QUEEN OF HEARTS

By Geonn Cannon

When Helen finished her story, the only sounds in the small plane were the rumble of the engine and the wind that occasionally gusted against the windscreen. Kate watched the desert pass by underneath them as she let the details sink in. To think that Helen Magnus had almost died fifteen years before Kate was even born was a shocker. She still remembered the day Henry and Will had sat her down and explained the unique pedigree of Helen Magnus. One hundred and fifty-nine years old and still looking as elegant as she did at the turn of the century. The previous century, that is. She'd started thinking of Helen as immortal, so the idea she had come so close to death was jarring.

She looked over at Helen, who was focused on her flight. They were still a few hours away from their final destination, and Kate didn't intend to spend the entire flight in silence. She adjusted the microphone of her headset in front of her lips again.

"So did you ever see Hodari again?"

Helen glanced over and then back out the glass before she shook her head. "I've heard rumors regarding the Kenda for a few years afterward. When Pili took over the Cairo Sanctuary, I informed her of the group and told her that there was a possibility their interests might overlap at some point. So far there haven't been any sightings of Hodari, her people or the Almasia."

"You guys were pretty close, huh?"

"We were." Helen's lips curled into a brief, sad smile before she settled her features once more.

Kate didn't press the issue. She had skimmed over the night she and Hodari spent together, but Kate could read between the lines. She wondered how many times Helen had made that connection with someone only to never see them again. It had to be a defense mechanism. Turning possible love into a one night stand was probably a hell of a lot easier than watching someone you loved slowly grow old and die.

Helen looked at her watch. "We still have a while before we get to the coordinates Hodari sent with her message. If you would like to rest for a while, I'll try to keep the turbulence to a minimum."

Kate stretched and realized how long she had been awake. "I'll take you up on that. Thanks." She settled into her seat, crossed her arms over her chest, and let her head roll slightly forward so that her chin rested against her chest. It was easier than sleeping on the subways and buses where she'd learned the posture, since she was strapped in. The hum quickly lulled her into a light doze, and she fell asleep to dreams of nocturnal creatures that paralyzed and dragged their prey back to their queen.

#

The coordinates led to a small town on the outskirts of the Saharan Atlas Mountains. Helen couldn't resist a smile as she made the final approach. Desert, foothills... it'll be just like old times. She remembered the hospital stay after the Almasia attack and her smile faded. Hopefully not just like old times. She reached up and rubbed her right shoulder. After more than forty years, even the darkest scars had faded. But sometimes when she bathed, she would reach up and touch where the Almasia teeth had sunk into her flesh. She could still remember how the venom had felt as it flooded her body.

They can't be back. We destroyed their queen, and Hodari's people have spent the past four decades cleaning up the mess. If the Almasia had survived in any substantial numbers, we would have heard about it long before now.

But she couldn't deny the fact they knew very little of the Almasia and their reproduction. She wished she could have salvaged some of their bodies for research, but the ones who died in the Kenda attack were charred beyond any examination. She hoped they weren't finally going to pay for her neglect.

The only airport she could find was a small tin shack with a long runway carved out of the desert. The wind was blowing across the cleared space and Helen used her radio to call for permission to land. She was answered in the Shawia language, although when she tried Swahili the controller switched to accommodate her.

Kate woke at the sound of Helen's voice, stretching in her seat as they made their approach. She looked out the window toward the horizon. "Whoa, mountains."

"Africa is more than just the desert, Kate." Helen smiled as she guided the plane in for a landing. They touched down gently and a man in an olive drab safari shirt braved the wind and blowing dust to leave the airport and greet them.

Kate released her seatbelt and rocked her head from side to side to work out the kinks in her neck. "Well, we're here. You okay?"

Helen looked out the window. Somewhere nearby, Hodari was waiting with news that was important enough to break nearly half a century of silence. Helen couldn't help but be a little afraid of what awaited her. But she nodded. "Come on. Let's take care of the formalities and then get on the road."

"Oh, boy. More sitting. Can't wait."

Helen chuckled as she led Kate to the back of the plane.

#

The airport only had one vehicle to loan. It was a Jeep/truck hybrid with a wide, flat bed and a cramped cabin. Kate got in on the passenger side while Helen settled on a rental price with the airport's sole employee and examined the cigarette butts and various detritus in the floor. Odds were that the vehicle belonged to the employee himself. Helen finished her negotiation and joined Kate. "No air conditioning, no radio, and the seatbelts are questionable. But at least it cost us a lot of money to borrow it for a few hours." She adjusted the seat backward to accommodate her height, checked the mirrors, and then backed out of the spot under the watchful eye of the truck's owner.

"So, how are we going to find Hodari and the Kendra?"

"Kenda. It means nine in Swahili, for the nine members of the group." She reached into the breast pocket of her shirt and withdrew the playing card. It was still in the envelope it had been mailed in, and Helen handed both out to Kate. "Hodari sent more than simple coordinates."

Kate tapped the card out and read the message again. "Shujaa? You said that's the name she called you when she made you an honorary member of the... whatever." She turned the card over in her hands. "Is there some kind of secret code in the design on the back?"

"Not everything is cryptic, Kate, even at the Sanctuary." She took one hand off the wheel and turned the envelope over. She tapped the tip of the envelope's fold. "The return address."

Kate sighed and rubbed her temple. "You could have just told me. Kept me from looking like an idiot."

Helen scoffed. "Where would be the fun in that? There should be a map in the glove compartment."

Kate looked and found a map folded in a sloppy, half-hearted manner. She opened it and saw that the village they were approaching was about half the size of a Chicago neighborhood. The surrounding area was desert wasteland sparsely filled with small green trees. She also saw foothills and caverns that had been marked with a charcoal pen. "Okay, we're looking for... I can't even read this."

Helen chuckled and helped Kate decipher the address and the map. Once they found the airport - noted on the map as just a barren field - they managed to figure out where they needed to be without much trouble. The red, gray and brown clay brick buildings were tightly clustered, making Kate feel claustrophobic as they rolled down the narrow streets.

The address led them to a compound at the end of the street, a three-story building surrounded by a fifteen-foot high stone wall. Helen stopped in front of the open gates and leaned over the steering wheel to look inside. Kate looked as well and saw an empty courtyard filled with dust devils. The place had the horrible feel of abandonment to it. She looked at Helen and saw she was thinking the same thing. They were too late.

"Come on," Helen said softly. She drove the truck slowly through the open gate to park in front of the compound's door. Kate climbed out and drew her gun from the waistband of her jeans as she scanned the place.

"So the Sanctuary doesn't bother these guys?"

"The Kenda has no interest in Abnormals in general." Helen walked around the front of the vehicle, her own Colt Commander in hand. "Their interest was protecting their people from the invasion of Almasia. Once they succeeded with that, they took a well-deserved retirement." She reached the door first and tested the knob. It was open. She nodded for Kate to follow her inside, and Kate moved carefully into a support position. Helen entered first.

The foyer was white marble, the tile alternating between white and gold. Columns lined either wall, with tall thin windows between them that allowed natural light to flood the space. A flight of stairs stood opposite the door, about thirty yards away. Helen entered and, after a moment of listening to the space, finally spoke. "Hodari? It's Helen." Kate moved a few feet to the left to cover Helen's flank, looking back outside to make sure no one was trying to cut them off.

An elderly man appeared on the stairs. Helen and Kate both aimed their weapons at him, but Helen's wavered as she stared into the man's eyes. "Erevu?"

"Helen Magnus. She told us to expect you would be unchanged. I did not... understand her meaning." The man looked stunned by her appearance as he came down another step.

"Hodari." Helen lowered her weapon. "Has something happened to her?"

Erevu shook his head. "No. I am truly sorry, Helen."

"Sorry? For--"

He moved so quickly that neither Helen nor Kate could react. He fired the stunner from the hip, and Helen was hit full in the chest. Her legs folded and Kate had to choose between returning fire and risking her boss cracking her head open on the floor. She chose Helen, diving forward and catching her under the arms before she hit the ground. The momentum of her fall made Kate hit her knees as well.

Erevu approached, and others quickly appeared from hiding places around the foyer. Kate lifted her gun again, aiming at Erevu because he seemed like the best choice. "What the hell?"

"We have no quarrel with you."

"Yeah, well, you just shot my boss. So I think I've got a hell of a big quarrel with you."

"You do not know the entire story." Kate swung her gun toward the woman's voice. She moved with the grace of a much younger woman, her head held high. Her snow white hair was combed away from her face, her eyes dark but not threatening. She wore an orange and yellow robe opened to reveal a brown pantsuit. Her hands rested on the top of an ornate walking stick.

Kate made an educated guess. "You're Hodari."

The woman smiled and dipped her chin in acknowledgement.

Kate looked down at Helen, cradling her unconscious body. "What did you do to her?"

"We have to be certain she's not a danger to us." Hodari looked ashamed even saying the words. "I'm sorry, but it will all be made clear to you soon enough." She motioned for two of the men by her side, one of whom was carrying a stretcher. They moved forward, but Kate aimed her gun at the nearest one's head. Hodari sounded sincere when she said, "Please. We only wish to help her."

"You have a funny way of showing it."

Hodari moved closer. "You work with Dr. Magnus. Certainly you have been in unique situations where an ally might become an enemy however temporarily. Have you ever been forced to attack a friend for their own safety? For the safety of those around them?"

Kate's mind immediately went back to the situation with the suit, being hunted by Helen and the rest of the team. She reluctantly lowered her gun and said, "All right. But I'll take her."

"That's acceptable," Hodari said.

The men put down the stretcher and Kate moved Helen onto the canvas. When she went to pick it up, she was surprised to see Hodari herself was moving to lift the bottom. Their eyes met and Hodari nodded. They lifted the stretcher together and Kate kept her eyes on the rest of the senior citizens - most likely members of the Kenda as Hodari led her toward a corridor behind the stairs.

Whatever was going on, she was going to wait until she had the whole story before she did anything drastic.

#

Helen woke suddenly, her hand going to her hip for a weapon that was no longer there. "Whoa, hey." Kate was instantly beside her, a hand on her wrist. The fog was quickly clearing from Helen's mind and she scanned the room. There was a wall of glass between her and the door and, from the light coming through the windows they were at the back of the house. "It's okay. Hodari explained what's going on. They just had to be sure."

"Sure about what?" Kate helped her sit up. "God. That stunner packed a wallop."

"Homemade. They're still working out the kinks. Better than a bullet, I guess."

Helen put a hand on Kate's shoulder. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, they didn't stun me." She looked toward the door. "I'll let Hodari explain."

"Hodari..." Helen turned and saw her old friend enter the room. Hodari smiled, and Helen slipped off the bed to meet her halfway. "It's wonderful to see you."

"You as well." Hodari shook her head. "I cannot believe this. When you told me your age, I assumed you merely aged slowly. Not that you were frozen in time."

"Hardly that. I age, albeit slower than most. You, on the other hand, are the epitome of aging gracefully. You look amazing, Hodari."

Kate cleared her throat. "Maybe the reunion could wait..."

"Of course." Her face hardened. "Has time lessened your trust in me, Hodari? What possible reason could you have for attacking me in such a manner?

Hodari's face hardened, but not in anger. "As I explained to Ms. Freelander, we're in a desperate situation, Helen. I apologize for our treatment of you, but it was necessary." She withdrew a tablet computer from a deep pocket in her robe and held it out to Helen. She tapped the screen and it came to life, displaying a blood-sprayed room. "That is Karani's home."

"My God." She remembered Karani, the man who had set up a safe place for the Kenda to hide during the Almasia swarm. "Who did this?"

"Karani." Helen looked up, as if she expected to find Hodari was making a grim joke. "He had a wife. They were married for twenty-five years. He slaughtered her in their home and then proceeded to kill his neighbors when they responded to her screams. He was finally stopped by a local police officer, who had to resort to deadly force. Chui and Umeme were in the vicinity and they took custody of the body. We brought it back here and... Well, the final picture should tell you everything you need to know."

Helen scrolled past several grisly crime scene photos until she found one of the corpse. Gone was the handsome man she remembered. His face had become puckered and wrinkled, his lips pulled back to reveal twisted yellow fangs. It had been forty-four years since Helen saw one, but there was no denying that visage.

"Almasia."

Hodari nodded and motioned for Helen to follow her out of the room. "Karani was attacked, bitten, in 1971. Other members of the Kenda kept him safe until the paralytic wore off, and we assumed the danger to be past. Now, this. We thought Karani was the first but we tried to contact Saa and Lakini. Lakini was bitten in 1954 when he was new to the Kenda. He had already changed. He killed Saa in what we believe to be a fit of rage and, when he realized what he had done, he sealed himself in a basement room. We found him almost entirely transformed, dead from suffocation."

"And he suffered the change at the same time as Karani?"

"Yes. Apparently something is triggering whatever dormant virus the creatures left in their surviving victims. Unless we discover what it is, everyone who was bitten risks being transformed into one of them."

Helen glanced at Kate as they walked down a dark hallway that ran along the back of the house. She looked at Hodari. "You and I were bitten."

"Yes. We were." Hodari's face remained unchanged. "Tamu was bitten in 1985. We tested her blood and discovered an element we'd never seen before. If we hadn't been looking for it, we would never have noticed." They reached another isolation room and Hodari led them inside. "Tamu. We have a guest."

The isolation area was a typical room, with a bed against the far wall, a table with a television and a radio, and a tall wardrobe standing in the corner next to the window. The only difference was the glass wall between the door and the foot of the bed. Tamu was awake, sitting up in bed with her back to the wall. When she looked up, one corner of her mouth quirked up into a smile. "Well, goddamn. I think I knew your mother, girl."

Hodari smiled. "No, Tamu. This is the same woman we fought with all those years ago."

"Then I want the name of your damn surgeon. What the hell are they doing over there in America these days?"

Helen was surprised how easy it was to laugh, considering what she'd just learned. "It's good to see you again, Tamu."

"I'm glad to be seen. Ever since Hodari found those things in my blood, I've felt like a ticking time bomb."

Helen glanced at Hodari. "I'm assuming since you allowed me out of the prison I'm in some way immune?"

"The infected are allowed outside containment with an escort. Tamu thought it would be better if we monitored someone during the transformation, so she's staying inside."

Tamu winked at Helen. "It's just an excuse to catch up on my sleep."

Hodari smiled. "But to answer your question, yes. You are uninfected. The markers I found in my blood and Tamu's, and in the corpses of Lakini and Karani, weren't present in your sample. It would appear that you are safe."

Kate cleared her throat. "This thing isn't... you know, contagious, right?"

Hodari smiled. "No. It can only be passed from one host to the other through a bite. Trust me, if it gets to that point, a member of the Kenda will put down the infected before they have a chance to bite anyone."

Helen tensed at the phrase 'put down.' She crossed her arms over her chest. "And where is your escort?"

"I have been surrounded by the Kenda from the moment the news of this broke. I couldn't do my job while being treated as a prisoner. But now, you have arrived." She reached out and put her hand on Helen's cheek. She slid her palm down to Helen's throat and held it there until the skin warmed. "Shujaa, I hereby transfer my leadership of the Kenda to you."

Helen's eyes widened. "Hodari, I'm honored. But my work with the Sanctuary--"

"This is only temporary, Helen. Either we will solve this situation quickly, or I will die and the Kenda will cease to exist."

"Well. No pressure, then."

#

The back yard was a wide expanse of stone, stretching as wide as an American football field. A single-story stone house was at the back of the property. Kate was being shown around the compound by Erevu, while Hodari offered to show Helen their makeshift laboratory. They stepped outside into the hot sun, Hodari squinting as she put her left hand on Helen's elbow for support. Helen covered Hodari's hand with her own and pulled it back when she felt something on the third finger. She smiled and ran her thumb over the gold band. "Hodari. You didn't say anything."

She lifted her fingers and watched the sun hit the ring. "It was hard to slip in among the briefing of our dire situation. But yes. I am married."

"For how long?"

"Officially, forty years. But my wife and I have been together forty-four years this August."

Helen's smile widened as they crossed the yard. "Zuri."

Hodari laughed. "She was so surprised I knew about her feelings. She didn't keep the secret nearly as well as she should. I exploited her feelings from time to time before we finally confronted it. I have you to thank for that, Helen. You opened my eyes and showed me that there was room in my life for love and affection. And then, with the threat of the Almasia under control, we had more free time than ever before. I was surprised to discover I was in love with her as well."

Helen forced herself to ask. "Is she--"

"In town, replenishing our supplies. She has never been bitten, thank God for that." They reached the small building and Hodari unlocked the door. As she worked the key, Helen scanned the property. The house and its outbuildings were surrounded by the fence, cutting them off from the rest of the town. Hodari opened the door and escorted Helen inside.

Umeme and Chui were inside. They looked up, their expressions casual but their hands going to the weapons on their hips. Chui was the first to recognize their guest and straightened slowly. He spoke in Swahili, but Helen had done enough studying to translate for herself: "But that is quite impossible."

She answered him in his own language. "Impossible is nothing, in some corners of this world. It's good to see you again, Chui."

Umeme looked at Hodari. "This is really her?"

"The same woman we fought with in Kupinga. Dr. Helen Magnus. I've tested her blood myself; she's not infected. I've placed her in charge of the Kenda until such time as I can resume leadership."

Chui said something too quickly for Helen to translate, and Umeme put a hand up to calm him. He looked at Helen and spoke in English. "We owe you a debt of gratitude for your actions in Kupinga. Without your assistance, the past forty years would have been much different. We'll follow you." Helen took his offered hand. Chui seemed more reluctant, but he also shook.

Helen spoke in Swahili. "I hope you'll forgive my mistakes, but I think it would be best to converse in your native language. For Chui's benefit. Despite Hodari's reluctance, I see no reason to usurp her position entirely. All of my decisions will be run by her first, and I will do nothing without her knowledge or authority. This is still her ship. She's just letting me take the rudder for a while." She turned to Hodari. "Is that clear?"

Hodari managed to stop herself from smiling. "Aye, captain."

Helen winked at her. "Now, I was told you had been doing research on this infection."

Umeme nodded. "Let me show you what we have."

#

Erevu led Kate upstairs to the top story of the house, leaning more and more heavily on the railing the higher they got. Kate waited patiently and, at one stop, he turned to her and smiled. "Hodari refuses to install a lift. She says it keeps us all in shape." He patted his stomach. "I can't complain; it seems to be working well enough. But it doesn't make it any more fun."

Kate waved him off. "Don't worry about it. If the Sanctuary didn't have elevators, I'd probably do as much time as possible on the ground floor."

Erevu chuckled and motioned that they should continue. He exhaled sharply as he took the next step, but he seemed to find his second wind. They reached the third floor and he directed her to a window on the front of the building. She looked out over the wall at the city she and Helen had driven through.

"From here, we monitor. It's how we knew you and Dr. Magnus were on the way."

"So you could set up that nice little ambush downstairs." He looked ashamed, so she waved off the criticism. "Hey, it's cool. Anyone who can get the drop on Helen Magnus deserves kudos in my book. But be warned. She doesn't let people make a habit of it."

He chuckled. "Noted."

Kate looked at the floor around the window. Crates were stacked up to provide a sniper's nest, and there were guns hanging from a pegboard on the wall within arms reach of the window. Even though it looked like there hadn't been a lot of fighting done here, it was still a heavily armed fortress. "So what's the deal with this place? You guys are loaded for bear. The Almasia don't seem like the kind to stage an attack on you, so what's the point?"

"The Almasia have been our enemies for longer than even Helen Magnus has been alive. But there are other dangers to which we must remain alert. Northern Africa is not the most stable part of the world lately. The Almasia are like a dark cloud. Even if it does not produce rain, it darkens the world around it.

"In 1988, we met a man who wanted information on the Almasia. Lakini was manning the windows and noticed several armed men in vehicles there," he pointed to an alley, "there and there." Kate craned her neck to see the other two spots. "Hodari distracted him while Chui, Saa and I went to investigate. The man was an arms dealer with contracts in very dangerous places. He planned to capture the remaining Almasia and breed them to sell as weapons of mass destruction."

Kate raised her eyebrows. "Hope you guys sent him packing."

Erevu's face darkened. "He sought to profit from the pain and death of others. He wished to spread the Almasia across the world, unrepentant of how he would control them once they had been unleashed. We ensured he would not find an alternative means of supply."

Kate stared at him for a second before she spoke. "Harsh justice."

"The man dealt in death. Those who live by the sword, Ms. Freelander."

"I guess." She looked outside again.

"We do what is necessary to not only protect the world from the Almasia, but to protect us from those who would seek to use them for their own needs. Even with the Almasia population decimated, our work is far from done."

"Gotcha." She turned and looked around at the crates of ammunition. "So what kind of weapons you guys got around here?"

#

As the sun began to set and the compound grew dark, Umeme suggested taking a respite from their research for dinner. Helen was escorted to her private room on the second floor of the house. As far as she could tell, the top floor was used for offense, the ground floor was defense, and living and working was done on the second floor. Her escort was one of the younger members of the Kenda, a young woman who spoke no English and a dialect that Helen couldn't quite parse. She thanked the woman with a nod and smile, and it seemed to translate well enough.

Helen took off her blouse, leaving her in a sleeveless top. There was a basin with cool water in the walk-in closet of a bathroom. She wet a rag and ran it over her chest and throat, wiping away the sweat that had built up during the sweltering afternoon. She'd forgotten how humid it could get in northern Africa, one of the reasons she was content to let Pili run Cairo. She lifted her ponytail and pressed the rag against the back of her neck to let the water trickle down her spine.

There was a knock on the door and she stepped out of the bathroom. "Come in."

She expected Kate, but instead it was Zuri who entered. Helen hesitated a moment, examining the tough warrior woman she had first met in Kupinga. Except for her hair, little had changed. There were a few more wrinkles near the eyes, but she still had the same fighting stance as before. Age hadn't stooped her shoulders.

"Zuri. Hello."

"Hodari informed me that you had arrived. I had to see it with my own eyes." She stared at Helen. "What are you? No one else will ask, so I must."

"I'm not an Abnormal. I have simply benefited from a lifetime of proximity to them."

Zuri snorted. "Spent my life chasing Almasia. I don't have anything but a couple of scars. Do you really think you can help?"

There was a vulnerability in the question, and Helen knew Zuri was mainly concerned with just one patient. "Your research indicates that this infestation is a virus. It sat dormant all these years simply waiting for an opportunity to become active."

"Why now?"

"That, I'm afraid, remains a mystery. But hopefully we'll be able to destroy the alien DNA and it won't be necessary to understand the timing." She looked at Zuri and saw that she was hardly convinced. "I will do everything in my power to stop these transformations. You have my word."

"Thank you, Helen." Zuri stepped away from the door. "We eat in the farthest room at the end of this corridor. You and Ms. Freelander are welcome to join us."

Helen moved closer as Zuri turned to leave. "Wait. Hodari told me about your relationship." She toyed with the wet towel in her hands. "I hope you don't think my return is... I'm not--"

Zuri smiled. "Do not concern yourself, Dr. Magnus. Any attempt to take Hodari from me would fall on her deaf ears. And I would react accordingly to any overtures you made."

Helen laughed. "I consider myself duly warned. It is good to see you again, Zuri."

"Yes. I hope you can solve this before the situation becomes... dire."

Helen nodded and Zuri left the room. Helen went back into the bathroom to freshen the water on her rag, finished wiping her arms and face, and stripped down so she could change clothes.

#

To Kate, traveling always meant leaving when things got too hot. Any movement was running. Since she came to the Sanctuary, she'd discovered the joy of traveling. South America, India, London, and now the mountains of northern Africa. She was in the actual Sahara desert, with a group of people who had dedicated their lives to fighting nasty, carnivorous Abnormals. A long way from skipping town when the cops came looking, that was for sure. She was at the window of her assigned room, arms crossed as she looked out at the setting sun. The wall obscured most of it, and she couldn't see the horizon, but it was quite an awesome sight. City girls didn't get to see a lot of sunsets like this.

The sky was bright red and orange with streaks of yellow. The sky was clear except for a few pillow-y clouds that lined up over the mountains like padding. It was the same sun and the same sky, but twilight looked completely different from what she was used to.

She had just started toward the door when someone knocked. "Come on in." The door opened and Hodari smiled at her. One of the younger Kenda members, Hodari's escort, remained in the corridor. "Hello, Ms. Freelander."

"Ugh, please. Kate. I'm only Ms. Freelander when I'm in trouble."

Hodari nodded her head in agreement. "I wanted to check in and ensure you were being treated well. My people can sometimes be resistant to strangers."

"Yeah, everyone's been fine. Quite a set-up you guys have here."

"Well, thanks to Dr. Magnus's help, it's been much easier to create a place we can call home. We... I owe her much." She touched her wedding ring and then smiled at Kate. "We made much progress today in the lab. I am confident that together we can come up with a solution to our current predicament. Hopefully then we can finally put the Almasia threat to rest."

"If anyone can do it, it's the Doc. I've seen some crazy things since I came to the Sanctuary."

Hodari stared at her for a moment, her lips curling into a smile. "Interesting. The way you treated her while she was unconscious, the way you speak about her is... is..." She shook her head to clear it. "Well. Dinner will be served soon. You and Helen are both invited, of course."

"Thanks, I'm starving. One thing Helen Magnus doesn't do is in-flight meals."

Hodari smiled and started to leave. She looked at her ring again and looked at Kate. "Zu. Zuri, that is, my partner and I... We worked together many years fighting the Almasia. I'm not certain when her feelings turned from loyalty to love. I suspect she doesn't either; the two blend together so seamlessly that sometimes it's hard to separate. We have been together for forty years. We're lucky to have gotten so much time considering our calling in life. But it's not enough. I wish I hadn't wasted so long focusing on things other than my feelings." She looked at Kate and smiled. "Not all of us have a lifetime like Helen's, but regret can make it seem twice as long."

She dipped her chin and left Kate to her thoughts.

#

Helen chose a dark purple blouse and black slacks for dinner. When she arrived, she saw Kate waiting outside the dining room in a simple white blouse and jeans. It was obvious Kate had been waiting for her, reluctant to arrive at dinner without Helen. Kate looked at Helen's outfit, then down at her own, and shrugged. "I didn't pack for a big dinner party."

"You look wonderful. Come on." She slipped her arm around Kate's elbow and guided her into the room. The door was on the only flat wall of the room, the rest of it expanding in a concave curve that gave the impression of an amphitheater. A table was set length-wise in the middle of the room. The aged members of the Kenda were in the center of the table with children and newer recruits on the outer edges.

Hodari was speaking with Erevu and Chui, but she excused herself when she saw Helen and Kate had arrived. She approached them with a smile. "I'm so glad you decided to join us."

"I wouldn't have missed it." She greeted Hodari with a kiss on each cheek, clutching her hands. Zuri, who had been standing across the room, glanced over but showed no real interest in what she observed. "I assume Chui apprised you of our progress on the enzyme. What little we've had, I mean."

"Yes, but any progress is good news. Speaking of good news. Zuri."

Helen and Kate turned to see Zuri coming into the room. She wore a sleeveless white shawl, but her expression was anything but festive. Hodari picked up on her mood and her smile faded.

"What?"

"Tamu isn't answering her door. I cannot find her or her escort anywhere."

Kate said, "Tamu was the one who--"

"She'd been bitten," Hodari said. "We will postpone dinner until she has been found. Helen--"

Zuri cleared her throat. "'Dari. If the infection has taken Tamu, then you will be the next to fall. You gave leadership over to Dr. Magnus, so she should leave the charge while you... isolate yourself." Her stern demeanor cracked slightly. "I'm sorry, but--"

"No. You are right. I wasn't thinking." She turned to Helen. "The Kenda is yours, Helen. Treat them well."

Zuri motioned to two younger members of the group and they came forward. Zuri cupped Hodari's face, stroking her cheek tenderly before she leaned in and passionately kissed her. They held the embrace for a moment before they parted. Kate looked away, uncomfortable, and Helen averted her gaze out of a sense of decorum.

"When the time comes, do not allow me to harm any of our people, Zu."

Zuri nodded, even thought it seemed to take all of her considerable strength. She stepped back and let the younger soldiers lead Hodari away. She turned away from the sight and focused on Helen. The rest of the Kenda looked to her as well. Kate raised an eyebrow and Helen took her gun and made sure it was loaded.

"Umeme, Chui, Kate. With me. The rest of you make sure the compound remains secure. If Tamu has changed, I don't want her escaping to infect others."

She led her team out of the dining hall, but Umeme led the way. When they rounded a corner in the hall, Umeme tensed. The corridor outside of Tamu's isolation room was empty. "Haddi should be here." He raised his voice and spoke in the regional dialect, but there was no response. "Something bad has happened." They formed a loose semi-circle around the doorway and Helen stood to one side before she knocked.

"Tamu? It's Helen Magnus. Are you all right?"

"It is Shujaa," Chui clarified. Helen resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

They waited for a response. Helen reached for the knob, but Chui waved her off and stepped forward. He held a blade that caught the light as he placed his hand on the knob. Moving quicker than Helen could register, he spun the knob, pushed on the door, and swept into the room in what seemed like a single movement. He swung the blade through thin air, howling out a battle cry as he dropped into a crouch to throw off his attackers.

Helen stepped into the room behind him, sweeping the far corners with her weapon. "Tamu?" The partition between the outside and the quarantined area was open, and Helen saw a body lying on the far side of the bed. She stepped inside and winced when she saw the body. The man, Haddi she presumed, was without a doubt very dead. His chest was covered with blood from the wounds on his throat. Helen spotted a small smudge of blood between the floor and the closed doors of the wardrobe. She gestured at Chui and pointed at the wardrobe. He nodded and straightened his back as he approached.

"Tamu?" He spoke in Swahili, and Helen heard Tamu reply from within the wardrobe. They conversed briefly, and Chui turned to Helen. "Put down your weapon. She will come out willingly."

Helen relaxed, but she kept the gun in her hand. She noticed that Chui returned his blade to the sheath and rested his hand on the butt of the handle. The wardrobe door creaked as Tamu looked to make sure they had complied, and then she slipped out. Chui cursed, and Helen couldn't stop herself from gasping at the transformation.

"Dear God."

Tamu's face had shrunken, covered with a web of intricate wrinkles. Her right eye was completely black while the other remained normal, and her lips were struggling to contain the teeth of an Almasia. Her body was twisted in the midst of a transformation, and she held her withered left arm against her chest as her legs struggled to unfold from the cramped confines of the wardrobe.

"Do not hurt me, Shujaa." She spoke in Swahili, her voice barely intelligible through the teeth. "I called for Haddi. He tried to cut me. I simply reacted. Please, I am so sorry."

"It's all right." Helen stepped closer. Chui made a sound of warning, but Helen stopped his protests with a wave of her hand. "Tamu, are you in pain?"

"It hurts, yes."

"We're not going to hurt you further unless you give us a reason. Do you understand?" Tamu nodded. "How did it start?"

"Nausea. Pain in the abdomen. I felt pain in my eye, and I flushed it with water. But this is what I discovered in the mirror. After that the transformation became faster."

Helen turned to Umeme. "Take her to the isolation room in the laboratory. I want to monitor the transformation." To Chui, she spoke in Swahili. "Take care of your friend's body, but be cautious. Test his blood. I'm not sure if Tamu has the virus, or if it can reanimate a dead body, but I'm not taking any chances."

He nodded quickly. Kate moved out of his way and stepped closer to Helen as Tamu was led out of the room. "Doc, are you sure that's smart? If she's really turning into one of those things..."

"As long as she maintains her own mind, she'll hopefully be safe. Once she's locked away, we can examine her safely. Perhaps we'll discover something that will lead to a cure."

"Lot of 'hopefully' and 'perhaps' in that statement, Doc."

Helen acknowledged that with a shake of her head. "For now, it's our best option. I'm not going to just assassinate the woman if there's something we can learn from her."

Erevu appeared in the doorway, his eyes wide from what he had passed in the hall. "Shujaa. So it's true."

"Yes, unfortunately. Hodari?"

"She is in isolation. There don't seem to be any signs of... of what happened to Tamu."

Helen was relieved by that. "Did she complain of nausea, pain?"

"No. Just a bit of dryness in her eyes."

Helen felt her stomach drop. "Increase your guard on her. Do not allow yourselves to be blinded by who she is. At the first indication of physical transformation, call me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, of course." He swallowed and furrowed his brow. "Perhaps... we should act now. If there is a danger of this disease spreading--"

"We're not talking about a gangrenous limb. Hodari and Tamu are safely quarantined. If they attempt to escape, we will deal with it then. But I will not murder them in cold blood while there is a chance they can be saved, and while there is a chance they hold the solution to our problems. Is that clear?"

Erevu dipped his chin. "Yes, Shujaa."

"And stop calling me that. The name is Helen or Magnus."

"I call her Doc."

Helen sighed. "Yes, you do. Now please, I would like to examine Tamu before her transformation progresses any further."

They left Tamu's room and went down the hall to where Hodari had been quarantined. Umeme, Zuri and several younger members of the Kenda were present. All but Zuri stepped to one side as Helen approached the partition. Hodari saw the truth in Helen's eyes, but she had to ask.

"It's true, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so. I'm having her isolated in the laboratory so we can observe her transformation and take samples. Umeme told me that you were experiencing dryness in your eyes."

"That's not unusual." Zuri sounded desperate to believe everything would be fine. "Her eyes are frequently dry."

"Zu." Hodari's voice was soft. "The Kenda will alert you if there are any changes in my condition. Go. Time is of the essence. You must observe Tamu's condition carefully." She smiled sadly. "I only regret you did not get your welcome dinner."

"That's all right. You can make up for it with a celebratory farewell dinner."

Hodari smiled, and Helen turned to Zuri. "Keep a close watch on her."

"You can count on it."

Kate followed Helen out into the corridor. "What do you need me to do?"

Helen lowered her voice. "Keep an eye on Zuri. If she cannot bring herself to do what is necessary when the time comes, you must."

"Got it."

"Thank you, Kate." Helen gripped Kate's hand briefly before she hurried down the corridor. She felt that far too much time had already been wasted.

#

It was during Helen's third trip back to the house that exhaustion finally hit her. She stopped, one hand on her forehead, and forced herself onward. Two members of the Kenda were standing on either side of the door, and they looked worse than Helen did. She nodded to them as she passed, going into the house and walking toward the isolation rooms. Kate met her halfway. "Doc, you're running yourself ragged here."

"Thank you for your concern, Kate, but I can't sleep. Not yet. I've taken several samples of her blood and compared the organism causing her illness as it progresses and grows. I'm confidant that if I can find a way to render the organism harmless I can create a workable vaccine." She put her hand on Kate's shoulder, indicating she should follow. "How is Hodari?"

"Still like she was earlier. Her eyes are dark, but she hasn't had any other physical problems. How's Tamu?"

"Much worse. The transformation is nearly complete, and she's lost the ability to speak. As near as I can tell, it's still her mind, just trapped within the wrong body."

They arrived at Hodari's room. Hodari and Zuri were sitting on the floor with their backs to the wall, the partition between them. Hodari had changed into a simple orange robe, her hair washed and gathered into a bun. Helen smiled an apology at interrupting their discussion. "How are you doing?"

"As well as can be expected. Tamu?"

"The transformation seems to proceed rapidly once it begins. I've gotten several interesting samples of the infection at various stages, and I'm confident that I can formulate a vaccine that will combat it. I just need a little more time."

Zuri looked at Hodari. "And the vaccination will reverse the transformation that has already occurred?"

"I have no way of knowing. I hope that once the vaccine is administered it will eradicate what's causing the transformations, and your body will heal whatever damage was caused. This is a complete guess on my part, I'm afraid, but we've experienced similar infestations in the past. It worked out well then."

Hodari smiled. "Then we must maintain hope that it will work out well now. Zu... would you please excuse us? I'd like to speak with Dr. Magnus alone."

Zuri stood up with more grace than a woman her age should have been capable of. "I will take Ms. Freelander to the kitchen for some food. Shujaa, you must be famished."

Helen ignored the use of her Kenda name. "Yes. Thank you." She waited until Kate and Zuri were gone before she approached the barrier. "You have a good partner there."

"Yes. As do you." Helen looked away and Hodari smiled. "She has found the line between following orders and having a mind of her own. It's a valuable trait in a soldier. She will be loyal to you, but she will not be crippled by a strict adherence to orders. A potent, if sometimes frustrating combination."

"Similar to Zuri in that respect, I'd imagine."

Hodari laughed. "They could be sisters. Or perhaps grandmother and granddaughter." She winked, sighed, and rested her head against the back wall. "When you and I stopped the Almasia threat all those years ago, when I finally was able to look at my life and imagine a future, my decision was not difficult. I could not be alone. I could not face the stretch of years suddenly open in front of me without someone by my side. Fortunately I had someone who already felt strongly for me. We turned out swords into plowshares and settled into a life of relative peace. When you look at your future, Helen, what do you see?"

Helen refused to meet Hodari's gaze. "More of the same."

"You also cannot be alone. I can see it in your eyes."

"I've gone to great lengths to ensure I won't be alone. Some would say it's impaired my judgment from time to time. But what you're suggesting is... not possible. Not for me."

Hodari shook her head. "Helen Magnus speaking of the impossible? I thought I knew her."

"Look at us, Hodari. You look at me and I'm a photograph of the woman you fought with, the woman you made love to. I look at you and I see the years that have passed. I cannot bear to give my heart to someone simply to watch them waste away. It's difficult enough to watch my friends pass on. I can't bear to be left behind, no matter how strong my feelings may be."

Hodari looked down at her hands, noting the wrinkles on them. Her knuckles were thick, gnarled from arthritis. She sighed and rested her hands in her lap. "Pathetic, Helen."

"I beg your pardon."

"I called you pathetic. You don't just look young; you're a child. To spare yourself pain later, you subject yourself to constant pain. The lifelong pain of loneliness. I'm glad you didn't turn your back on the Almasia because it might hurt a little. I'm glad you didn't abandon your Sanctuary because it might be difficult at times."

"Stop it." Helen was shaking with anger. "If Zuri dies tomorrow--"

"I think it's far more likely that Zuri will be standing at my deathbed, Helen. But I see your point. If I were to lose Zu, then I will be devastated. But I will be glad that we had forty wonderful, happy years together. I wouldn't trade those forty years for a tiny piece of cold comfort. Stop punishing yourself for being long-lived. Please, Helen."

Helen swallowed. "I should get back to the laboratory..."

"You shouldn't leave me without a guard."

Before Helen could reply, Zuri and Kate returned with sandwiches and a white pitcher of orange juice. Helen brushed past them, but stopped in front of Kate. They looked at each other for a long moment before Helen muttered an apology and continued out into the corridor.

#

Helen glanced up as Kate came into the lab. Umeme and Chui had long ago retired to a bedroom that connected to the lab with instructions to wake them at sunrise. Helen was surprised to see it had already arrived, the sky behind Kate painted red and gold. "I must have lost track of the time. Have you slept?"

"Not much. That's okay, though. I'll catch up on the flight home." Kate was looking past Helen at the isolation room that held Tamu. "How are things going out here?"

Helen turned and followed Kate's gaze. Tamu was curled in the corner, now more Almasia than human. Helen remembered being swarmed by the creatures in the Tanzanian cave. How many of them had been people once? She put the thought out of her mind. "Better than I could have expected. Chui had already done the lion's share of the work. My expertise with a wider range of Abnormals helped me add the final pieces. I should have a working vaccine soon."

"Great. Maybe we'll have time to swing by Africa and see the pyramids before we head home."

Helen smiled. "Have you spoken with Henry?"

"Yep. They're holding down the fort while we're gone, and the Big Guy is keeping an eye on them."

"Good." She chuckled at the thought, anticipating their conflicting reports when she got home. Kate came around the side of the table to look at her notebooks. Helen leaned down to look into the eyepiece of her microscope. "We just need--"

There was a sudden crack behind them. Helen dropped from the stool and spun to face the isolation room. Kate pulled her gun, taking a step forward to get between Helen and whatever had cracked the glass. Tamu had lunged at the glass as soon as both their backs were turned, creating a spider-web crack in the pane. Her face was now almost entirely Almasia, her teeth snapping together as she hissed and spit.

Helen drew a gun as well. "Get Chui and Umeme. Tell them we have a situation."

"Will you be all right?"

Helen smiled. "I've faced a swarm of these things. One shouldn't--"

The glass shattered on Tamu's third attack. She scurried into the room, and Helen pushed Kate away. "Move apart. She can't come at us both."

Kate moved toward the far wall and Helen began backing toward the door. Tamu crouched in the middle of the space, eyeing them both and trying to decide which was the most docile.

"What are you armed with?" Helen asked.

"Hollow points."

"Damn." She eyed her tranquilizers and wished she'd had the foresight to put that in her belt as well. To get them now would require moving back into Tamu's range of attack. "Kate, cove me. I have to get to the table."

"Cover you how, exactly?" She moved into Tamu's line of sight and the creature spun toward her. It snorted, hunched its shoulders and crouched as it prepared to attack. Helen crossed the distance to the table in three quick steps, and Tamu spun around at the movement. Kate fired, missing on purpose but causing Tamu to howl in anger. Instead of launching at Kate, however, Tamu attacked Helen.

Tamu launched and hit Helen like a wrecking ball. She was thrown into the table, crying out in frustration and surprise more than pain. Her body fell onto the table, displacing all of her notebooks and medical supplies. Kate moved in for the attack as Helen dug her hands into the soft flesh of Tamu's abdomen and brought both feet up. She planted her boots in Tamu's stomach and kicked, throwing her off. Helen saw a small vial and grabbed it, finding a syringe with her other hand as she fell off the table.

"Doc?!"

"I'm fine! Don't let her get through the door!" She remembered the Almasia climbing through holes in the roof of the Kupinga village. The wall around Hodari's compound wouldn't be much of a hurdle for it. Helen filled the syringe with the concoction from the vial and brandished it like a switchblade.

Kate and Tamu were by the door, with Kate pinned to the wall by Tamu's powerful forearms. Kate had the barrel of her gun jammed under Tamu's chin, forcing her head back to keep the teeth away from her. The sleeve of Kate's shirt was torn, and blood was dripping to the floor.

Helen rushed forward and tackled Tamu from behind. The three of them hit the ground in a pile, and Helen found a piece of soft flesh near the base of Tamu's neck. "If this doesn't work, I'm truly sorry." She jabbed the syringe in and sank the plunger down. Tamu howled and bucked, thrashing against them in an attempt to get free. Kate cried out in pain, and one of Tamu's claws nicked Helen's leg.

Helen rolled, pulling Tamu with her and freeing Kate. "The tranquilizers, Kate. Quickly!" She had both arms wrapped around Tamu, one leg hooked around her from behind as Tamu writhed. Kate moved on her hands and knees until she was able to rise onto her feet. She grabbed the tranq gun from the table and spun, firing after taking only a second to aim. The dart hit Tamu in the neck, near where Helen had injected her, and Tamu cried out. Her body stiffened, her head thrashed, but slowly her fighting grew more languid.

Helen finally dropped Tamu to the ground, panting as she pulled herself away. Kate was immediately by her side. "Hey, Doc. You okay?"

"I'll be fine." She touched Kate's arm. "You?"

"Eh, I've had worse." She looked at Tamu. "What did you inject her with?"

Helen took a pair of sterile cloths from the table and handed one to Kate. She applied the other to her own thigh. "It was the first batch of what I hoped to be a cure. It wasn't ready to be tested yet, but... I suppose we'll know soon enough if we need to work on it more."

Erevu and one of the young Kenda soldiers suddenly came into the lab. Helen raised her eyebrows in surprise. "We were just about to call her."

"Kuma mamako..." He gestured for the soldier to bring more people out so they could secure Tamu. "When did this happen?"

"Just now." Helen's relief faded. "Why are you here?"

"Hodari has begun to transform."

Helen closed her eyes. "Damn. It will be at least an hour before we see any signs that the cure is working properly in Tamu. I don't want to administer it to a second patient before I'm certain--"

"No, Shujaa. The transformation is not my main concern."

#

Helen ran as fast as her injured leg would allow her, but Kate and Erevu still reached the isolation room first. Zuri was inside the quarantine area, standing over Hodari. Helen stared and saw a slight movement to Hodari's eyelids; she was unconscious but still alive. Zuri was aiming a gun at her partner's head, her hand shaking as it gripped the butt of the weapon. Her lips were pressed tightly together, her eyes wet with tears.

"Zuri, do not do this."

"She wouldn't want this." Zuri's voice was solid as stone, despite the hesitation in her posture. "She would not want to be one of them."

Helen looked at Erevu. "The door?"

"She changed the code. None of us can get access."

"Damn it, Zuri. We're close to a cure. I administered it to Tamu just now."

Zuri's gun arm dropped. "Give it to Dari."

"I can't yet. Not until I'm certain it's safe. We have to monitor Tamu's condition and if there are no side effects, we can give the drug to Hodari as well."

Zuri shook her head. "Give it to her, Dr. Magnus. If there are side effects, she will at least be able to die as herself."

Helen looked at Hodari. "You didn't knock her out, did you? This is something she did to herself." A tear rolled down Zuri's cheek and she tossed the gun onto the bed as if it was a snake. Helen closed her eyes. "Kate. Go back to the lab and bring me the vial I used on Tamu."

"Are you sure it's safe?"

"Safer than a bullet in her head, I'd imagine. Hurry, please."

Kate hesitated for only a second before she turned and left the room. Erevu kept his eyes on Hodari. "Are you certain this is wise?"

"No. But it's our only option. Hodari means to die before she becomes Almasia. An uncertain cure is kinder than anything she could do to herself."

Erevu nodded uncertainly. Unarmed, Zuri dropped to the floor and lifted Hodari's head to her lap. She stroked Hodari's hair and bowed her head as she started to cry.

#

Helen was in bed, already in her nightgown and robe despite the fact it was only a few minutes past noon. She had her hands laced together on her stomach, her feet crossed at the ankles, but her mind refused to let her sleep. She was about to get up and fix herself a cup of tea when there was a quiet knock on the door. She pushed herself up, resting against the headboard. "Come in."

Kate stuck her head around the door. "Hey. I can come back..."

"No, please. I couldn't sleep anyway."

Kate closed the door behind her, slipping her fingers into the back pockets of her jeans as she moved toward the bed. "Erevu and the others are keeping a close eye on Hodari and Tamu. So far the transformation seems to have stopped in Hodari. Tamu... there's not much change yet."

"It's still early." She tried to make herself sound hopeful, but it was difficult. "How's your arm?"

Kate looked down at her bandage, exposed by the short sleeves of her new shirt. "Fine. Once I assured everyone twice that I'd been clawed and not bitten, they were really nice about it. Your leg?"

"I can hardly feel it."

Kate nodded. She looked down at her feet and then smiled. "Zuri hasn't left Hodari's side through the whole thing. She wants to be sure she's there when Hodari wakes up."

Helen thought Zuri also wanted to ensure she was the one to end Hodari's suffering if it came to that, but she didn't feel the need to put a damper on Kate's theory.

"Listen, uh... I have to say something. And it's easier to say it now when Will and Hank aren't around to interrupt me or make fun of me. You could have done a lot of things when we met. Turned me in to the cops, set me back out on the street. But you gave me a place to stay and a purpose. You gave me a place I could call home and showed me how to do what I did best without hurting anyone. Or at least anyone that didn't deserve it. I don't know where I'd be if it wasn't for the Sanctuary, but I know I wouldn't like it much. So. Thanks."

She started to leave, a retreat more than a departure, but Helen stopped her. "Wait." She stood up, one hand on her injured thigh just in case the muscle decided to be stubborn. She walked up to Kate, Hodari's words in her mind. "I wouldn't have chosen you had I not seen some potential. One day I might have to pass on my legacy and I think... I would be very satisfied to leave the Sanctuary in your hands."

Kate blinked. "Whoa. Didn't expect that."

Helen smiled and put her hands on Kate's cheeks. She leaned in, and Kate started to back away before she let Helen's lips meet hers. She hesitantly put her hands on Helen's hips, accepting the kiss by parting her lips. Helen took another step, their bodies pressed together as their kiss deepened. Kate had kissed women before, but never one she respected as much as Helen. The past kisses were subterfuge during negotiations or play-acting after a bit too much to drink. This felt like something stronger.

Helen let Kate decide when the kiss should end. She pulled back slightly, and she felt a twinge of despair when they parted. She looked down and saw the V of Helen's robe, the line of her cleavage. She blinked and averted her gaze, looking at the shoulder of her robe instead.

"Lots of things I'm not expecting today."

Helen smiled. "That's the problem with living for one hundred and sixty years." She brushed a strand of hair out of Kate's face. "Sometimes you wait too long to do something you really want to do."

"Huh. Yeah. I can see that." Kate put her arms around Helen's waist and kissed her. Helen made a noise of surprise, which faded into a chuckle and a moan of pleasure. She moved Helen toward the bed, breaking the kiss just long enough to sit on the edge. She looked up at Helen and tried to work up enough moisture in her mouth to talk. "I assume you didn't want to stop at just kissing."

Helen stroked Kate's cheek with the back of her hand. "Are you sure?"

Kate nodded. Helen bent down to kiss her, and Kate's hands went to the belt of Helen's robe. She tried to keep her hands from acting frantic, but they trembled as she undid the knot. Helen slid the robe off her shoulders and Kate broke the kiss to look down at her. She blushed at the sight of Helen's legs, exposed by the short hem of her nightgown, and then focused on her full breasts.

"Are you all right?" Helen whispered.

"Yeah. Just a little overwhelmed."

Helen guided Kate down onto the mattress and kissed her lips. "Then we can take it as slowly as you need." She kissed Kate's cheek and then her neck, moving down her body. Her fingers curled underneath Kate's T-shirt and pushed it up, and Kate squirmed on the mattress to help her remove it. She sat up, and Helen reached back to undo her bra. Kate rested her head on Helen's shoulder as it was tossed away, leaving her topless.

Helen kissed her temple. "Lie back. Let me look at you."

Kate did as she was told, supporting herself on her elbows as Helen looked at her chest. "Just beautiful." She ran her hand between Kate's breasts, and Kate shuddered at the touch. Helen's hand pressed flat against Kate's stomach, and then moved down to her belt. Kate trembled as the belt was undone, her jeans unbuttoned. Helen hooked both forefingers in the belt loops, and Kate pushed herself up so Helen could drag them down.

Helen lifted Kate's right foot and untied the laces of Kate's boot. She pulled it off, along with the sock and bent down to kiss the ankle. Kate gasped and closed her eyes, curling her hands into fists in the sheets. Helen repeated the move with the other boot, finished removing Kate's pants, and used them as a kneeling pillow. She eased Kate's legs apart and kissed her knee, dragging her lips along the inside of her thigh.

Kate leaned back, no longer possessing the strength to hold herself up as Helen's lips touched her for the first time. She cried out when she felt the tip of Helen's tongue, and she twisted the sheet around her fists as she fought the urge to thrust down against her. She'd only had one person go down on her, and he was just fulfilling an obligation after she did the same for him. This was... different. Helen wanted her, and wanted to give her pleasure.

"Doc..."

"Kate, please..."

Kate licked her lips. "Helen."

She pressed a kiss to Kate's thigh and then brushed her cheek against Kate's pubic hair. "I never dreamed I would come to care for you as much as I do now, Kate. How much I love you."

Kate swallowed the lump in her throat and stroked Helen's hair. She closed her eyes as Helen began kissing her again, gasping as Helen teased her and then pushed inside with tongue and fingers. Sex wasn't like this. Sex was quick and quiet, two people rushing to finish before they went to sleep. It was someone you liked well enough naked on top of you, thrusting a few times before they finished and you could masturbate.

Kate cried out as Helen made her come twice with her tongue. Helen kept her fingers in play as she lifted her head. "Shall we try for three?"

"No... please."

Helen chuckled and slid up Kate's body. They kissed, and Kate tasted herself on Helen's lips and tongue. She wanted to pass out, to let her subconscious deal with all of this, but she knew that now she had a chance to see what the great Helen Magnus was like in bed. She opened her eyes and saw Helen looking down at her. Not like a boss or a friend, but like a lover. Helen smiled, and Kate managed to return it.

"You can sleep if you'd like."

"No." Kate reached down and ran her hand along the curve of Helen's hip. The weight of Helen's body on hers was perfect. She tugged the nightgown up, and Helen helped her remove it. Their bodies pressed together, Helen's thigh against Kate's hip. Kate looked down at Helen's breasts and stomach. She put her hand over the dark hair between Helen's legs and bit her lip. "I don't... show me..."

Helen covered Kate's hand with her own. "It's easy... like this..." Their fingers moved together, and soon Helen was breathing rapidly. She closed her eyes and rocked her hips against Kate's hand. "Yes... just like that, Kate. Don't stop."

Kate could only stare at Helen. She moved her hips out of instinct, mimicking the way her fingers were moving.

When Helen came, she loosely wrapped her fingers around Kate's wrist and whispered, "Wait, wait. Wait." She gasped and bent down to kiss Kate, their tongues meeting as Helen sank down onto Kate's body. Her lips moved across Kate's cheek, to the corner of her mouth.

"Was that worth waiting for?"

Helen chuckled. "Oh, yes." She stroked Kate's hair. "I think I can sleep now... you're more than welcome to join me if you'd like." There was no response. "Kate?" She looked down, and Kate had already fallen asleep. Helen chuckled, guided Kate's head to her chest, and attempted to join her in slumber.

#

It was almost fully dark outside before they were forced to rise due to a knock on the door. Helen was grateful that Zuri didn't comment on finding Kate in her bedroom. She dressed quickly, kissed Kate once more for good measure, and then followed Zuri down the hall to Hodari's private room. She smiled when she saw her old friend sitting up in bed, her hands folded in her lap. She looked ill, a little green around the gills, but far better than she had the night before.

"Well, look who is up. How do you feel?"

"Better than I have any right to. I think the drug is fighting with my body a little bit, but you didn't really have time to fine-tune it. Thank you, Helen. Sincerely."

"It was my pleasure. Once you're better, we should work to create a cure without the side effects."

Zuri said, "Chui is already going over your research. He feels there should be a vaccine available within a week. There will still be a chance of side effects, but hopefully fewer than Hodari and Tamu have experienced."

Helen smiled. "Tamu is well?"

"The transformation is reversing. Slowly but surely." Hodari smiled. "You saved us once again, Shujaa. Sorry. Helen."

"It's all right. The name has kind of grown on me. I should check on Tamu." She reached down and squeezed Hodari's hand. "It's good to see you feeling better."

Hodari nodded and then tightened her grip on Helen's hand. "I take it you had an enjoyable afternoon."

Helen couldn't resist a blush creeping into her cheeks. "Behave, Hodari."

Hodari chuckled and patted Helen's hand before she released it. Helen looked at Zuri and saw that her eyes were still rimmed with red. Her mask had fallen, and she wasn't going to put it back up until Hodari was well again. She nodded to Helen, a world of thanks wrapped up in the simple gesture. Helen returned the nod and left to check on Chui's progress in the labs.

#

They stayed at the Kenda compound for a week while Hodari recuperated. On the third day, Kate moved her things into Helen's quarters. The revised vaccine Chui and Helen created together was administered to the rest of the Kenda, and Helen agreed to be injected just in case. Tamu's transformation reversed itself, but she was left with several scars and a broken arm from her assault on Helen and Kate.

When Hodari was healthy enough to resume leadership, Helen gratefully handed over command once more. They had a final farewell dinner in the great hall, at which Hodari suggested a toast.

"To our friends, Helen Magnus and Kate Freelander, and to all who work within the Sanctuary network. From now on, the Kenda will lend our strength to the Sanctuary in its fight to protect the world from Abnormals. As well as protecting Abnormals from the world." She raised her glass. "To our friends Shujaa and Askari."

Kate furrowed her brow and looked at Helen. Helen smiled and touched Kate's hand. "It means you are my sword."

"Oh." Kate grinned. "I can get behind that."

That night they returned to their room and took a bath together. Kate rested against Helen, their legs intertwined under the water as Helen ran a washcloth over Kate's chest. Kate closed her eyes as Helen kissed her temple.

"This is going to change, right? Once we get back to the Sanctuary."

"I don't see why it should." Helen rested her cheek against Kate's head. "I don't keep secrets from my team if I can help it, Kate. Sex isn't something to be ashamed of."

"Yeah, but you think Will and Hank can handle knowing that you and I are knocking boots? I mean, boys will be boys."

Helen smiled. "That they will. Things will work out, Kate. Either they'll accept us, or they will have to learn to look the other way. I'm not going to hide how I feel about you any longer. Life is too short. Even mine."

Kate smiled and let her hand trail under the water, stroking Helen's thigh. Helen moaned and closed her eyes. "We have to get up early to make our flight."

"You're the pilot, right? And the airport here isn't exactly O'Hare."

"True..."

Kate rolled over and settled between Helen's legs. She smiled up at her and closed in for a kiss. "Then we can be a little late."

"I suppose it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world." She grinned as Kate's lips met hers. She brought her legs up and wrapped them around Kate's waist, hooking her ankles together. Kate was right, after all.

There were worse things in the world than being late.

end