her arms, and Breen stepped into them. Her beauty, grace, and calm made her perfect for this kind of job.
“It has been a long time.”
“It has.”
“Where did you go?”
“Away. Twenty-three years later, I am back.”
“You look the same.”
“I know.” She looked at Breen. “So, where is my son?”
Breen smiled. “This way. They are in one of the private rooms because of the kids.”
Breen glided through the hall that divided the different spaces filled with diners so that no one felt overwhelmed or neglected. The private rooms were just that. Private.
One of the doors flew opened, and Ithal raced toward her. He jumped up, and she held him as he wrapped himself around her. “Mom. You came.”
He didn’t mean the restaurant. He meant the bus. “I said I would always come, and I always will. You are my most necessary thing.” She murmured it against his ear.
He looked at her with tears in his eyes. “We were scared.”
“I know. I can’t do anything about the scared, but I could make it stop as soon as I could.”
Vaken was standing behind him. “He wasn’t scared when we went into the water because he could manage it, but the rest of us couldn’t. He was scared when he saw we couldn’t get out, and he was scared when it took three times to get through to you.”
“I am sorry, bug. Next time, the moment you are out of my sight, the com stays on.”