Alex faced off with Zilik in his private office. Lok had shown her the way and even helped her enter. He then guarded the door on the outside.
"You knew," Alex told the wary Chameleon. "You knew Gabe had a son and you knew Mina knew."
Zilik felt a twinge at Alex's low, overly controlled voice, her narrowed eyes, her fists hissing with stray sparks.
"You knew and you didn't tell me." Alex's accusation dripped lethal poison.
"I heard rumors, but I didn't know for sure," Zilik replied in a conciliatory tone. "I told you that."
"Mina said the Anolis males sent you word. I must rescue Gabe's son. Goodbye."
"No Alex, you can't." Zilik's voice was controlled this time.
"I don't think I heard you correctly." Alex cocked her head in challenge, lips thinning in anger. Facing Zilik, she squared her stance, hardened her stare, and placed her fists on her hips.
Zilik rose to the challenge. His color changed to a calm, determined brown, he straightened his spine and tilted his chin up in defiance.
"You heard me perfectly well. You wanted me to be a world leader and now I'm speaking to you as one. If you attempt to retrieve the child, it will jeopardize everything we've worked so hard for. The political ramifications will destroy our alliance, maybe even the Council itself since you have our support. I won't risk war."
"You heard Mina. Cla murdered a child. Her own son."
"Unfortunately, Cla is an Anolis and her children are as well. This can only be handled by the Anolis government. InterSpec has no jurisdiction. We overstep our bounds and the entire Council crumbles and then war will break out."
"Those children are half Agama and that gives me jurisdiction," Alex said.
"There is no Agama nation on this world. No Agama on the Council. They do not live or participate in our world. Our business is not their business."
Alex looked at him for a long time, chewing her lip. "I've created a monster."
"I'm sorry, Alex. You didn't create anything. This is how my world is." Her old friend was speaking now, not the world leader. "I know what you've been through." Zilik took her hands. "You know I would do anything for you."
"Then release me."
"I'm sorry, Alex."
"Me too." She blasted him with white light.
At least he'll wake up happy. I could do that much for him. It'll be hard without Zilik's help. I wonder if Razz knew more than he told me. If he did, well, he can have a dose of the same. It'll speed up my timetable though, for he could alert the Anolis government.
Alex pondered that.
No, Razz would never do that. He will help me, help that little child, and politics be hanged. He will even help me torture information out of Mina, if need be.
Alex opened the door and Lok peeked in. Lok looked at Alex, down at Zilik on the floor, and up again at Alex.
"He's breathing. Should I ask?" Lok asked, his color a bright green.
"He knew about Gabe's son and didn't tell me. He also attempted to stop me. You?"
"I will help you," Lok said. "I have my own set of spies after all and I'm not officially on the Council."
"Let's talk to Lon first and then see if we need your spies."
**
Alex was right. Lon gave her all the information that she needed about the children.
Razz added his intel from his spies in the border city where Cla was last known to be living. Razz would have come with her if he thought it would have helped, but he was smart enough to see that she needed speed and stealth for the rescue operation.
Razz loaded a backpack for her with a bedroll, wine, dried fruit, and cured meats. He even called for a small tent to be wrapped and tied to the backpack.
**
Under the cover of night, Alex entered Cla's quarters with unexpected ease. Both the guards patrolling the perimeter and the guards patrolling the hallways were pathetically simple to avoid.
Alex was not warned by the lack of difficulty, too focused on the boy. Alex steered clear of the inner chamber with the elaborate doors, because Cla slept there with her two daughters by Gabe. The boy was off by himself, somewhere close.
Alex smiled at the irony that Cla's neglect would cost her the child. When Alex caught sight of a small, shabby door, she knew that she had found him.
She slipped into the tiny room and laid a gentle hand over the boy's mouth. He awoke with a whimper.
"Don't make a sound. I'm here to rescue you."
He stared at her, eyes wide.
"Do you want to leave? I promise to take you where everybody will love you. This is hard for you to understand. Do you promise to listen to me and not yell for help?'
He nodded. When she uncovered his mouth, he said, "You're her." His voice held all the reverence a young child could muster.
"Maybe this won't be so hard. Yes, I'm her."
How many humans could he be referring to?
"I saw your statue once. Mother was very angry. She said she killed you."
"She wishes," Alex replied.
"When Mother beats me, I wish that you or my father would come and rescue me. I think I'm dreaming now."
He looked so lost, Alex almost cried. "It's no dream. If I had known, I would have come for you sooner." He threw his arms around her neck and she hugged him close. "I swear: I came as soon as I knew."
They held onto each other for a short eternity, each weeping in their own way, for their own reasons. Then a noise brought them back to reality.
"Let's go. You must hold tight to me, okay? I'm flying us out of here," Alex said.
He was either brave or scared witless, but he held on tight, not making a sound. Alex flew with as many speed bursts as they could tolerate, clearing first the house, then the city.
She dropped, picked up her hidden backpack, and resumed flying. She wished that she could fly north, but knew that she couldn't expose the little one to the cold. She picked the middle of the largest woods that she saw and landed.
"I don't know your name," Alex said as she unpacked the bedroll and small tent. She wished that Cale was here to help her with the tent.
"Na." He sounded reluctant.
"I guess that makes sense. Cla . . . Na . . ."
"That's not it at all." He sounded angry and depressed. "It means nothing, worthless."
"You listen to me." Alex took his shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Forget everything your vicious mother told you. She's the worthless one. You are priceless to me and will be to your father . . . as soon as he finds out about you."
Alex's heart sang.
I'll be reunited with Gabe. I'm not sure which one, but my money's on the older one with the twisted hands. He'll be a fabulous father.
"He doesn't know?" Na asked.
Alex shook her head. "Remember what I said? I came as soon as I knew about you. I'm sorry it wasn't sooner, but that's the way it is. When we return to your father, we'll pick a new name for you, unless you have one in mind."
Na shook his head. "May I call you Tia? It's what the other children call the females who teach them."
"Sure, if it's what you want. We'll ride out the next few days here in the woods. I hope we're deep enough that no one will find us. I have as many supplies as I could carry."
"I know what plants we can eat. I learned because I'm hungry a lot," Na said.
Alex felt a stab of fury.
It's really hard to shake off this anger. Who the hell starves a child? Their own child? I guess the same creature that murders their own son.
"Are we flying to the Chameleon City? I hear they're really nice," Na said, sounding hopeful.
"Maybe. Things are going to be very hot over your kidnapping for awhile."
"I'll tell them it wasn't kidnapping; that I want to stay with you." Na said with the innocence of youth.
"If only it were that easy."
"You're right. You would have to fight Mother and she is the best warrior in the whole world." He said it without pride, but with despair. "Because I'm her property, even if she calls me worthless, she will kill you."
"She's tried and failed before, Na," Alex said with considerable anger. She fisted her hands and sparks spat from them, hissing and dying on the forest floor.
"I'm sorry," Na squeaked in fear.
"No, I'm sorry. Things are too complicated politically to be solved by a simple fight. I don't expect you to understand. In fact, I don't understand. But we won't worry about it. You start learning that you're not property; you're a priceless child to me. We'll hide here for a while. Let's sleep."
Alex took off her backpack. "If you see or hear anything bad, wake me up. Shake me really, really hard. Don't be afraid to wake me up, okay? I don't wake up very easily and I'm usually confused, but don't be scared."
Alex finally wrestled the tent up and rolled out the sleeping bag. She kept hoping her task here was done and the light would signal, but nothing yet. She snuggled close to Na and they both fell asleep.
****
A/N
Dedicated to
Thanks for the song suggestion [in honor of Alex's power!]
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