Debbie remembered what Miss Parker said about her surroundings in Africa. A glass cell. Already, she knew the story was different with her and Gemini. She hadn’t said much in the past two days as she swung woefully in some cage that looked like something out of a strip joint from a dirty movie that she shouldn’t know about. Except, it was big. Big enough for Gemini too.

Gemini wasn’t speaking much either. His eyes did dart from here to there, and she could hear muttering. She knew that was his mind at work, trying to figure out a way out of their surroundings. She didn’t want to be there anymore than he did.

“Relax,” Jarod Angel said as he stepped into the room with their swinging cage. “Be happy Mutumbo has you and not Adama. I’ll keep everything above board.”

“Like the dilapidated and rusting metal cage we are trapped in?” Gemini asked.

Jarod Angel pointed at him. “Well, you have had some outside influence to understand sarcasm.” He smiled. “This is temporary. I don’t have access to all the amenities of the lab. Right now, business is shifting around.” He shrugged. “My new assistant should be coming soon.”

“Hm.”

Debbie watched as Miss Parker’s brother moved across the floor, business-like. The same man who injected her with the horrible shot the first time.

“Well. It’s my almost niece?” Lyle came closer toward their cage.

Debbie felt herself getting brushed back as Gemini stepped forward.

“This? Is what?” Lyle turned and looked to Jarod Angel. “Can you show me that thing again?”

Jarod Angel lifted his sleeve, revealing a pair of wings. “Are you going to request this every time you leave the room?”

“You look so much like Jarod, I have to,” Lyle said. “God.” He scoffed. “What the hell has the Triumvirate been doing?” He gestured toward Debbie. “Why is Broots’ daughter there? I mean, I used her as a trite guinea pig to snag Jarod, so no judging. But?” He held his arm out to her. “What’s going on?”

Jarod Angel just looked toward Lyle. “Just get behind the instruments and tell me the numbers you see. I need to test her health.”

“Which is diminishing,” Gemini said, “in this atrocious environment. It’s too damp and cool, mildew could be rampant, and I suspect black mold may not be far away.”

“Ah. A little more rebellious than the ‘yes, sir’, ‘no, sir’, thing.” Lyle adjusted his tie. “You have been living with Major Charles. Or maybe Jarod’s influence is rubbing off on you. Or maybe you’ve just got Jarod’s guts and it had to take a hell of a change to uproot it.”

“Your tie will always be non-adjacent, always moving, and will never be structured the way you want it to be,” Gemini said back.

“You know? Raines went with Adama,” Lyle shot back at him. “But with your little mouth now, maybe you want to get your old teacher back?”

Gemini suddenly pulled back. “Mister Raines?”

“Yeah? Not so brave now, huh?” Lyle chuckled. “Okay, so what’s the deal here?” Lyle questioned Jarod Angel again. “Why’s Broots daughter here? I can understand Gemini, but.”

“Questions, questions,” Jarod Angel complained. “You’re an assistant. Just watch the numbers for me.”

“Look, I may just be an ‘assistant’,” Lyle said bitterly, “but I tend to do better when I have an idea of what’s going on.”

Jarod Angel seemed annoyed, but gestured to Gemini and Debbie. “Scroll stuff. She needs to have an angel, from Jarod’s twin. That would be Gemini. The only one not corrupted, aged, or changed in any way.”

Lyle scratched the back of his head. “Uh?” He moved closer, and watched Gemini come closer again in front of Debbie. “Ah, that’s why there’s such a bravado now. Little fourteen year old in no way, shape or form ready for fatherhood? And little Debbie. Have you even gone on a single date yet?” He whistled. “This. Is. Going to be soooo interesting,” Lyle said, his eyes with renewed interest in them. “I mean I’ve killed, tortured, wounded, and I even impregnated my own sister with Jarod’s kid.” He looked toward Jarod Angel. “How are you going to do this?”

Jarod Angel’s eyes seemed to darken. “Scientifically. Man your post.”

“I just saved fifty kids to hopefully stay on any good side of Jarod left,” Lyle said as he looked at them. “Can the Triumvirate guarantee any safety measures at all for me?”

“Are you really a Parker?” Jarod Angel asked. “Your focus is gone. You just need to go over there and look at numbers.”

“Right, right. Sorry.” Lyle gestured toward her. “Jarod’s going to be clawing to find these two.”

“He doesn’t even know they are missing. Clones are created to be so similar to the real thing,” Jarod Angel said. “Until someone sits down and starts asking them about their history, we are fine. As they were just riding around in a car and traveling, I figured not much conversation is being generated to figure anything out. Now. That’s it. And, I’m scheduling you for a focus treatment. Now get to work, or find yourself being an unemployed Parker.”

Gemini looked back toward Debbie. She’d been quiet for some time. He couldn’t blame her. He could tell when he was there for Christmas, that Broots was a very good father who kept her close to his heart. He babied her a little more than he needed too. In fact, most people didn’t look at her or him as ‘adults’, they were usually referred to as ‘teens’, or the less enchanting version of ‘kids’.

He moved closer toward the back with her and sat down. She scrunched her legs up to her chest, with her arms wrapped around them. So he sat himself in a similar position. He tried to think of all the words he wanted to say, and gave it a few seconds to filter into his head, before he settled with. “Are you okay?”

Debbie just shook her head. “Can you get us out of here?”

“The cage has more than average wear and tear on it,” he said, “but it was made for heavy misuse. I have checked in several areas for weaknesses. If I do get us out of this cage, we still have to figure out how to get out of here safely. I have no idea where we are except that when we landed, it was not an easy landing, and neither was the ride. Heavy and bumpy, with the distance between, I would say we are out in a wild area somewhere.”

“I’ll deal with the wild,” Debbie said softly. “If you get us out, I’ll deal with whatever. Just get us out?”

Trying. “Jarod would be able to get us out,” Gemini said. “He’s strong enough. My fourteen year old body weight and mass doesn’t have the strength or endurance that I need to progress in an escape.”

“You’re too weak,” she said simple. “That’s okay. We are just . . .”

“I will find another way,” Gemini assured her.

“Don’t count on it,” Lyle’s voice said as he walked by them again. He stopped. “And don’t get too comfy ‘dad’,” he joked. “After some paper handling, Mutumbo’s giving you up to Bhekumbuso. Enjoy being Tarzan, and say hello to Kyle for me.”

Gemini stood up and reached the front of the cage. “Wait! What do you mean? What about her?”

“Her?” Lyle said. “Ah, don’t worry. She’ll be taken away to a lovely glass cell with much better treatment. She’ll be in better hands after this is over.” He pointed toward him. “You are the one who’s not.”

“Lyle!” Jarod Angel yelled as he came over to him. “That’s it. We’re getting you a focus treatment first, I can’t work with a half-there Parker.”

Gemini watched Lyle follow Jarod Angel out the door.

“They are going to separate us?” Debbie’s eyes  started to fill with tears. “Daddy,” she moaned, tightening her grip on her legs, trying to rock herself.

Calling out for the man who was her provider, friend, and family made absolute sense. She felt in danger and not control of her own life or body. Gemini knew that feeling. Well. He sat down beside her, and gripped her hand in his. He couldn’t make any promises to her that he could make it back. If the terrain was as deadly as Lyle said, there was a chance he might not have to worry about much of anything because his life expectancy would be greatly decreased.

“Hey.” Jarod Angel was back alone, looking at them from the cage. “Don’t let him spook you. You’re a Pretender, and invaluable. The terrain grows with you. When you first get there, it’ll be like a small cage. By the time you have adapted to it well enough, then the maximum will be a livable area for a Pretender to cross in a day.”

Was that supposed to make him feel better? Gemini stared at him. “Thank you for that news, but I am more concerned about any future offspring and the wellbeing of my friend turned mother to those offspring.”

“Oh.” Jarod Angel sighed. “I can’t help you with that,” he said. “Sorry. Really, I don’t want to do this, but I have to. I have to have my Miss Parker.” He moved away again.

Gemini looked back at Debbie. “At least that’s . . . something.” Full grown Pretenders couldn’t escape from that area. Kyle, with his extreme skill, having been housed in The Centre just like Jarod had been, couldn’t even escape.

His best chance was now. He had to do it now.

“I can’t handle this,” Debbie cried, sinking her head between her scrunched up legs. “I shouldn’t be here. I should be with dad. All because of a stupid coat!”

“They would have found a way. They might have even brought the coat back in the first place, to make you miss it,” Gemini said. “As casual as it all seemed, it was orchestrated precisely, and there was no way we could have known about the dangers beforehand.” It didn’t make her feel better though. “You miss your father very much.”

“Don’t you miss yours?” Debbie asked.

“I don’t have a dad,” Gemini said. “I have tried to call The Major dad, but even he seems a little odd about it. I usually simply call him Major Charles.” He looked forward, the ability to talk about something else felt refreshing. “Jarod calls him dad. Jarod just calls me Gemini. Not even brother. Technically, in a traditional sense, I’m a brother-son to him.” He smiled. “It’s all scientifically strange, so I think we all just call each other by our first names. More as friends that became family. However, I think I am closer to brother, if Jarod had to call me anything. The dad and son thing, that was a complete Pretend.”

“My dad? I love my dad,” Debbie said. “He’s not the biggest and bravest guy out there, but he is to me. He’s always kept me safe, or he tried to. When I was out with Jarod, all I could think about was getting back to him.” She gulped. “When I was stuck in The Centre, you know, at least I knew there was a chance. I’d come in and out of thinking and wondering what would happen if it all ended. But. This.” She was starting to lose it again. “It feels so similar. I haven’t even gone out with a boy, and I’m going to be a mom? I, I have to be like Miss Parker.” She nuzzled her head between her scrunched up legs again. “Daddy will never treat me the same way. How can I be a kid, and have a kid? How? Even if we escape . . .”

“Your dad will always love you,” Gemini said. “Even if I can’t get us out in time. No matter what. He sent you with Jarod and me because he knew that was what was best for you.”

“It doesn’t feel real,” Debbie said. “I should be able to wake up from it. How did I go from Christmas vacation to Africa?”

“It is a difficult situation, and it would make sense that it should be all be an illusion. This is no dream though,” Gemini said. “I will be taken to Bhekumbuso’s Pretender area, and you will be impregnated with my offspring.”

“The other way around,” Debbie said. “Right?”

“I was in Donoterase for a long time,” Gemini said. “I am sure The Triumvirate has whatever they need already.” Hearing that, he felt her grip shift from her legs to him. “I am sorry I cannot be here. I am used to the feeling of being trapped and forced to do whatever those in charge demand of me.” He looked back at her. “I know you’re not.” He looked around. “If I can get us out, I will. I’ll use every spare minute I can to try, Debbie.”

“Is my daddy really happy with a clone of me?” Debbie asked. “Can he really not tell it’s me?”

“I don’t understand any of their advanced cloning,” Gemini said, “but considering the ways Jarod Hades and Jarod Angel act, I imagine there are downfalls. Especially for advancing age. A clone may work for a little while, but it’s no replacement for us,” he said. “And, we are no replacement for it,” he said. “Because we aren’t any more important than a clone. Clones feel. Think.” He looked at his hand. “Touch is just as important to us.” He wrapped his hands around her tighter. “I’m sorry, I can’t see that question as easy.”

“No, it’s my fault,” Debbie said. “You’re a clone of Jarod. I didn’t mean to make it sound like that. I just-“

“I know. The thought that someone can replace you is, well, heartbreaking,” Gemini said. “I don’t hate the clone who took my spot though. He probably won’t last very long, and he probably didn’t have a good life. I honestly hope, that he is enjoying his time.”

“I always forget you’re a clone,” Debbie apologized. “My head is all over the place. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Gemini assured her. “If I don’t get us out soon, then you will be a mother at an age that is less accepted and respected by society. I can understand that. This is young,” he admitted. “Even in the past when children were married off from a young age, puberty hit three years later than it does . . .” He was rambling. This had nothing to do with her. History and culture, that wouldn’t help. He should be more soothing. He loosened her grip on him. “My lack of social exposure is a drawback. I’m sorry.”

“Can’t change who you are.” Debbie let go and just looked at her feet. “What are the chances that Jarod is going to knock down that door, come in here guns a blazing and rescue us before anything bad happens?”

Too high. “I can’t depend on Jarod. I can’t depend on The Major.” If they were going to get out, it was up to him.

“Okay, time for the talking to cease,” Jarod Angel said. “Your papers are still being worked out, Gemini. I do need her though.” He moved toward the cage. “We’re ready for you. Don’t worry, I will make sure you’ll be knocked out. You won’t feel anything. You’ll wake up groggy and you’ll be fine.”

“No!” Debbie started to try and climb the walls as he unlocked the cage. “No, no!”

“It’ll be alright, just have to give you a little shot.” Jarod Angel tried to get toward her, but he was keeping his eye on Gemini too, who was on the opposite side of the cage than her. “I’m not letting you get past me.” He looked back toward her. “Look, you can take this shot, or I can have your ‘almost became Uncle Lyle’ fetch you. He will not be gentle.”

Gemini moved toward her again. “There’s no way out.” He tried to get her to relax. “it’s okay.”

“No, it won’t be!” Debbie yelled at him, her eyes filled with dread. “Don’t lie!”

“Okay, you’re right. It won’t be okay,” he admitted. “I wanted to say that though. You have to go now. You know that Lyle would over enjoy himself fetching you.” He grasped her and brought her over more. “I’m sorry, but given the options, Jarod Angel is better than Lyle.”

“A foot or an arm,” Jarod Angel said as he held the syringe. Gemini helped her extend out her arm. It wasn’t something she could volunteer herself emotionally for. He knew that things could escalate badly quick though if Lyle were to come in.

“There you go.” Jarod Angel gently patted her arm. “Just relax and let that take effect. You will be alright.”

Gemini held her, but helped to scoot her down to the floor more. “I want to be here still after she comes back.” It was a strong request. It might even be pointless, but Jarod Angel did show signs that he had a somewhat caring spirit deep inside. Just trounced upon with focus.

“If it doesn’t put a noticeable delay on, I’ll let you be here for a bit longer with her,” he agreed. “If.”

He did. He did have something inside. “What is your exact mission?” Gemini asked. “I mean, you have to accomplish your mission, but what is it exactly?”

Jarod Angel didn’t look like he wanted to answer that. “To capture and attain the twin of Jarod, renegotiate and validate papers between Mutumbo and Bhekumbuso for a shared right over Debbie Broots, and transfer said Pretender to Bhekumbuso’s domain.”

“Well, see?” Gemini said. “There’s nothing about impregnation inside your actual mission.”

“No,” Jarod Angel agreed. “It’s . . . kindness, kid. Now you be silent about that.”

Gemini swallowed hard. What am I missing? I’m missing something. He watched Jarod Angel glance to where Lyle had been once. “Oh.” Oh! Lyle wasn’t his assistant, Jarod Angel was supposed to be his!

He really was good. Deep down, he was good. “Please help us?”

“I’m doing what I can,” Jarod Angel insisted.

Now wondering, and being more careful, knowing Jarod Angel could potentially help, he started to use sign language instead. “Some kind of leeway,” Gemini signed to him. “So that we can get out of here. Please? No one would know.”

Jarod Angel signed back to him. “I know your situation is hard. I don’t want to be here. You don’t want to be here. She does not want to be here. No one does.” He stopped a moment, and then began signing again. “I’m sorry. My focus. When I don’t see pictures or hear Miss Parker’s voice for days, I slowly go insane. I see things. I hear things.” His breathing got rapid as he kept signing. “It’s hell. It’s hell! And yet, I still can’t do the other option the scrolls are offering. I. Can’t.”

Gemini signed back. “Other option?”

“It is twins. It is the twins’ angels! Twins. Angels.” Jarod patted out the signs harder. “It’s not one set.” He took a deep breath. “Jarod has his twins. That means if you and Debbie have your own twins, she is safe. She is safe! She is safe!” Jarod Angel signed over and over.

Gemini signed back. “Miss Parker is safe? Is that who is safe? Is Miss Parker in danger if you don’t do this?”

“The original plan.” Jarod Angel signed slower. “Ever since her birth. The Centre called her Angel. The Triumvirate believes she is a Devil.” His eyes started to fill with tears. “Years pass. Ideas change. Scrolls inherit new meanings. Desperation sets in. They are trying all plans! All plans! All plans! More and more is coming true. The ending is coming, whatever it is.”

“I know you like Miss Parker,” Gemini signed. “I understand that. I like her too. She is a nice person who doesn’t deserve anything happening to her. But, we are not ready for this. I do not know the world. And Debbie? She is not ready. We are not ready. We are closer to kids than adults. People still call us kids. To force this on us, is not right either. Please. Don’t do this. I sense extreme good in you! Please?”

Jarod Angel took a moment to himself to sign. “Once the angel is impregnated, it’s over. Jarod and his twin had kids. The End. The Triumvirate stops meddling. It will be over.”

“I want to know the second option,” Gemini signed. “Please. Tell me. I want to know.”

Jarod Angel waited a whole minute, contemplating answering. Then, he signed. “If it’s not the twins, and the angels of the twins, then it is the twins' of the angel.” He licked his lip intrepidly. “She will be given to Hades, to bear him twins, and then I will have her.” He closed her eyes. “I wouldn’t hurt her, I’d never hurt her. I know she’d come to me willingly and love me.” He signed again. “I know she would, but I have to be careful. I was only supposed to snoop around the property, but my focus kicked in when I saw her and I stole her. I can't control it." He was getting off track. He stopped and signed again. "Jarod would have his children, Hades would keep his devils, and I would have my angels and Miss Parker.” He took a brief pause before finishing. “I want her. I love her. I can’t stop thinking about her, but to attain my focus, Hades will hurt her. And she will survive, because she was taught to survive him. She was taught to survive him. Then she will be mine, but I can’t . . .”

Gemini went silent himself, and then signed. “What would happen after everything was done to her? Where would she go?”

“My angel would remain in heaven with me,” he signed. “That is, my cage, until the end of her days. Which after having Jarod’s children, Facing Hades brutality, and then soon after my children, may not be very long.”

These scrolls are so stupid! All they do is hurt people. What good are they? What good could they ever do? Why were they ever created?

“You are a young boy,” Jarod Angel signed, “but I know you are old enough to understand. Hades will not give her children in the way it happened with Jarod. He will take her. Over. And over. And over.” He paused. “And even if she gets pregnant again, if they are not twins, he will kill them before they reach birth and continue. Over and over and over! Even with my focus, I won’t do that to her!”

Gemini crumpled to the bottom of the cage before he started to sign again. “Chances Debbie would have twins aren’t great. You know that. You know that! Her age. Her lifestyle.” He bit his lip so hard it almost bled as he signed again. “You need to stop this. You need to stop thinking this way. There are other options. Tell Jarod! Tell him where the Pretenders are, and free them with him! No Pretenders, No way to continue the scrolls! Am I right?! Put an end to it all!”

“It doesn’t work that way. No matter what, the scrolls can’t be stopped. The more you try, the worse the effects are. No, I have to do what I can to save her,” Jarod Angel signed. “Miss Parker will be in endless amounts of pain. Debbie will feel no pain. The treatment almost guarantees at least two. This is the right solution. Now quiet, he’s coming back and I don’t know if he understands signing. If you aren’t quiet, I don’t think either of us want to know how you and Debbie will be treated.”

“Longitude, latitude,” Gemini signed. “That’s not a part of what you have to do. At least give that a chance? A few numbers? Longitude and latitude of the Pretenders?”

Before Lyle came in he finished signing a few numbers and then went back to his work. “Help me out here,” Jarod Angel commanded Lyle. “I need to get her now. Watch the kid. Don’t do anything hasty, just make sure he doesn’t pull anything.”

“Sure.” Lyle didn’t seem all that bothered about it. Jarod Angel opened up the cage and gently took her away.

Gemini didn’t move. He just stared at Lyle as he closed the cage behind him.

Gemini reached in his pocket and pulled out a tiny needle. Living with Major Charles, he learned how to arm himself, and stay alert. Over Christmas vacation, he wasn’t going to do that. There was no alert, it was a nice visit with Jarod and to see the new family members.

When he was stringing popcorn with Debbie though, he noticed how fine of a weapon the little needle they were using had been. So he kept it after the popcorn string was all done.

He took the tiny pin and started scratching on the cage. It would take several scratches before it could be seen. He left the longitude and latitude. He marked them and made them darker over and over. He couldn’t make them real big, real noticeable. But knowing Jarod, when he found where they had been taken, he would search.

And that was the only comfort he really had.

The Pretender Area: Kyle

Kyle sat down, watching the area next to his. For some time now, a supply of workers had been marking it out. At first, he thought maybe Jarod got caught. As miserable as that would be, he still wanted to be there to see him again. The last time he talked to him, he barely escaped with his life in the explosion. Jarod was his only family, and it would feel good to see him again.

But, he started to notice how the area was being formed. His brother had been out in the world six years, he must have already had the skill to survive a full cage area. It was being pulled closer and closer together, until he knew it wasn’t for his brother. “You are bringing a young Pretender here.”

They didn’t answer. He didn’t expect them to, it was obvious. There would be a child next to him.

That was okay. He got along with kids a lot better than adults. “When’s it coming?”

One of the workers looked toward him. “Be here tomorrow.”

Kyle nodded and got up. He didn’t say another word, but started to go gather food closer for that area. He wanted to stay in that area at least a few days.

Mutumbo’s Lair:

“Orders are in,” Lyle said to Jarod Angel. “Send him up.”

“I decide when I accomplish my work. You do what I say. Back to the corner,” Jarod Angel insisted. He looked back toward Gemini. Why didn’t you just kill me, Jarod? Everything would have been better if you just killed me. For him. He wouldn’t have to be getting a young girl pregnant. He wouldn’t have to be worrying about his Miss Parker. He’d be dead, no feelings. It wouldn’t change what happened, just the player.

The wing on his arm would be tanned and stitched to the arm of the second. The Empathic Angel. More commonly known as Angelo. Well. That would have been hell on everyone too. He had to send Gemini off though. Lyle was right. it was time, but he wanted to do something first.

He fetched Debbie. She was still unconscious. He didn’t want the poor thing to remember anything. He brought her to the room and Gemini instantly stood up. “Here she is. She might not regain consciousness before you’re sent off. Sorry.”

Gemini took her gently, trying to hold her. Jarod Angel helped him a little more.

“If it works, we’ll know. If it don’t, we’ll try again later. No stopping it until it happens.” Jarod Angel locked him in. “Few minutes kid, that’s it.”

Gemini nodded. He looked toward Debbie, hoping she did regain consciousness before he left. “Debbie Broots?” he called to her. “Hello.” He whispered into her ear. “Jarod will come. He’s going to come, but I don’t know if it will be soon enough. I found the location of where they will take me.” She groaned. “Debbie?”

She slowly opened her eyes. “What happened?”

Gemini shrugged. “I have to go soon.” As he expected, she grabbed onto him tightly.

“No, don’t! Don’t leave me in here!” She demanded. “Please, don’t go!”

“I don’t get a choice,” Gemini said. “If I could, I would much rather stay here and have your companionship than to live out in the wilds of Africa by myself,” he said. “Any day. They aren’t leaving me a choice.” He felt her trembling but clamoring onto him for a deep hug. “One day. We’ll be free. I know we will. Once again. Before I go though, let’s go over some things, okay?”

She nodded.

“I don’t know when it’ll happen to you,” Gemini said, “and even though I haven’t gone through it, I-I know what it’s like. To not get any say so about anything. That’s how I lived most of my life. It’s not easy, but you need to know.” He held his finger up. “Don’t fight with the Jarod Angel when he comes to you. This isn’t the outside world. Your options are now very limited. Jarod Angel will be gentle.” He took a deep breath. “If you don’t obey him, you’ll have to face Lyle. He really enjoys torture. Emotional and physical.”

“Just willingly . . . go?” Debbie didn’t know how to take that. “But he’s trying to give me kids!”

“He might have already succeeded. Or in the next few days. Or weeks,” Gemini said. “I believe that the Triumvirate’s methods have a high success rate. It won’t be long, and then you’ll get a hygienic and much more proficient area to reside inside.”

“I. can’t-“

“It’s not what you’re used to. Your instinct screams no. I know that. Freedom. Rebelling.” Gemini had to make her understand. “If I knew there was something I could do to get you out of this, I would have done it. I have tried. Knowing my maximum strength that I have against not only this cage, but against a fully grown clone with more than twice my body mass, and a man who thrives on torture, the safest option I could pick is this. Do not fight.”

She just stared at him. Miserably.

“But, remember this too,” Gemini said, “you can’t fight now, but one day-“

“Miss Parker couldn’t fight,” Debbie interrupted him. “Not when she was in the cell, and not when she was kid.” She gulped. “But, she never gave up that one day she could.”

Gemini smiled. “Yes.” She got it. “These years outside of Donoterase, I learned an extraordinary amount. Especially about learning to stand up for yourself. But.”

“Lyle?” She sunk her head against his chest.

Gemini watched Jarod Angel coming toward the cage. “For he who fights and runs away may live to fight another day; But he who is in battle slain can never rise and fight again.” He tightened his grip on her. “It’s not over. There will come a time. Just stay strong inside your heart.” He watched as the cage opened up. He moved away from her and obediently went toward Jarod Angel.

Jarod Angel looked toward Lyle who had his back turned to double check more health tests Jarod Angel commanded of him. He looked back toward Gemini and signed. “I am sorry. Maybe one day, you can get back what you lose. It had to be this way.”

Gemini signed back. “Take good care of her. Don’t let Lyle touch her.” He signed again, and looked directly at him. “If you do, one day, I will find you and make you pay.”

Jarod Angel signed once more. “No one could blame you for that. Goodbye.”