Daughter of Ethos Read online

  This time Melody knew she had offended her, it seemed questioning the good doctors abilities was offensive. Darby did some kind of technical magic and before Melody knew it, she was looking at both Heather and Peyton. ‘Hey girls, wassup?’

  Heather always polite, answered. ‘Melody, how are you? I was sorry to hear about your forced retirement. Do you know what you are going to do?’

  ‘I am getting there Heather, and no, not yet but something always turns up. So do you know Doctor Darby Kline?’

  ‘I do, hello Doctor Kline. I have read many of your research papers.’

  ‘Oh, hello, thank you.’ Darby replied a little startled by Heather’s compliment, causing Melody to smother a laugh. She turned her attention to the silent woman, who sat waiting patiently. ‘Hey. Girl, you kill that mayor yet?’

  Peyton waved her hand in front of her face. ‘Oh please, don’t tempt me. The woman is just a nightmare, she honestly runs this place like it is all here for her and her friends, and we must obey her or else. I told you what she was like at the Agreement signing, right?’

  ‘You sure did. Why do you put up with her?’

  ‘Because she is a good distraction. What she does not know, does not hurt me or the people I look after.’

  Grinning Melody told her. ‘I say again, you should have done her at the signing.’

  ‘I know… I know.’ She muttered. ‘I could have got away with it then too, damn it! Listen sorry to hear about your job. You should come visit me.’

  Melody laughed at the totally insincere invitation, Peyton always asked her to visit but feared she would. Melody had a sneaky suspicion Peyton was worried she would stay with her and interrupt her spying and possible criminal activities.

  She introduced Heather to Peyton. ‘Peyton, this my friend Heather, I know I have told you about her. Heather this is Peyton, who I’ve told you about. It’s amazing you have not met before?’

  Peyton and Heather smiled at each other, as Melody quickly introduced Peyton to Darby. ‘This is Doctor Darby Kline.’

  Peyton gave her a nod and said. ‘Hey, how’s it going?’

  ‘Umm, okay!’

  ‘Good, so what’s up Mel?’ Peyton asked as she sipped her coffee. Melody made a face at the name Mel; she knew Peyton said it to get a rise out of her and in retaliation for the teasing she did. So far, she had resisted in allowing her to see it bugged her, as she did so again now, filling them both in on what Darby had told her.

  Then at a nod from Melody, Darby downloaded the documents to their computers, and they both waited for the women to read them. When Heather raised her head and stared at Darby, Melody said softly. ‘So guys, that’s the agreement, what do you think?’

  Pale, and trembling, Heather said. ‘I had no idea they would sell us out like that. They do not even have a cure do they?’

  Darby answered in her direct way. ‘No, and we are sure a cure is not possible.’

  Melody went to ask the still quiet Peyton what she thought, but she had a finger up in the wait sign. Her eyes were closed, and they could tell she was deep in thought. She was drinking from her coffee cup, and it was the largest cup Melody had ever seen.

  Looking at it, she asked the other two women. ‘What do you think, two and half cups?’

  Heather grinned. ‘No, it has to be at least three cups.’

  Darby screwed her face up in thought, not realizing Melody was joking as she said seriously. ‘I would say it would be two, maybe two and half cups, by its size and shape. I could be off by a quarter of a cup, it is a very large cup!’

  Peyton, her finger remaining in the air for a few seconds longer, finally placed her cup down on the table then gave her head a nod and said. ‘General Mel, can you get them out?’

  Finally, breaking her oath to herself Melody snarled. ‘Yes and don’t call me Mel. Remember I am bigger than you and can snap you like a twig. Don’t call me General anymore.’

  Peyton fluttered her eyelashes at her as she said. ‘Aww! You’ll always be a General to me.’

  ‘Shut it, annoying girl!’ She growled with a laugh. Peyton and Heather joined her and they all heard Darby saying to herself. ‘Teasing… they are teasing.’

  Melody with a twinkle in her eyes asked Peyton. ‘Townie, you aren’t going to suggest what I think you are?’

  She sniffed as she asked. ‘What do you think I am suggesting, Melody?’

  ‘Are you inviting people to your town?’

  ‘Well, yeah, there is nothing wrong in that. I invite you all the time.’

  ‘Oh, Peyton, you know that is not a real invite.’

  Looking uncomfortable because she knew Melody was right, she shrugged. ‘Maybe, that could be true, sort of, but this is different. They won’t be living with me…so see different!’

  Melody threw her head back and laughed as Heather and Darby watched, one amused the other confused by the exchange. Peyton scowled as she snarled at the laughing Melody. ‘Oh, shut up!’

  She looked at Darby with a smile and said. ‘Listen Darby bring them here, despite what Melody says. I want them to come to Runnerdale, and anyone else that needs a refuge. Also, Heather you need to come as well, I think I have a plan, but we need you all here!’

  Heather grimaced. ‘I have a little problem which sort of makes it impossible for me to come?’

  Shocked Peyton almost shrieked. ‘Why?’

  ‘I have around three hundred orphans I am responsible for. Girls ranging in age from months old to early teens and I will not leave them here for them to be harvested like a crop.’

  Relieved Peyton grinned. ‘Oh, is that all, as if you would leave them? Look there are no problems with that. I happen to have quite a few homes with women who would be able to take the children. We also have many empty houses all over this town and in other nearby towns. We can place the girls in them and organize carers.’

  At her doubtful look, Peyton said softly. ‘I swear Heather; it will be for the best, we can do this. I can do this!’

  Melody was smiling at the bewildered expressions on Heather and Darby’s faces and she said. ‘Just do it, Heather, trust me, she will get her own way, eventually.’

  Peyton blew her a raspberry as she issued the invitation again. ‘Come on Heather, trust me and bring them, along with anyone else that you need to.’

  Heather gave in. ‘Thank you.’

  She waved it away. ‘Please, it’s what I do.’

  Melody said. ‘Remember this has to be kept quiet. We need to work under the radar especially as we will have to break a few laws to accomplish what we need to do. We cannot afford for anyone to figure out what we are doing and why. So tell no one other than those you can trust or are bringing with you.’

  Darby said. ‘As soon as we are out of here, I can make our electronic footprint disappear, along with anyone else that needs help.’

  Peyton said. ‘Well, that will be wonderful and has possibilities.’

  Melody brought them back to her plan. ‘I will need your addresses ladies and then I will send you help. Heather, I know my soldiers will be willing to help you with your children, they will be with you in twelve hours. Darby, you have until tomorrow midnight, to gather everything you need. You and your fellow scientists will be out and at Runnerdale by the following morning. Ladies operation get the hell out of dodge starts now.’

  ‘Dodge is where?’ Heather asked bewildered. ‘I thought we were going to Runnerdale?’

  Melody replied. ‘Dodge was a place on an old vid about cowboys. I watched it recently… it was good.’

  Darby said. ‘Actually, it was a real town in America, which was settled in the 1800s when the people moved west.’

  ‘Oh, wow!’ Melody exclaimed excitedly. ‘It was a real place?’

  ‘Very much so.’

  ‘That is so amazing, to know it was a real town and just like on the vid.’

  Darby frowned. ‘Yes, but it may have not have been…’

  ‘Talalalal!’ Melody sang with her fin
gers in her ears.

  ‘What is she doing?’ Darby asked the other two women in astonishment.

  Heather trying not to laugh answered. ‘I think she is trying not to hear what you are saying.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Maybe she likes the fantasy of the old west.’ Peyton told her gently, recognizing as the other two women did, that the doctor seemed a little more reserved or just awkward, Peyton thought that maybe she didn’t talk to regular people often.

  Heather told Darby. ‘It helps her cope.’

  Confused Darby asked them both. ‘Thinking something is untrue, helps her cope?’

  Peyton grinned. ‘Yes, belief or faith helps us cope, have you not found that?’

  ‘No! Facts and science, data is truth.’

  Peyton nodded in understanding. ‘I see, well this is not about truth, it is about coping. We all need to do both. I am sure you do it with your data. Heather probably does it with her medicine and people she helps. Melody has her western vids and country music. We all cope in our own way.’

  Darby frowned as she said. ‘I will think on what you have said.’

  Peyton bet she was thinking about it now and still would not understand. Melody looked at the small woman and her eyes softened, she then turned her attention toward Peyton, but now there was no softness in her eyes only speculation as she started to ask Peyton what comforted her. ‘So what…’

  Seeing what direction Melody’s mind was going in, Peyton hurriedly said, using a deep voice to imitate a males tone. ‘So peeps, let’s do it! Let’s get the hell out of dodge.’

  ‘Peeps!’ Heather chuckled as Melody grinned, even Darby saw the humor of the word as Melody asked. ‘Is that really a word?’

  ‘Yep, heard it the other day.’

  ‘Sure it is?’ Melody scoffed with a degree of skepticism that had Peyton’s eyes narrowing, noticing the look Melody hurriedly said, as she rubbed her hands together. ‘Well, ladies let’s get to it!’

  They all said goodbye, knowing life for them all was about to change once more.

  FOUR:

  Melody moved quickly after disconnecting from the other three women. She completed her packing in under an hour, labeled everything with Peyton’s address and ordered a delivery truck for the following morning.

  Over the following hours with Darby’s help, Melody contacted all her soldiers without raising a red flag anywhere. Once she explained what was happening and the missions, not one soldier turned her down.

  Later as she was getting ready for bed, she once more wondered what Peyton used as a coping mechanism. Then she thought over the conversation she had with the three women and smiled as she saw that Peyton had let slip once more, how astute she actually was.

  Within forty-eight hours from the time, Darby had contacted Melody. The town of Runnerdale and the surrounding towns increased and absorbed the extra fifteen hundred or so women and children collected by Melody and her soldiers. All without the mayor and her council becoming aware of the increase to the population.

  As so often happens, the hand of fate was merciful or someone or something was watching over Peyton and her fellow conspirators. Because within the month of the four women uniting and the refugees arriving in the town. The mayor and her five close friends, or council members as they were often referred to, were on ships leaving Earth.

  Along it seemed with most of the women that held positions of power in the remaining cities and towns all over the world. Leaving voids in the major cities, which the Government and the Coalition filled with people of their choosing. The smaller towns like Runnerdale and villages with even smaller populations, the Government were unconcerned with. Reasoning that the remaining populace of these small places would all gravitate toward the cities in time.

  Within weeks of arriving at Runnerdale, Darby and her band of cyber-hackers, who had either followed her or remained in hiding, placed calls out to other scientists who were in similar situations to what she herself had been in? And asked if they wished to be relocated to a safe place. When she received confirmation Darby sent out Melody and her soldiers who spent the next three months releasing the scientists from their captivity.

  Unfortunately, the Government soon became alerted to the disappearance of the scientists and placed guards to secure the remaining laboratories. Sadly Melody and her soldiers had to call a halt to the rescues, the danger of being captured or worse was becoming too great.

  It was hard to know how many of the scientists were shipped off world or to which world they had been sent to. As hard as Darby and her people tried, they could not find any records of planets buying the scientists.

  Finally, Melody told them they had to surrender to the fact they could not rescue anyone else if they were not on Earth to rescue. Darby agreed, but guilt ate at her constantly. As hard as it was, it was a bitter pill for them all to swallow but they had done their best. But the horrible truth was, these women were leaving Earth without knowing someone was trying to help them. This more than anything else upset Darby. Not that she showed it, she just folded in more on herself, which in turn upset Heather. Peyton tried to think of a way to help them all, but constantly came up short.

  Runnerdale, along with the surrounding towns grew in leaps and bound as more women from around the world were contacted through friends and families, and told they had a better chance of not being shipped off world. If they were where Darby and her band of merry cyber-hackers could make them disappear.

  Now, just over four months after arriving herself in Runnerdale and ten months since the aliens came to Earth. Darby stood looking out of the huge window overlooking the front yard of her home, which she shared with Peyton, Melody and Heather.

  Four months was not a long time to get to know people you were living with, especially if you were used to living alone, but it seemed to be working for them. She knew this was mainly down to Heather’s calming influence. She was still surprised it had only taken a small amount of time to adjust to each other’s quirks, to learn who liked to talk in the mornings and who did not. Who could cook, and who didn’t mind cleaning up and who was a night owl or an early riser?

  She frowned, as she remembered Heather telling her that finding out what was precious to each person would go a long way to making living together easier. For instance, Melody had her guns, and for Heather it was her medical bag, for Peyton it was her coffee and cup… really it was just her coffee.

  Darby smiled at that thought, because Peyton was the only person she had ever known who valued a drink not an object, it amused and she was honest enough to admit confused her, but then there was not much about Peyton that did not confuse her. Thinking about it, she supposed what was precious to her was her tablet and computer.

  She knew if she asked Heather she would explain why each possession had meaning for each of them but in truth she liked the idea of just being with these three women, without dissecting the meaning of everything.

  She raised her eyes to the skies, watching shuttles carrying women to the transport ships overhead. Her voice when she spoke was soft and filled with tension, as she told Heather who entered the lounge. ‘There is another one, which makes fifteen altogether.’

  Heather placed the tablet she was carrying on the coffee table and walked over to Darby, wrapping a comforting arm around her and running a soothing hand up and down her tense back. Darby leaned against Heather soaking up the comfort offered as she murmured. ‘How many in total, from this state?’

  Darby looked down at the tablet that she was never without. Heather knew it represented her security in their ever-changing world. Facts and information, kept the small woman on the right side of sanity or at least borderline sane. When she did not answer, Heather said sharply. ‘Darby!’

  Jerking back to her surroundings, she looked up at Heather who asked in her normal soft tones. ‘How many?’

  ‘Sorry, got lost in thought, so twenty-five thousand women. Each shuttle is capable of carrying two hundred women at a time
, it will not be long until they have their quota.’

  ‘How do you think Peyton is doing, do you think she will find us help this time?’ Melody asked as she came in from the kitchen, carrying a tray loaded with tea cups and sandwiches.

  Heather turned from Darby and shrugged. ‘Who knows, she has to be the most tenacious person, I have ever met.’

  While the two friends discussed Peyton and her mad dash from the house this morning. Darby looked out at the shuttles and let her mind wander and worry. Their world had been hurled into a future they were ill equipped and definitely not prepared for. She sighed and thought about how lucky she was to be here with these incredible women. Heather said it was as though they had just been waiting to come together, like a family. Peyton would say they were just meant to be. Melody would nod her head slowly in agreement, like she was scared to admit she felt the same, but would not deny it.

  She, herself always agreed with the other three even though she had no idea what a family was like, she did however understand the concept. But for her it was more than that, she just knew with Peyton and the other two she felt safe, which was a rare feeling for her, living in these precarious times.

  She stared sightlessly out the window again as she once more listed the reasons why these women who had become more like sisters were unsafe.

  Number one: Earth would become a breeding planet for the harvesting of human DNA.

  Number two: Earth would become a dumping ground for unwanted males from other planets.

  Number three: The Government has made deals without the population’s knowledge. Finally, because of the Coalition, the human race was now, a known commodity. To be auctioned off to the highest bidder for new technologies and the betterment of only a few.

  She closed her eyes as her heart rate increased and thought of the worst-case scenario. She and her sisters would be sold to pleasure planets. Which in her naivety, she had assumed were vacation world, until Heather had gently explained what they really were. Melody was a little earthier when she stated they were basically one big whore house.