The Link Pt. 03: The Huntress

I was halfway through another lullaby when the world shifted. A feeling I hadn't felt in 18 years filled my world. I smiled and looked about for the source and saw only sleeping babies. She was far away, and she found me.

"Help us," Esmeralda thought. My tears changed from sadness to joy. My daughter had found me at my worst and love filled the room. I could feel the soul of the boy in my arms. Unlike his body, it was robust and lovely. Perfect was the only word that matched. I wrapped his soul with mine and led my daughter to him. He would know love, and that was most important of all.

I laughed when I felt him stir and his eyes opened. A gasp, and then labored breathing that was vigorous and purposeful. His dark eyes locked on mine and his unconditional love flooded into me. It was powerful and had no limits.

There was a taint in Esmeralda's link. It was small and struggling, trying to weaken all that she was. I wasn't concerned. My daughter had too much love in her, and now she had mine again. Little John Doe followed me, an unstoppable firehose of emotion, flooding, pushing, and bouncing down the link. Unbounded love that cared little for rules or the desires of darkness.

Chapter 35 - Teegan

The thing that was Sabbatini backed away. His hair going grayer, thinner. I found my birth mother last. Such a lovely woman and with a baby in her arms. Everyone I had ever bonded with, as a child or adult, was in me. They were churning about, surging through every part of me. Gene and Samantha thought it was so cool. Uncle Hank was more analytical, yet his love flowed nonetheless. The power that was pulsing through me was weakening the demon quickly. I now knew what I faced.

"I'll kill her," Sabbatini said, struggling to send the thought into the link. It was filled with images of a multitude of ways to brutally murder someone. I steadied the links that tied me to the love of others. "It will be slow and painful." His power was anger and hatred. He reached out to me, and I smiled, sending love packed full of pity at him. My arms spread and I felt as if I was flying.

Sabbatini fell backward onto the bed. He crawled up against the backboard and pushed his blackness at me. So full of malice, it did little more than poke at the power that now surged through me.

"You don't want this," Sabbatini argued through clenched teeth. He leaned forward as if struggling against a hurricane. "I will give you the world."

"It's not yours to give," Caleb said. I turned to find him rising from the ground. His love slammed into me as our link renewed. I felt as if I was on fire.

"I'll rip her to shreds," Sabbatini yelled at the one man he might influence. Caleb was staring at me, a smile frozen on his lips. Unfortunately for Sabbatini, Caleb was as smart as he was lovely. His mind stuttered only a second on anger and then joined me in love.

"You're glowing," Caleb said. I saw through his eyes, an aura of white light surrounded me, pulsing as the souls ebbed and flowed within me.

"It's overflowing," I said, my smile growing. "I can't hold it all in."

Sabbatini screamed as his back pressed against the backboard. His skin was wrinkling as his muscles faded. His teeth yellowed and his eye sockets began to droop. The thing began to moan, and his lips pulled tight to his teeth.

A world in flames would not be.

The door burst open, swinging on its hinges and slamming into the wall.

"Kill it. Kill it now!" Sabbatini shouted. I turned toward the door and saw a tall black man with a gun in his hands. Anthony. Caleb's anger flared, then settled as he realized it was what the demon desired. My mind lurched forward, encompassing Anthony's.

A small boy, scared and alone was shaking from the cold. His mother had left him days ago, and he never knew his father. He feared the dark, huddling closer to the door that had once been his home. A man, a young Sabbatini approached and offered his hand, a gift beyond measure for a starving boy. Soft words, a warm bed, and a full belly soon convinced the boy of Sabbatini's relationship with God. His messenger on earth. I smiled as images of Anthony ruling the kitchen passed through his mind. The demon found him at his most vulnerable and shaped him into a tool for evil. Anthony loved Sabbatini as a father. It mattered little that the love was never returned.

"I forgive you," I said and closed my eyes to the inevitable. Many deaths were on Anthony's shoulders, but life had offered him little alternative.

Anthony raised his gun and fired.

Chapter 36 - Anthony

I let the gun fall to the ground and sank to my knees. What had I done? I covered my eyes with my hands and screamed. My life, all those choices and deeds were nothing but a fable, and I was not the hero I had thought.

Love touched my head, and I looked up into the eyes of the glowing angel. I had thought her a demon, and now I could barely stand the light of her aura. I looked at Sabbatini, half his head missing, painting the back wall. A father killed by his son. I had no purpose but destruction. Nothing but a blight on a perfect world. My hand found the gun. There was one more person who needed to die.

"But you haven't cooked for me yet," the angel said. The barrel was pointed at my chin, my finger fighting the command to pull. Her smile was forgiving, her eyes pools of redemption. I deserved none of it. I thought of the retirement home, closed my eyes, and demanded my finger pull the trigger. The gun fell to the floor, my hand no longer my own.

"Let me go," I cried.

"Not while I can almost taste the applesauce I enjoyed so many years ago," the angel said. She sent an image to me. It was my own, fished from my memories. A baby obsessed with finishing a bowl of homemade applesauce, a mix I had devised myself.

"I was supposed to poison you," I argued. Images of Natalie enjoying her onion soup whipped through my mind. I could still see the happiness on her face. "I deserve judgment without mercy."

"Ahh, yes. Punishment is inevitable," Teegan sighed. "Those lives you took deserve justice."

Two men entered the room, the same two who were on the floor in the hall a moment ago. One kicked the gun away from me; the other pointed his gun at me. I prayed he'd pull the trigger. I could see the desire of it in his eyes. Attempting to murder an angel deserved no less.

"Custody, John," Teegan said, placing her hand on the man's wrist. "He'll go willingly." John nodded and withdrew some handcuffs from under his jacket. I turned my back to him, placing my hands behind me. A moment later I was cuffed and being lifted to my feet by the two men. I could see the hatred of me in their eyes. If I was lucky, I'd have an accident on the way to prison.

"He chose the wrong boy, Anthony," Teegan said to me. I looked up from the floor and into her blinding eyes. "A weaker man would have chosen the power offered, even when the truth was known."

"A stronger man would have seen the truth sooner," I said, turning my eyes toward the mangled head of Sabbatini. "I loved him," I admitted to Teegan, and to myself.

"So did I," Teegan said. I looked at her in surprise. She was smiling. "We loved him to death."

Chapter 37 - Teegan

Garcia opened the door for Caleb and I. He had been glum all morning, ever since I had informed him that I intended to keep my promise to the Colonel. I was being given the red carpet treatment since we had arrived on base. Officers were leading me about, asking if I wanted something to drink or possibly something to eat. I politely declined.

Garcia rolled his eyes as Captain Reinhold was explaining the primary mission of McChord Airbase. I could hear his pride in the mission though I sensed he was oblivious to why I was there. It must have been difficult for him not to know if I was important, or just some granddaughter of someone important.

"This tour is wonderful Captain, but I thought I was supposed to meet with Colonel Righthouse," I said, trying to forestall the descriptions of all the combat aircraft on the base. It's not that it wasn't interesting, I just wasn't in the mood to take it all in. Caleb was chuckling inside and struggling not to let it show on his face.

"Yes, of course. I'm stalling ma'am," Reinhold said. "I was told not to let you into the meeting room until 10:30, I not sure why."

"Then we have 20 minutes," I said, looking at the wall clock. "I guess some water would be nice, maybe juice if you have it."

"And you sir?" Reinhold asked Caleb.

"Coffee for me," Caleb said, then smiled, "and I would like to hear about the planes." Boys and their toys. Reinhold smiled and pointed to a couch in the lounge area.

"Have a seat, and I'll see what I can rustle up." I waited for Reinhold to leave before I spoke.

"At least they're kind about it," I said to Garcia.

"The recruiters are always kind when you enlist," Gracia said. "Wait until boot camp starts."

"Do they take people up in the jets?" Caleb asked. I could feel his excitement about the idea. He was as resigned as I was about the situation. At least he'd try and make the best of it and fulfill a fighter pilot fantasy.

"I suspect if Teegan asked, the answer would be yes," Garcia replied.

"We'll see," I teased. It was a hopeless tease with Caleb knowing exactly what was in my mind. I was hit with rather erotic images of him convincing me to say yes later. Now who was the tease?

I was brought three kinds of juices; orange, grape, and apple. Reinhold must have had orders that I was to be treated like a queen, or as much as one could be on a military base. I chose the apple and thanked him.

We spent the next twenty minutes discussing things of no great importance. I found out that Reinhold was married and just had a baby boy two months ago. That was much more interesting than any planes on the base. I grilled him about all the newborn things I was worried about. It was a subject we both found interesting, though Caleb kept trying to steer the conversation back to planes.

At 10:29, Reinhold led us toward the meeting room. I thanked him, having traded phone numbers so that I could call if I had any other baby questions. He promised that his wife would be more than happy to answer them better than he ever could. It excited me since I didn't know anyone else who recently went through what I was about to go through. Caleb figured love would be enough. I knew it would be work and I wanted to be perfect at it.

The room was little different than what you'd expect in a corporate boardroom. Nice wood furniture with a fancy coffee and water setting atop a long credenza. The long table with big comfy chairs could seat around twenty people though there were only three sitting at the far end. The Colonel and two civilians, a man and a woman. The man's face brightened when I walked in. The woman just smiled politely. She had an air of entitlement about her, sitting tall and perfectly groomed.

"Teegan Fuller, how nice to finally meet you," the colonel said, making no move to rise from his seat. He pointed to a chair a few chairs away from him. I smiled, knowing he feared my touch. Shaking his hand would have been fun to try, but Caleb sent me a don't-rock-the-boat feeling that I chose to take to heart. No need to be overly adversarial before I found out what was wanted of me.

"I understand the help we provided was beneficial," the colonel said. He was smiling and looking at the woman as if he needed her agreement.

"Yes, it was," I said, trying to fathom the position the two civilians held. Caleb thought they were CIA. We all sat down minus Reinhold who left, closing the door to give the meeting some privacy.

"And everything has been set right?" the colonel asked. He already knew the answer to the question. He was just reinforcing his help in the matter.

"I wouldn't say right," I replied, "think of it more as a disaster averted. It was a bigger problem than anyone realized, but it's solved, and I'm here as promised."

"About our agreement..." the colonel began. I cut him off by raising my palm to him.

"Before we begin, I have a few stipulations," I said.

"Oh?"

"One, I'm pregnant. Anything that I even think will harm my baby is off limits," I said. "Anything!" I repeated for effect. The colonel's and woman's eyes went wide. The other man just kept smiling as if my pregnancy was no surprise.

"Number two involves Anthony Lewis. I want some input into what happens to him," I said.

"I believe that's out of my jurisdiction. I understand he's confessing to many crimes. I can't get involved in civilian matters." the colonel said.

"Yes you can," I argued. "The military has been hounding me my whole life. Just yesterday, you had the FBI jumping to your whims. Well, now I want you to get them to jump again." The colonel looked to the woman who simply nodded her head.

"Okay," the colonel said.

"Third and last," I said, taking a deep breath, "Caleb wants to fly in a jet fighter." Caleb's insides jumped, and his love flooded me. Boys and their toys, it was like foreplay without any effort. The colonel laughed and so did the other man. The woman just smiled, though this time it went to her eyes.

"That we can do," the colonel replied. Caleb almost exploded inside. I couldn't help but smile. Sex, music, and fighter planes. I knew all his obsessions now.

"Okay, I'm ready. What do you need from me?" I asked.

"Well, as I was about to tell you, it's not me anymore," the colonel said, looking at the two civilians sitting next to him. The CIA then, I thought.

"If you don't mind me saying, you don't look too upset, sir," Garcia pointed out.

"No Captain, not at all," the colonel replied. "An order is an order, and I am first and foremost a soldier." A smile was glued to his face, almost as if he found pleasure in the command.

"Collar getting heavier, Sir?" Garcia asked. The colonel nodded and folded his hands proudly on his lap. I looked at Garcia in confusion. "He's being promoted," Garcia sighed.

"That leaves me where?" I asked the colonel.

"With us, or specifically with Madam Secretary here," the civilian clothed man said. His smile had bothered me greatly. I could see he knew a lot about me and I knew nothing about him. Hardly fair.

"And you are?"

"Senator Bradley Yowman," the man replied. "I met you once, in a grocery store long ago, and then again a few days ago." I jumped from my chair, and he rose from his. It took only a second to embrace, and I immediately joined his song to mine. So many people had been harmed by my existence, it was so wonderful to be with someone who's life was better because of it.

"Thank you for being there," I said, tears welling in my eyes. "Thank you for being here now."

"I think this makes us even," Bradley said, "though being in your debt has been life changing. Everyone should meet an angel once in their life."

"Angels don't make mistakes," I said, wiping my eyes, "I was just a conduit. It was all of you that did what needed to be done." Bradley kissed my forehead instead of arguing. I was thankful for it, and almost laughed when I felt a flash of jealousy from Caleb. It was just a thought traveling at light speed and faded away just as quickly. Strangely, it made me love Caleb more.

"Teegan Fuller," Bradley said, separating from me, "I'd like you to meet the Secretary of State, Marsha Goodfellow." Not the CIA. I turned to look at the strong, proud woman. She stood and held out her hand.

"Madam Secretary," I said, grasping her hand in mine.

"Miss Fuller," Marsha said, looking fairly confused, "I was led to believe meeting you would be more...intriguing." She looked down at our joined hands.

"With your permission, Madam," I said with a smile. She nodded. Her song was soft and pleasant. It flowed in a perfect rhythm that mirrored her outward appearance. Confident and put together.

"Oh my, you are absolutely right, Bradley," Marsha said, her smile growing beyond what was appropriate for a meeting. She looked over at Caleb, let go of my hand, and leaned into my ear. "Watch out of for that one, I think he wants like 50 kids," she whispered.

"25 will suffice," Caleb said. Marsha laughed. It was a warm laugh between old friends.

"He's always in you?" Marsha asked.

"Thankfully, yes," I said. Marsha nodded, and I could see a hint of envy in her eyes. Caleb always seemed to do that. Or was it a reflection of my love.

"How would you like to help solve some problems for your government?" Marsha asked.

"I have a choice?"

"Where we would be going, I don't need any more enemies," Marsha said, "Friends I never seem to have enough of."

Chapter 38 - Sam

"They're on the ground," I said loud enough for both Natalie and Zane to hear. I put the paper on the coffee table. I wasn't reading it anyway. It had been nearly four months since we had seen Teegan last. We had flown to Portland for her marriage and to welcome Rose into the family. It still amazed me that my baby was a mother.

"She knows it's my birthday, right?" Zane said as he came down the stairs.

"Settle down, greedy one," I said, trying to not to laugh, "I'm sure she remembers."

"Well, she wasn't here last year," Zane said.

"She was busy then. It's not like she forgot. How many of your friends got a prototype of the next hot gaming system for their birthday?" Natalie said as she came from the study. She was glowing in a very appealing way. Grandmotherhood suited her well.

"Yeah, well, she wasn't here," Zane said, looking a little shameful. Natalie hugged him tight, and he feigned struggling to get away.

"Well this birthday we'll all be together," Natalie said, smiling at me. I loved what that smile did to her eyes. They were sparkling, and I caught a glimpse of the girl that became the woman that became my wife. I smiled back and received a different look, the one that told me that I might want to conserve my energy for later. My favorite look of all.

The doorbell rang, and Zane went running.

"I'm sure it's the McGuires," I said, not wanting him to be too disappointed. "It's a long drive from the airport." Lucky for his self-esteem, the McGuires had an armful of presents. His sister moved to the back burner for the next few moments. You'd think a 17-year-old would have a bit more maturity. Natalie winked at me. Then again, why ever grow up?

*****

"They landed over two hours ago. What could be taking so long?" Natalie asked.

"They spent some time in the city. They're almost here now," I said, feeling my Teegan's excitement. It was good to know she enjoyed coming home. Nothing would be worse than for her to think it was some kind of duty.

"You'd think Caleb would bring her right over. It's not like him to dilly dally," Jack said. He had been pacing. I laughed, remembering the first time Teegan had placed Rose in his arms. Jack had looked like he intended to keep her. Pride was the first thing that was evident, love was the second. When he touched her face, you'd have thought heaven had opened its doors. Rose was every bit as powerful as my Stinky. Uncontrolled love thrown at anyone who touched her.

"I'm sure they had their reasons," Grace said. "Good heavens Jack, just sit down and relax."

"Let him pace, Grace," Natalie said. "I've been doing that half the morning. It's not like we have hundreds of grandchildren."

"How do we know that Rose didn't catch something in Korea?" Jack said.

"Jack!" Grace interrupted, "Do you really think your son would risk his child?"

"It's just that they're so young," Jack said, waving his arms, "we could have gone with them. You know, babysit when they do...whatever it is that they do."