Mana Pool Snippets - Keystone

Part 4

The other choice was the hardest; relinquish Andrea and put her in the foster system. Let the government deal with her, Morgan screamed. Katie and the family will be able to keep an eye on Andrea, but unstable terran magic was another issue entirely. Mixed emotions with magic is a dangerous combination. Anything would upset the little girl to turn her, like every other unstable terran in the country, a living weapon.

“I too want to help, but the law is the law,” Scott said. “Hey, if we win, we would take custody no matter what. I would care for Andrea as if she was our own daughter.”

Katie smiled and looked up. “I know you would,” she said. Hours ago, her eyes were still red from the crying. Now they were clear. “Sucks being broke and jobless.”

Scott agreed. “You know what would be funny?”

“What?”

“You would be her magic teacher. You know more magic than those idiots on TV. And self-control too.”

It seemed he was getting through. Katie smiled. “Andrea always loved the Star Wars movie. I can call her padawan.”

“That’s the spirit. And give her a braided rattail and plastic lightsaber.”

Katie closed the book. “You always know how to cheer me up,” Katie said and leaned on Scott a little.

“I always do.” A small kiss on the head he made. “Come on. Can’t leave your mom waiting.” He took off the quilt and let Katie off the bed.

For the time being, whether they get to keep Andrea or not, she was put in Scott’s room. She only been out a couple times since they came back, resting hopefully. It was best to give her space, to think things over, and make the right decision.

Katie knocked on the door opposite of her bedroom. “Andrea, you awake? Dinner time,” she said and opened the door.

The room was vacant. And soon later, after looking all over the estate and winery, Andrea was nowhere. They came back to Scott’s room to find a note on the nightstand.

“Oh no,” Scott said after reading it. “She going back! With Jaruka!”

*****

The Halcunac alien—out of that DNA mask—rang the house bell three times, then several times in random intervals. Everybody hates annoying sounds, say for the Kumberbac with their atrocious rhythm-free music. Jaruka got a little laugh from the act, but this was serious. Andrea was serious.

In the dark they waited. He had to knock out the front porch lights to be there. The light from the driveway wasn’t helping at all. Places like the Livingston’s neighborhood, Jaruka seen others without streetlights and the people were capable of protecting their homes. With lights, and people rely on officers and the law. Everybody was a coward to even go outside in this mess.

Yet, the sneaking was easy. Almost too easy. Jaruka parked his Howler Cycle a block away, and that didn’t cause anybody to look outside. A couple of his skindreads were curling ever since they got on the porch.

“I hear Dad,” Andrea said. “And… I think Mom is hiding. I’m scared I’m hearing this good.”

“Cu sah,” Jaruka whispered.

“What?”

“Ah… keep quiet. Don’t pressure me.”

“Promise you won’t hurt them? My totem thinks you will.”

Jaruka looked back at Andrea, rolling his eyes. “Relax. Things won’t go to hell.”

Footsteps got louder at the front door. Jaruka heard a man talking to someone, had to be the guy’s wife. The door opened inward and Morgan stepped out, holding a rifle Jaruka had not seen before. For humans it was a standard hunting rifle, reminiscent to Morgan’s youth in Michigan.