Mengliad (The Mengliad Series Book 1) Page 18

  Almost imperceptibly, but enough to be noticeable to Craddock, Jessica nodded, then as her gaze remained on him, she said in answer to her brother’s question, “Complicated.”

  At first, Shea wasn’t sure if she was even speaking to him, but once he realized she was, he questioned her confusing response. “What?”

  “His reasons are complicated,” she finally looked in her brother’s direction, “and no one else’s concern. Marcy,” she asked as she faced her, “is some Mengliad DNA, from a great grandfather, enough to convert someone?”

  “There’s no way of knowing without testing her,” Marcy answered, “or doing the BTR and seeing what happens.”

  “What happens if it’s not enough?” Jessica asked with concern.

  “Nothing,” Craddock said, slipping his hand up her back to rest on her shoulder in an offer of comfort. “If she doesn’t have enough Mengliad DNA, nothing at all will happen. Don’t worry, she’ll be fine.”

  Glancing at Craddock, she expressed her gratitude for his soothing words and actions with just a look. Then she turned towards her brother. “You’re sure you want to do this?”

  “I am. Now that you’re a Mengliad. . . and the benefits certainly outweigh the disadvantages. . . it just makes sense.”

  “And what if this doesn’t work for Stacy? Or vice versa?” Jessica posed the possible scenario, somewhat challenging his decision.

  “We discussed it,” he grasped Stacy’s hand, “and ultimately concluded that it’s worth the risk.”

  “Okay,” she accepted, “but what will you do?”

  He watched her closely, to gauge her reaction to what he was about to tell her. “We’re relocating, as husband and wife, regardless of what happens.”

  “Oh my God,” she whispered, her eyes darting between her brother and her friend, “did you—did you guys. . . talk?”

  “Yes.” Stacy’s smile and nod communicated what her simple one word answer didn’t.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered again, in shock but also happily surprised.

  Marcy cleared her throat, ready to refocus everyone’s attention. “Their identity packets are on hold, until we see the outcome of the BTR. Yours,” she glanced at Jessica, Craddock, and Bibi in turn, “are almost done, which means you’ll be leaving soon.”

  “Can’t I stay with them?” Jessica asked, pleading with her. “Just until we know if the BTR works?”

  “We’ll probably know by then,” Marcy answered, sympathetic to the request, “but if we don’t by the time the packets arrive, someone will get word to you on the results.”

  “We ready?” Jeramey called out as he entered the house, “‘cause I got the stuff!”

  Once he was near enough to her, Marcy snatched the bag he was carrying away from him, reaching in to survey the items within it as she jokingly scolded him. “You’re way too excited about this.”

  “I’ve never seen this before!” he admitted, showing his enthusiasm without any sense of shame. “It’s gonna be so cool!”

  Rolling her eyes, Marcy muttered to her boyfriend, “You’re a dork,” then turned towards Bibi, handing her the tourniquet as she said to Craddock, “You really are a good guy for doing this.”

  “It’s just a little blood.” He rolled up his sleeve, extending his arm so that Bibi could get started. “I have lots.”

  Expertly, she drew his blood, filling the vial, planning to use half for Shea and half for Stacy. Then she bent Craddock’s arm at the elbow before connecting the tube to a needle and syringe that Marcy had at the ready.

  Pulling the plunger back slowly, filling the syringe, she asked Shea and Stacy one last time, “You’re both one hundred percent sure?”

  “Yes,” they both answered, almost in unison.

  Bibi nodded. “Who’s first?” Immediately, Shea gestured to himself. Seeing how tense he was, she offered him a slight smile. “Relax. It’s like getting a shot.”

  “I’m not afraid of the needle,” Shea insisted, though that wasn’t entirely true. “I’m just nervous.”

  “Of?” Bibi asked, holding off on continuing until he answered.

  He shrugged. “The unknown?” Pushing past and changing the subject, he asked, “You do this in the arm or what?”

  “Yes.” Bibi gestured for him to roll up his sleeve, which he did, and then he extended his arm towards her, watching her movements intently.

  Just above his wrist, on the underside of his arm, Bibi settled the needle against his skin, counting to three before pushing into his flesh. He winced slightly, but otherwise showed no real sign of discomfort.

  “Does it hurt?” Stacy averted her eyes from the needle embedded in him, looking up into his face.

  “No,” he assured her. “It’s not unlike getting your blood drawn.”

  As soon as the syringe was half empty, Bibi pulled the needle out of him. “Press your palm into it, to stop the bleeding.” When Shea complied, she turned to Stacy. “Ready?”

  She nodded, obviously nervous, but she held out her arm as Bibi moved closer to her. “You do this to newborns?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Bibi answered, “but they don’t require this much blood, what with them being so tiny.”

  “Why is it called ‘Blood Touch’?”

  Shea’s thirst for knowledge had begun to outweigh his skepticism, just as Jessica had predicted.

  “Because when it was first invented,” Marcy answered, “it was performed by cutting the donor’s finger, and the recipient’s wrist, then touching the wounds together.”

  “In some communities,” Bibi readied the needle against Stacy’s skin, “especially when converting adults, the donor would insert their cut finger into the recipient’s wound.”

  “That sounds painful,” Stacy muttered, squinting as she anticipated the pinch of the needle.

  “It was.” Bibi counted to three, and then broke through her flesh.

  “Oh,” Stacy said, surprised, a bit of a smile on her face as she realized, “it doesn’t hurt.”

  Bibi smirked. “We wouldn’t lie to you.” Finishing her task, she said to Jeramey, “They should eat before going to lie down.”

  “I’m on it!” Jumping up, he darted towards the kitchen.

  “Press your palm into it,” Bibi once again instructed as she removed the needle. Stacy immediately did.

  “Is Josiah still asleep?” Craddock asked casually, wrapping his arm around Jessica as she watched over her brother and friend anxiously.

  “Yeah,” Marcy answered. “We tried to wake him, but he just muttered something about Mikey stealing the hot girl across the street, then rolled over and crashed again.”

  Laughing, he joked, “I think Mikey would’ve had a better shot at her! She was so not into him!” But when he saw the worried expression on Jessica’s face, he was quick to drop his smile. “They’re going to be fine, Jessica, I promise.”

  “I know. I don’t know why I’m so tense about this.”

  Showing his understanding, he whispered as he kissed her hair, “Because you love them.”

  “Thank you for doing this,” Shea directed at Craddock, his tone meek and respectful. “And thank you, for saving Jessica’s life.”

  “It’s not like I took a bullet for her,” he quipped, shrugging. “I didn’t do anything all that spectacular, really.”

  “Still,” Shea returned awkwardly, “I appreciate it.”

  The uncomfortable and strained moment between the two men was shattered when Jeramey reentered the living room. “Okay, Mealies all around!”

  “Your timing really is impeccable,” Marcy teased him, bringing a scowl to his face.

  “What did I do this time?” he shot back at her good-naturedly. Marcy just laughed and shook her head.

  “I should go tell Josiah what’s going on,” Craddock whispered, mostly for Jessica alone to hear, but she wasn’t the only one who did.

  “I’ll come with you.” Marcy started to follow him, adding in explanation, “I wanted to talk
to you about something.”

  As soon as they approached the back bedroom, before Craddock’s hand even touched the doorknob, he spun around and asked, almost challengingly, “What’s up?”

  “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?” she asked without pause or pretense.

  Sighing, he muttered, “It must be really obvious, since everyone seems to ask me that question.”

  She was not about to allow him to dodge her inquiry with humor. “Is that a yes?”

  “Yes.” Feeling vulnerable all of a sudden, he dropped his gaze to his feet.

  “Chimie?” she asked.

  “Big time, but I don’t think she feels it.”

  “She wouldn’t. It’s too soon.”

  His eyes snapped up to hers. “I wondered about that,” he admitted, “but how long until the conversion evens out enough for it to even be possible?”

  “Five days?” She gave an unsure shrug of her shoulders. “Maybe a week? Bibi would probably know better.”

  He shook his head. “She doesn’t approve. I’d rather not ask her about this.”

  “Why doesn’t she approve?” she asked, scowling.

  “She thinks I’m giving up too much. . . sacrificing too much, to be with someone I barely know.”

  Marcy scoffed. “Yeah, well, you can’t help who you fall in love with! Does she know Chimie is involved?”

  “I haven’t told her, no.”

  “She might feel differently if you did.”

  “I don’t think she cares about my feelings,” he disagreed, “so much as what I’m giving up.”

  Not knowing Bibi well enough to form an opinion on the matter, she dropped it. “Well, regardless, Chimie or not, I think Jessica feels the same way about you.”

  His eyebrow arched in response, more than just a little curious. “What makes you say that?”

  Catching the hopefulness in his tone, she smirked. “I’ve known Jessica for a couple years now, and I see the way she looks at you. Trust me, she’s falling.”

  Smiling, he confided in her, “The weird thing is, I haven’t even kissed her yet!”

  “Wow! That’s some strong Chimie!”

  “I know!” He chuckled a little, seeming to drift off in thought. “God, how amazing would it be if she got it, too?”

  “Completely amazing. But, you know,” she became a bit more serious, “she probably won’t understand what it is, even if she gets it.”

  “Yeah,” the smile dropped from his face, “I’ve had the same thoughts.”

  Noting his concern, she attempted to ease it. “Look, Craddock, there’s no need to stress, okay? Just watch for signs, ya’know? If she gets Chimie, she’s probably going to react to it! If she starts acting weird, talk to her!”

  Acknowledging her suggestion, he asked, “What would I even say?”

  “Start by explaining what it is. How it feels. She’s a pretty open and honest person. If she’s feeling it, I’d bet you money she would admit to it.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The sudden flurry of activity set Jessica on edge. The identity packets had finally arrived, and with them a sea of information and abrupt instructions on what was to happen next on the agenda. Since Craddock seemed to understand all that was going on, and being said, Jessica drifted off to a safe place within her mind, allowing her thoughts to ease and go blank as she took comfort in his partial embrace.

  “And Dr. Brady sent your glasses over.” Marcy extended a small box towards Jessica, which she slowly relieved her of, her demeanor showing her to be at least a million miles away.

  “You okay?” Craddock’s question brought Jessica back to the present long enough to nod, though the action was just barely discernable.

  “Jeramey will drive you to point B,” Marcy further explained, breezing past Jessica’s distant appearance. “There, you’ll be picked up by a new driver, who will drive you all to point C. At point C, you will part ways. Craddock and Jessica will then be driven to their new location, and Bibi and Josiah will be taken to theirs.”

  “What about Shea and Stacy?” Jessica asked, overwhelmed, her eyes glazed and shimmering with unshed tears.

  “As soon as we know the results of the BTR, we’ll create their new identities, and they will be relocated,” Marcy answered with a gentle, comforting tone. “If you wanted to say goodbye to them, now would be the time.”

  As she shifted to walk away, Craddock dropped his arm from her shoulder. “Should I come with?”

  Hesitating for only a moment, Jessica shook her head in answer, then stepped up to and disappeared into the hall, all while Craddock watched helplessly.

  “She’s actually adjusting well, all things considered,” Marcy told him, when she saw the worried expression on his face.

  “I just wish I could do more,” Craddock admitted, turning to face her.

  “How much more could you possibly do?” Josiah asked, his irritation over the matter growing once again. “You’re already giving up everything for her!”

  Groaning, frustrated, Craddock shot back, “Let’s not start this again, ‘kay, Joe?”

  Bibi touched Josiah’s shoulder to calm him. “He’s just going to miss you, is all. We both are.”

  “I know.” Craddock exhaled sharply as he turned away, attempting to keep his composure as he felt the sting of tears at the back of his eyes. “I’m gonna miss you guys, too.”

  “Don’t worry,” Marcy interjected, “the Registry is very grateful to you guys for all you’ve done, and been through, with regards to helping and protecting Jessica. You’ll see each other again, once the dust settles.”

  ****

  Tears were already falling as Jessica stepped into the room. Seeing her brother and friend, on the bed, seemingly asleep, just made them fall faster.

  The door opening caused Stacy to stir, her eyes flying open to visually confirm who had entered. “Jessica?” She pushed upright, carefully, so that she wouldn’t wake Shea. “What’s going on? Why are you crying?”

  Just the question being asked brought more tears to spill, and Jessica cleared her throat to keep from whimpering as she took a seat on the edge of the bed beside her. “I have to go now. I only have a few minutes to say goodbye.”

  “Already?” Abruptly, Stacy was crying right along with her. “I thought we’d have a little more time!”

  “I don’t know what I thought,” Jessica muttered, swiping her tears from off her cheeks. “Shea is pretty much out of it. He’s converting.”

  Nodding, Stacy said, “I don’t think I am.”

  “Give it time,” Jessica suggested, wanting to give her friend hope, though she inwardly sensed she was right. “It’s only been three hours.”

  “Marcy said three hours,” Stacy reminded her, glancing back at Shea. “He started spiking a low grade fever an hour ago.”

  “It took me four or five.” Jessica pushed off the mattress, rounding it so that she could hover over her brother. “Shea,” she touched his shoulder, shaking him gently, “can you hear me?”

  “Mmm. . .” His eyes shifted under his lids but remained closed.

  “I have to go now, Shea,” she told him, fresh tears sliding down her face. “I just wanted to say goodbye.”

  “I think he’s too out of it to really hear you, Jess,” Stacy whispered, no longer attempting to wipe her own tears away, as she was crying too steadily.

  “I know.” Resigned, she turned away from him and towards her. “Tell him goodbye for me, okay?”

  “I will.” Stacy wrapped her in a hug. “I’ll walk you out, okay?”

  ****

  “It’s a nice house,” Marcy was saying as Jessica and Stacy entered the room, “a mile or so from anyone in all directions. A sort of farming community—” She ended her sentence abruptly, giving an upnod in their direction when she noticed them.

  “Until her Enyoh evens out,” Jeramey continued when Marcy didn’t, “keep her inside. Predominantly, it’s a Mengliad community, none are registered Puris
ts, but you never know who might be supportive of their cause.”

  “How are you feeling?” With Marcy’s question to Stacy, everyone’s eyes were suddenly on them.

  “No different.” Stacy shrugged, like it was of no consequence. “I don’t think that BTR worked.”

  “Pretty sure it did for Shea.”

  The melancholy in Jessica’s voice prompted Craddock to step up and wrap his arms around her. “You’ve been crying,” he whispered, holding her tighter when she whimpered and nodded.

  “I can’t imagine not having them in my life.” It felt like she was choking on the words, her emotions effectively robbing her of normal speech.

  “We’ll work it out, okay, Jess?” He spoke with certainty, using the nickname he’d heard Shea and Stacy call her by several times before. “You’ll see them again. Somehow. Some way.”

  “Jeramey’s ready when you guys are.” Marcy moved aside and hung her head, to give the sense or the illusion of privacy, as tearful goodbyes between Stacy and Jessica were shared.

  “I will contact you,” Jessica promised her, “as soon as humanly—Mengliadly—possible.”

  Stacy laughed at Jessica’s correction of terms. “You’d better. I want to know that you’re okay.”

  “Likewise.” Jessica released Stacy from their fierce hug when she felt her shift to turn.

  “Craddock. . .” As Stacy approached him, he eyed her with curious concern. “Please, take good care of her. I know you will. . . I can tell. But, please do.”

  “I will,” he said, taken unawares when she threw her arms around him and pulled him to her. It took a moment for the shock and surprise to ease, but when it did, he placed his hands tentatively on her back. “One way or another, you will see each other again, okay?”

  Stepping back and away from him, smiling just a little, she whispered through her tears, “I’m going to hold you to that.”

  Indicating time was short, Jeramey tapped his watch. “Tick tock, guys. The second driver is waiting.”

  There were cordial ‘nice to meet you’s exchanged, and more tearful hugs and whispers of keeping in touch in some way, before Craddock, Jessica, Bibi, and Josiah finally climbed into the van, with Jeramey behind the wheel, to get the first leg of their journey underway.