But, she gave me the baby! It is mine now! That's why she did it; to show me. It's up to me to see that it keeps safe...I think...up-side would be best. That's why Loni prepared the new houses.
It wasn't often Scar had to think for himself. It is no wonder, his decisions were flawed.
Quietly, he crept to the sleeping mat of the new family. As Gem had shown him, he eased the cocooned bundle into the crook of his arm. It squirmed, stretched, and grunted. He nearly dropped it, but then it settled down again. He stood, slowly inched away, then headed toward the down ladder.
But when he got there, he realized, having only one arm, he couldn't descend, couldn't take his burden with him. He needed something to help him carry his package. Scar decided, a fruit sack would be perfect. It hung over the neck, down his front, and left his hand free.
But they are kept in the storage shed, out in the orchards...have to put her down somewhere.
He wandered away from the campsite, seeking a safe place for his small package; where she would be comfortable, yet unseen. And his supposed delegated charge, slept on, oblivious, unaware, she was being stolen from her scrumptious meal provider.
Off, away, far back in the trees, he found what he sought; a pile of rocks, discarded while planting, and clearing a field. Scar stooped; lay the baby in the dirt. Then, one by one, he placed the rocks in a circle around the swaddled infant.
A finally touch; he placed the last large rock, like a roof, balanced on the others. It hid his self-appointed charge expertly from view. And, she...slept on.
Turning from the cairn, Scar fled.
Chapter 33
Da watched from above, as the scientist left the experimental lab. His baby girl was there, in an incubator, tubes running from the machine, around and inside, sticking out of the infant's nose, attached to a tiny foot; needles leading in to feed her, who knew what? Drugs?
I have to stop this! No more! But, I have to prevent them from coming in while I do it...need some kind of distraction...
He left his sentry position.
My little belly bump can't be worse off, while I go away to create the diversion that will save her life.
He slunk down the corridors leading away; hiding in corners and doorways when gowned, masked experimenters passed him, near inches away. They never even noticed him.
Da sought something, anything he could use; he knew not what at the moment. Then, there it was: the forbidden closet!
So often, Loni had cautioned Da, warned him never to go into one of these, and if he ever did so, he must never touch the things inside.
Loni had said, the chemicals, and cleaning agents inside had been brought across by the returning Physicians, stolen from the world from which Lydia and Gem came. These elements were poisonous, caused fumes, smoke, and...fire, if they were spilled together. Loni had been burned by such an acid; that was why he had no ears.
This would create the perfect diversion!
As Da entered, closed the door behind him, pulled the cord to light the overhead bulb, and tentatively gazed about, he thought on what else Loni had said: to take precautions...always!
All three walls were covered in shelving, from floor to ceiling, and each ledge was filled with appropriated contraband: towels and sheets; gowns and gloves; blankets; tubing, needles, and many more instruments Da could not identify, but at the moment, he sought only one specific thing.
And there, at the very top, he saw them!
They were piled high, all in disarray, as if thrown at random, no one caring about neatness.
Paper masks! They were meant to fit over the nose, and mouth, to protect against smell...and fumes...and things that were bad for you.
But Da couldn't reach them.
Then he spied the stool, hidden there beneath the bottom shelf, on the middle wall. He pulled it out, moved it over beneath the side wall, and mounted it, not realizing he must first lock the supports. He reached, barely caught what he was after, before he over balanced, and...fell, the whole unstable unit toppling on top of him.
For a second Da lay there, not hurt, but listening. No sound in the hallway.
At least he had his mask to cover his face!
As he stood, he hardly noticed the mess he had made; Da simply left the paper coverings strewn about him. He was too intent, and in a hurry, to get this business done.
After donning his hard won mask, Da searched around for what would fulfill what he really needed.
Deep in a far corner, where the shelves were more firmly fixed, Da found what he sought: a metal scrubbing bucket and mop, and...the canisters, boxes, and bottles of cleaning agents.
Now, for the next step!
He removed the mop; there was no need for that. Next he took down every bottle with liquid in it, and went to work.
What he wanted was enough smoke...or fumes, to fill the halls, and cause a panic among those working in this sector. If it was confined to one closet, it would take them awhile to determined where the odor, and smoke, came from. It would give him the time to set his small one free from the incubator.
Da emptied each bottle, one at a time, into the aluminum pail. Each seemed to run so slow, gurgling forth at a snail's pace. He became impatient, even before he had all of the first batch poured in. First bleach, then ammonia...and anything else available.
He could almost hear Loni scolding him in his head, even though he knew, Loni knew nothing of what Da was doing.
"Slow down," it seemed to say. "Plenty of time. When you
