Unity and Destiny Pt. 07

"Then we figure out what to do then," said Esther. "We'll have to be patient. I don't want to wait, either. But we'll be here for you and Mark."

"I know," said Nicola. "And I already told Javier that I was going to stop being so stubborn about avoiding things I don't want to practice. That includes sharing senses with you."

Nicola couldn't say it, but Esther could feel the trembling need from her friend. Nicola was already naked, and so Esther stood to strip off her bra and panties. When she moved towards Nicola, her friend put her hands under Esther's butt, and then lifted her right up, helping her to settle on her lap, facing Nicola. They wrapped arms, their breasts pressed together, and then Esther reached into otherspace, meeting Nicola's own clumsy attempts.

Hormones were coursing through Nicola, her friend's desperate need to feel something aside from despair. It wasn't enough for Esther, but she rested contentedly as Nicola masturbated, her friend's hand bumping against Esther's own body as well. And when Nicola came, the orgasm echoed pleasantly through Esther's senses as well.

At some point Esther fell asleep, her senses falling away from Nicola's naturally. When she woke, Nicola was still holding her, kissing her chest gently.

"Not tonight," Esther said faintly. "Not for me. Another time."

"Can you stay with me?" Nicola asked.

"Another time," Esther said, feeling guilty. She wanted to sleep with Nicola. "I need to be with Javier."

"I know," Nicola said, resting her head against Esther's chest. "You'd know better than me, but he's really not OK, is he? He's feeling like I did after Andrew."

"Something like that," agreed Esther. "He'll need time."

"Don't we all. Give him a kiss for me."

* * *

Through the window Javier watched Selena disappear up the ladder to her little sleeping area, retrieving something or other. It was getting ridiculous. They needed to start work on the stairs, and replace the beams Nicola had said needed it. Repairs had all but come to a halt, without Nicola to order them around.

Esther was deep in meditations, like most mornings. So Javier wandered into Nicola and Mark's room.

She was still in yesterday's underwear. Or maybe the day before. At Nicola's instruction, they'd managed to procure some medical supplies, so at least Mark was getting fluids. Some calories that way, but he needed more, and he still wasn't able to swallow on reflex.

Nicola sat as she often did, stroking his head and talking to him. Mark lay as still as always, eyes closed. Nicola said he moved a little, occasionally. Enough to know he wasn't completely paralyzed. But he hadn't woken in five days.

"Nicola," he said. She gave him a tired nod. "I think you need to get out for a while. It's a nice day out today. Esther is watching him, the way she always does."

She didn't respond. After a while he sat next to her.

"I've been fucking her," Nicola said distantly. "At night, when you're asleep."

"I know," said Javier. "She didn't quite put it that way. It's fine."

"I don't think so," Nicola said. "She said we needed to stop, and I already miss it. I think I'm screwing things up like I always do. Looking for sex because I can't think of anything else."

"So you should come out with me. Do some running, the way you promised."

Nicola made a face. "I did say that, didn't I. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You were thinking you needed to make yourself do things you didn't want," he said. "I bet it sounds like an awful idea right now. So that means you should definitely do it."

"There's something not right with that logic," Nicola said, a hint of a smile. "But I'm too tired to argue. I guess I should put on some clothes."

"You probably should," Javier agreed. "Shoes, anyway."

Fifteen minutes later Nicola joined him, still in her underwear. She'd put on shoes, and nothing else.

He raised his eyebrow at her.

"What? I feel like shit and my underwear's dirty. If I'm going to do something I don't like, I might as well do it properly."

"There's something not right with that logic," Javier said, trying not to laugh. "I guess we're off, then."

Nicola kept up with him easily. In fact, she started pushing the pace. But of course, she started wheezing after a half mile, and finally slowed to a walk. Javier paused and let her catch up.

"I hate this," Nicola said. "I hate you. I hate the stupid sun. Let's go back. I'll stop complaining when we turn around."

"Just a little further," Javier said. "Next time we'll start off slower."

She shook her head, but she matched his slow pace for another few minutes. They stopped near some rocks, and Javier sat down, looking away while Nicola leaned against a tree to relieve herself.

When she came back, she'd taken off her bra too. Javier looked away guiltily.

"Come on, Javier," she said. "You're being a real friend despite my whining. I know you like looking. Surely you know I do it all the time."

So he looked. Nicola was tired, sweaty, obviously annoyed at everything. And her body attracted him the way Esther's hadn't been lately. He didn't like that feeling. His mind traveled back to that afternoon in Oregon, with steam rising from the lake around Esther's nude body. The rainbow halo, water dancing and shimmering to the sounds she made. The nights of furtive, desperate touching.

"Do you remember what you did in the lake at Oregon?" he blurted. "To distract everyone when Esther arrived?"

"Not really," she said, looking down. "I was pretty far gone."

She retrieved her underwear and pulled it on with a grimace. Javier knew he shouldn't have brought it up, and now he'd spoiled the mood. But she deserved to remember.

"You were magnificent," he said. "The rainbow, the water—"

"Not now, Javier," she said. "I shouldn't have teased you. We should probably go home."

"I'm sorry," he said. "And thank you for trying to cheer me up."

"Same. And Javier, sometime I'll ask you. It's just too complicated right now. Not that being with Esther is simple. I thought maybe—I don't know."

"It's OK," Javier said, not sure if she was apologizing for something. For not wanting to fuck him?

By the time they made it back, Nicola looked miserable. Javier was a little embarrassed. He hadn't realized he was in so much better shape than her. He poked his head in the bedroom, but Esther was still meditating. On his way to the shower, he met Nicola again.

"Sorry, you first," he said.

"Is that some chivalry thing?"

"No, I just think you smell worse."

Nicola smiled. "Got me there. Thanks for making me exercise, Javier. I don't feel much better, but it was something. And I need to do it."

They stood there a minute, and Javier had the strange notion she was going to invite him in the shower with her. But she just put her hand on his shoulder.

"Javier, after I killed Andrew, I couldn't touch Mark. I felt like a monster. And I won't lie, sometimes I still feel that way."

"That's depressing," said Javier. "But I get it. Time will make things better. That's what Esther keeps telling me."

"Well, yes," said Nicola. "But first, I ran the fuck away from everything. And I think it did help. Different surroundings."

"So you think I should go find Lukas?"

Nicola laughed. "Well, that would be convenient, wouldn't it? No, Javier, I think you should find a way to spend more time with Jacob, or the two lovely women in San Jose. As an extra bonus, you could tell them how sorry I am for being a dick."

* * *

Esther was puzzling again over the geometry of the ancient place in Oregon when she heard Mark start to waken. Nicola was outside, having finally started to organize their work, and Esther pulled lightly on her friend's senses. Seconds later, Nicola joined her in the bedroom where Mark lay.

He shifted slightly under Nicola's hand, and then slowly opened his eyes.

"Mark," Nicola said. "Mark, we're here. Is there anything you need?"

He opened his mouth, and for a moment couldn't seem to get his tongue working.

"Water," he finally managed. Nicola carefully helped him sip from the cup. It didn't look like Mark could move his head much, but he was awake. That was what mattered.

"Mark, you were hurt very badly," Nicola said. "You might not be able to move now, but your body is healing."

Even as she spoke, Esther could see Mark trying to move. One arm flopped, but not much else.

"How long?" he asked, frowning.

"A week," Nicola said. "Mark, do you remember what happened?"

"We fought," he said slowly. "He was so fast. Too skilled."

"We beat him anyway," said Nicola. "Unfortunately he killed Tanaka. But none of us would have had a chance without you."

Mark looked away from her, to Esther. "Tell me what happened," he said. "How did he hurt me? I can't feel my legs. I can barely feel anything."

Esther swallowed. "He broke your neck, Mark. Right at the top of the spine, like we found Aaron. We think it was the same man. Mark, it's OK. We always knew there might be someone stronger out there. You gave me enough time to stop him. Selena and Javier had to kill him."

Mark closed his eyes, but he was still awake. Eventually he opened them again.

"What happened to Aaron would have killed me," he said. "It would kill anyone."

Nicola seemed frozen, so Esther explained. "Nicola and I managed to repair you enough for Javier to get your heart started again. And then you started healing. Even your nerves are healing, Mark. I know how frightened you must be, but we think your body may be able to repair even this. We need to be patient."

He closed his eyes again. But when Esther turned to leave, he spoke again.

"He wasn't stronger than me, or any faster. And I could see him well enough once we were fighting. But he was just so much better. I need to get better."

Esther nodded and left Nicola alone with him. But after a few minutes she joined Esther in the kitchen.

"He's asleep again," she said. "And he doesn't seem to have had any brain damage. This is really good, Esther." But Nicola seemed to be trying to convince herself more than Esther.

"We need to think how to talk to him, if he doesn't get back all his motion," said Esther. "It would be devastating for him."

"He'll heal," Nicola said. "I know he will."

Esther sighed. "I hope so. Nicola, how did Mark learn to fight? Did Keith teach him?"

Nicola nodded. "A little, I think, though I suspect it was mostly Keith trying to figure out how to be a parent to a wild kid. I don't get the sense Keith ever had children of his own. And when Andrew was with us, Mark wrestled with him sometimes, though Mark always won easily. Other than that, I guess he just understands how to kill animals, and he understands how people move. He's so quick and strong that that's always been more than enough."

"Janelle was strong, and she knew martial arts," Esther said. "But Mark just immobilized her, like wrestling. Obviously that wasn't enough for Castillo. And as you said, Mark won't kill and doesn't even like to hurt anyone. That means he's at a disadvantage against someone ruthless."

Nicola nodded, smiling eagerly. "When he gets better, we'll have to find a way for him to learn the way skilled people fight. Take him to watch martial arts tournaments or something. Maybe he could take classes. He's so quick to learn physical things. I bet that's exactly what he'll need to recover faster."

* * *

Kat circled the lot once and then pulled into a free spot. Esther slouched lower in her seat, feeling conspicuous. But there were plenty of cars here, and the Sacramento FBI building was across the road.

They'd come up with this idea last week. Kat had unexpectedly hacked into a database at the bank that issued the credit card Castillo had been carrying. She said they'd practically been asking for it, as the security was pathetic. So far they hadn't learned much from the records: hotels, generic purchases. It did show that Castillo traveled a lot, but they'd already assumed as much. But the success prompted Kat to re-think her efforts on other problems.

I've been lazy, she wrote. I've been counting on Esther's mathematical genius to find loopholes no one's thought of with encryption, but there's nothing that says those loopholes even exist, and that's not the way you usually pull off a serious hack. Instead it's looking for shitty security, and social engineering. You know, convincing someone to let you have access you shouldn't, or sneaking a trojan horse onto media they use, or something like that. I haven't done the social engineering stuff, because it's risky, and not as interesting a game for me. But Esther could manage a lot of the hard work all on her own.

So here they were, doing what Kat called social engineering. It was definitely illegal, whatever it was.

"This close enough?" Kat asked.

Esther closed her eyes. The building was full of low chatter like any office building. Too much to listen to with all her attention, but easy enough to let her subconscious manage the task. She nodded, and sent her quick message to Javier, who was waiting at a pay phone down in Elk Grove.

She immediately focused on the office where the phone rang. A middle-aged woman grimaced and put down her coffee mug. Javier's voice came through on the phone, though he was faking a heavy Spanish accent.

"Hi, is this where you call for something suspicious? The tip line?"

"Yes," said the woman, quickly pressing some buttons. Recording the call. "Go ahead."

"I just saw something crazy go down, didn't know who to call. This black girl, she beat the shit out of four big guys in a street here. Looked like some drug deal gone wrong, I don't know, but I never saw anything like it. Like in the movies. She let their buddy get them in a car, and then she chased the damned car. I swear she even could have caught it, but it was like she was giving them a message. Usually I'd keep out of that shit, but you know, I saw what they said on the news."

The FBI woman became much more alert as Javier talked.

"Could you describe her more? Where exactly was this?"

Javier gave an accurate description of Janelle and named a deserted street corner some distance away, then hurriedly hung up the phone and jogged off to his car. The FBI woman sat thinking for a minute, then called over another agent.

"Stan, I just got the damnedest tip, from some Hispanic guy in Elk Grove. Sounded like he thought he saw one of those crazy superhumans the news has been hinting about. Didn't seem to be a crank like the others."

She played the tape, and Stan nodded, motioning her over to his desk, where they sat at his computer.

Esther focused carefully on the sequence of actions that followed, including two passwords Stan typed. In a minute the agents were looking at a picture of Janelle and a description of her strengths.

"Well, I'll be damned," said the woman. "That certainly matches up. Should we pass this right to field operations?"

"No," Stan said. "They said to absolutely stay away from these people. I'll send it up the chain and then let's try to forget about it, I guess."

When it was all finished, Esther relayed the information carefully to Kat, who grinned widely.

"That's what they mean by sharing information, I guess! They've got some database, and now you just got me access. I could kiss you, Esther!"

Esther smiled nervously, but it was just one of those things Kat said. Kat's mind was off somewhere else.

Javier rejoined them, and she got in his car to head together towards the Bay. Along the way they'd get their first real look at the worst aftermath of Black Christmas. Kat had warned them it wasn't pretty, and it would be faster to go around, but Esther had insisted on seeing it.

Interstate 80 was clear, so the trip down was fast enough. But when they hit Fairfield, they started seeing the signs of the prolonged power outage. Malls with only a few stores open. Extra emergency vehicles, and National Guard, still working to clean up the fires and the damaged power infrastructure.

It was much worse farther on. They'd seen the pictures of the North Bay fire zone, but it couldn't prepare them for the flattened urban areas, the immense piles of debris, including burned cars pushed to the side of the freeway. A few places still smoldered, and the air smelled heavily of smoke and acrid chemicals. Bulldozers worked everywhere, trying to clear minor roads, but many former neighborhoods were little more than twisted concrete and ash. The final death toll had been over eight thousand, with many more still missing. When the refinery had blown, massive sections of steel had been thrown far into the water, or into people's house, and then the fires had overtaken all of it.

It looked like a war zone, and America was itching for a war. The only problem was figuring out who should be on the other side.

Esther felt a guilty relief when they approached San Jose. Here the damage was just the accumulation of problems from the lengthy blackout, and unreliable water system. Some businesses were open, running on generators. There were a lot more street merchants than usual. Food trucks everywhere. On one corner was a hand-written sign offering solar panel installation on the cheap. A lot of moving vans, waste piled up with no sign it would be removed quickly. It would take a long time for the area to recover from this.

By the time she and Javier reached Geoff's computer room in San Jose, Kat was already chatting with the affable computer specialist. As always, Esther wished he'd make time for social visiting, but she had to respect what he'd settled on. To be honest, given their track record, he was a lot safer keeping some distance.

Esther wasted no time, sitting down at the keyboard and entering in all the information with as much detail as she thought appropriate. Geoff and Kat nodded satisfaction when she finished, and then Kat got up, giving Esther another hug.

"Esther, I didn't ask, but how's Mark doing?"

Javier glanced over at Geoff, but it wasn't like they had to keep it a secret from him, so Esther replied. "He can walk a few steps now, and haul himself around the house in the rolling chair. He's so stubborn. Convinced he's going to make himself better by sheer determination, and maybe he will, but he's going crazy being stuck inside. Nicola had this great idea to get him a TV and some tapes of old martial arts competitions, you know, something for his mind to focus on. But now he just watches them over and over, whenever he's not practicing his meditations. It's not making him happy."

"And Nicola?" Kat asked.

Esther frowned. "Not too good either. She's working herself ragged. And Selena's out on her own a lot, just to get away from the unhappy atmosphere. I'm sorry, Kat, I wish I could give you better news."

"It is what it is," said Kat with a sigh. "It'll get better.

Javier wanted to linger with Kat, and Esther knew he missed her company. And depressingly, she suspected it would do him some good to be away from her a little while.

"Javier, you want to stay with Kat and Grace a couple days? Catch up on things?"

He looked at her with grateful surprise, and soon she was giving him a long kiss goodbye. It wasn't such a big deal. They didn't have to spend every single night together. But she'd miss him just the same.

* * *

"Grace should be on her way back. She wanted to get in a little more relief work this morning, up in Concord. You know she grew up there? It was just devastating for her when we drove past. Thank God her parents moved to Pennsylvania last year. Her childhood home was destroyed, and an old neighbor of hers is on the missing list."

Kat's apartment was much more of a mess than usual, which was saying something. The most obvious feature was a heavy outdoor power cord coming through the window.