Resolution Read online

  “Truthfully, Alana did all the real work, along with Normie, Helena and Bella. I just barked on the phone, and sounded all tough and badass.”

  “You have additional info. Something you’re not sharing, I take it.”

  “A little. Might be real, might be fiction. Helena has been holding off telling us more about it thinking we would just laugh at her along with Bella. Silly superstition, according to Bella. Paulo mentioned it in passing, but if it is widely known, then there is purpose to everything we do from now on. Helena said Bella isn’t laughing any more, nor should we. They will put a thing together, and then we’ll all meet and talk about what it means, if anything. But they also told me something they didn’t think was important, but I now believe is actually critical.”

  “What’s that?”

  ***

  Adam’s relationship between himself with his wives on one hand, and the truth on the other, were never as strong as his wives had hoped. While he discussed developments in the project with his mates, there were things he didn’t reveal and weren’t discoverable, even in mind union with him. His wives thought they were all open books. They were not; Adam was not. For the past year or, so Adam’s brain/mind function had continued to develop at an accelerated pace; indeed, this development could be traced back to Hawaii. He assumed it was some sort of maturation process, and perhaps it was. But the key new feature of the development of his skills and abilities was that not all his progress and knowledge went automatically to his wives when in union. Adam knew what was and what wasn’t, but failed to tell those who should have been told. Two women already knew of the myth; neither knew that Adam was aware, and already believed in it.

  One of these abilities was something that was critical to his survival in the fight against Paulo. The Prophecy stated that Adam, or at least the Chosen One, would fight one of two brothers in human form, and the other while each was in natural state. The latter fight would put Adam at a disadvantage if he was in human form while Paulo was in Gens natural state. He did not give it much thought, as he had been taught by his Father confessor and Maria that God never gives a us a task we cannot fulfill.

  What struck him like lightening one day out-of-the-blue was that he had somehow acquired or learned the ability to transform from human state to Gens natural state unaided by blood or water. He could simply will it, and when he did, he would transform to a monster called the Red Gens Manti. In this state he couldn’t be defeated by any living Gens who didn’t match his genetic qualities. Adam assumed that neither Paulo nor his brother had those abilities, so he decided that revealing this factoid wasn’t in his best interest; Paulo would likely go into hiding and try to defeat the Prophecy by holding up somewhere and waiting Adam out. Thus, he decided not to say anything to his wives or colleagues for fear of it leaking out, and eventually getting to Paulo’s ears.

  A mistake, as would he would learn more than once, before this saga ended. While in most cases, his defense was he did not wish to worry his wives or his people, it was always their wish to share his burden. And it was their right to know. The risk applied equally to all; so too should all, or almost all, have relevant knowledge.

  The discovery of his ability, came to him while exploring his own genetics, and after exploring and re-exploring Helena’s mind trying to simply unlock the physical mystery of transformation. As he began to understand how Gens transformed he realized that he was neither fully human nor fully Gens, but an entirely new kind of being that had all of the genetics of human, Gens and Nobilus. His natural state was no longer human, but a combination of at least the three.

  Plus, one more.

  What remained without revealing his true nature to his wives and colleagues was to get a more intimate understanding of the Prophecy and the history of the Eighty-One that Paulo casually mentioned, also known to some but not all. Adam had discovered the Eighty-One and more from Helena while she was otherwise occupied in union and physical congress.

  What more he wished to learn could only, at this point, be derived from entering the minds of Bella and Helena who had critical knowledge he wished now to learn. It was likely not experiential knowledge or something they knew then later forgot, but instead was something still lodged deep in memory or perhaps in their DNA. Accessing this knowledge now was probably next to impossible. They would never permit Adam access.

  Failing to reveal his new ability coupled with the need for union with Helena and Bella was explosive if not revealed truthfully and soon. He could simply lie and say his awareness was recent, partially true. Nonetheless, Adam kept his own counsel on this matter; likely a mistake and gamble.

  It wouldn’t turn out well when discovered.

  Chapter 3

  The ladies, the kids and Norman were ecstatic over the results of the call with Paulo. Everyone was in a good mood, but Octavio sensed that while his cousin was happy, he wasn’t that happy.

  “What’s up, cuz? You don’t seem very festive.”

  “There’s a shit load more to do now, and the level of danger, for all of us, and to the success of our project, will be decided in the next couple of years with and by people we haven’t met, we don’t know, and whose trustworthiness we’re unable to assess. There are variables we don’t control, and some new capabilities I have in development I don’t yet fully understand. But in a month or two, maybe longer, I am going to need your help and support. I want you to come to work for me right away, just me, and find a replacement for your job in Ops.”

  “You sure, cuz? I mean what can I do for you?”

  “Trust me when I say you are not only qualified, but overqualified. Now about that replacement. Who do you have in mind?”

  “Francois can take up most of the load. I can pull in one of the cousins to support him.”

  “Who you thinkin’ of?”

  “Danny Ortega. He’s got the best pair of eyes, and sense of smell I have ever seen. Cousin Cindy thinks, so too. Francois is a great planner and very detail oriented, but Danny can troubleshoot the plan in the real world just as well as Francois. You know, what about this, what about that? That kind of stuff.”

  “How are the plans coming along for the Great Libraries?”

  “So far, so good. We have confirmed where they are, and their normal security. Francois has an idea he developed with Danny for how to simultaneously breach the entrance to all the Libraries and pacify the whoever is inside without killing anybody. Bethy and Hannah wanted to stress that these Gens aren’t likely to be military or fighters, so there’s no need to be overly hostile with them. But if we have some lurkers, you know natural state types, then some shit may go down. We’ll try to take them out first, but every battle plan is great until the engagement begins. Then all hell breaks loose. The stuff that Bitsie is doing is helpful, but I’m getting some pushback on how effective it can be when the bullets start flying. Time, and the fog of war, they think, will be limiting factors on utility.”

  “Maybe we should get some of the field commanders in a room with Bitsie and see if she can address some of their concerns. Maybe make it more useable in the field.”

  “The guys are a little worried that Bitsie may not understand what they do. Being in the field, what that’s like, you know. Or she maybe thinks they don’t understand the tech or how to use it.”

  “You know she did all the prototypes, and first few versions for the Army. The field guys loved it. And her. She’s been out in conditions but not on Ops. But don’t not talk to her because she’s a chick, a techie and a nerd. She happens to be all three of those, but she’s uber practical and understands field operations.”

  “I’ll pass it along.”

  “Set up a meet. Let them meet her and talk to the guys. I think she’ll surprise them and you.”

  ***

  Weeks earlier.

  Marcus Thierry opened the door to his apartment cautiously, and quietly looked across the hall to see if anyone was working in the Tech Centre. He thought he heard periodic taps on a key
board, but it was five in the morning, and he had been awoken by his cell phone ringing at this ungodly hour. He was normally an early riser, but not at five in the morning early riser. Six, sure; seven was his preference. But five, why would you do that to yourself? Or anyone else?

  He had gotten a call a few minutes ago from his friend Edward St. James that he needed to pass on some information to the ladies across the hall, who were already hard at work. Sisters Bella and Helena Fortizi were each facing three computer screens on two desks that faced each other. As they worked, they seldom spoke. While their work was related, the tasks undertaken were very different. The sisters had been putting in the long hours lately, making excellent progress on their tasks and assignments.

  Now, apparently, Adam St. James had taken notice of the enormous volume of quality output, and decided it was time for an unannounced visit to the Loft by him and his new protégé, Dr. Norman Drake. Adam and Norman, the latter who was now commonly referred to as Dr. Dork by staff, had been making slow progress in writing code for the DL Main to use in translating, decoding and deciphering the Gens common tongue. They had made some progress, but in truth and fact, they were barely at a first-grade level.

  Adam habitually stuck his nose in everyone’s work, just to see what was what. Some didn’t mind; some wanted to take a nice thirty-six-ounce aluminum baseball bat to his skull. Adam’s habit was analogous to peering over the shoulder of an employee while at work. The Ph.D.’s, in particular, were deeply annoyed; boss or no boss, it was one bridge too far for their sensitivities and egos.

  The ladies, Helena and Bella Fortizi, harbored no such feelings of hostility in terms of work environment, work product or simple nosiness, at least not toward Adam. Helena was delighted with Adam’s attention and, more specifically, his ‘mind thingy’; with Edward things were a little different. Helena tried very hard to avoid and ignore him. Unlike Bella, Helena was well-aware of which of the two St. James males was the dangerous one. To Helena, Adam was easy to read, and understand. Adam was dangerous, very much like any Gens male, and, like any Gens male, could be readily and predictably be understood as to what might spark one angry reaction or another.

  But Edward was a different cat entirely and he made her uncomfortable. It was as if she could read everyone’s mind except his. She trusted not a word he said, preferring instead to speak to Adam or Misti about any new matter assigned to her or to Bella. Helena took pains to avoid Edward; Edward for his part thought he understood what drove Helena and gave her plenty of room to roam – away from him.

  Edward was wrong; once again he had failed to understand basic emotions, and primal instincts which drove most humans and, for that matter, most Gens. Understanding the transformed Gens was an entirely new discipline, and one for which Edward was thoroughly underqualified. “Out of his depth” as the Brits would say.

  Edward and Adam each suffered from the “I’m a genius in ‘____’, therefore I am a genius in everything.” No, it simply wasn’t that way, though the men were mostly convinced otherwise.

  As to Edward, Bella had a different take. Bella viscerally hated Edward for being, to her way of thinking, the best example of the worst human characteristics. In many core respects, Bella thought Edward was closer to Paulo in thinking and temperament. She, unlike her sister, didn’t fear Edward or what he could or might do to them; she just didn’t care. Edward, for his part, did not trust Bella and kept a close eye on her, usually having others report to him on her activities. Bella was well aware of Edward and his spying; she would very often flip him off whenever she thought he was intruding on her privacy.

  But in this case, and on this morning, Edward thought to warn the sisters that Adam and Norman were dropping by. Why Edward thought it necessary, nobody knew. Adam got on well with the sisters; in fact, Adam and Misti made it a point to join in with the sisters, their children and Octavio at least once a week for dinner or walks.

  Marcus, still in his robe and slippers, tiptoed across the hallway, and gently knocked on the glass door, so as not to startle the ladies.

  “Come in Marcus. The door’s open. Did you bring that Kona coffee you promised?”

  “How do you even know it was me? I know you can’t see me coming.”

  Bella said, “We hear you walking and we can smell the coffee. Two improvements to the human genome if ever passed on.”

  “Walking?”

  “Sure. Like finger prints. You have a definable cadence to your walk; it’s easy to hear you well before we can see you. But enough of this chit chat; you brought coffee and news. What’s up?”

  “News? What news?”

  “It’s five in the morning Marcus; you aren’t a five in the morning kinda guy. So, as Mrs. Sherlock Holmes, I deduce you have news. What gives?”

  “Just got a call from his nibs, you know Edward, to give you a head’s up that Adam, and Dr. Dork are on their way over for a visit. Adam wishes to speak to you, Bella, while Dr. Dork wishes to speak to you Helena. About your work.”

  “Something bad?”

  “No, quite the opposite. Adam is very impressed, which happens about once a millennium. He thinks there may be a way for you, Bella, to speed up Adam’s work with a tweak or two regarding emphasis, and presentation of data, while Dr. Dork seems to think if he spent more time with you, Helena, he could speed up the development of the language interface, and algorithm development he does with Adam.”

  “Why the head’s up? They can drop by any time announced or not any time; it’s no bother.”

  “On that point, I have no clue, but Edward wanted me to warn you, that’s all he said.”

  “And…?” said Bella.

  “I am an informal messenger and barometer of the ‘we hate Edward’ faction. You’re not alone in your distrust, mistrust or just general no trust of the man. As you probably know my own daughters don’t like or trust him one bit. Edward thinks it’s far past time for a thaw in relations between you two, but especially you Bella. He knows you don’t like or trust him, but he thinks its time to bury the hatchet, as the old saying goes. But he would prefer the hatchet not to be buried in the back of his skull.”

  “Why doesn’t he drop by for lunch? Why all this cloak and dagger?”

  “Who knows. Edward is quirky about relationships and doesn’t have a lot of close friends. As far as I count, he has Misti’s Dad, and Maria and Agustin. He feels safer with just a few he can always count on. He suspects, I would actually say he knows, that he’s misjudged you, and made too big deal out of it. Admitting he’s wrong is, let’s just say, not an attribute that he’s well known for. He might admit to his misjudgment and apologize but then that would probably signal the end of times. Don’t expect contrition on his part as much as a new beginning.”

  “OK. There’s more?”

  “He’d like to give you some insight into his past, as well as those of Misti, Adam, Alana and Noki. Plus, a little primer on Hannah and Vera.”

  “OK.” Bella was suspicious. “Not sure why that isn’t coming from him but do tell.”

  “Like I said, Edward is a strange cat. Edward wants you, Helena, your kids and Octavio to relocate to the Manor. To live with all of us and be part of our growing family. He’d like me to explain the family to you and what that means. He’d like you to read the book he wrote called The Curse of the Minotaur. It’s a story, but Edward believes the book is more about family, and tolerance, and what those things means to all of us here, and in the Eight Families. None of the families are actually related. Yet our family has endured for over thirty years, longer if you count the time he spent in Mexico before everyone came to Seattle and later to Barrows Bay.”

  “I’m in shock, to be sure. But if he’s really sincere, I’d be honored.”

  “I think you’ll find Edward, once you strip away the gruff asshole he can be, is a genuinely a decent fellow. He wants to be liked though he’d never admit that. Adam is just like his Dad. Fortress St. James. It’s all a bunch of bull pucky. But I think t
hat they believe that if you never let anyone get too close, you can protect yourself from the pain of human existence. He’s wrong, of course, but he fails to see the joy possible when you let down your defenses. I’d be happy to tell you what I know later, if you’d like to hear.”

  “We would. Then we have something we’d like to share with you. We’ll want to have Adam, Misti, Noki and Alana along for the chat, as well as Hannah and Vera. It concerns them all greatly, but it’s Adam it concerns most.”

  “Deal,” Marcus said. “We can chat when the St. James men aren’t around.”

  Marcus left, and the sisters sipped coffee and discussed what they just heard.

  Chapter 4

  The ladies sat quietly for a few moments, leaning back in their new ergonomically designed work chairs. They thought about what Marcus had said, what it might mean to their futures, and how it might impact on the wellbeing of their children. Bella wondered what Octavio would say when the Prophecy was revealed, and what it meant to him – and them. She loved Octavio in the human way and didn’t want to lose him. But fulfillment of the Prophecy was dangerous and many were going to die before all was said and done.

  The Prophecy. Every Gens knew it; the number that believed in it was, however, dwindling. That included Bella and Helena until recently. If Octavio and Bella were front line in the coming war and died, their children would have to carry on the seeds of hope. If the Prophecy was real, the children had a big role in what was prophesied to be the future of the planet.

  Bella suddenly asked Helena, “What do you think? Progress or trick, sister?”

  Helena responded, “Progress. Adam and his family, which we will join, is one of the elements to the fulfillment of the Prophecy. You originally brought up that old myth yourself. Now re-read the Prophecy again, considering all that has happened and this revelation. I’m sure of it now; Adam’s is the Chosen One.”

  “How so?”