How many times had Loni said just that?
One after the other, Da watched the bottles empty.
He needed something to make it smoke; perhaps this canister? It read: Drano. And that did it! With a small puff of an explosion, the smoke started filling the air.
Da could smell it now, even through his mask. It was time to get out of there!
At least the fumes were rising; up toward the vent in the ceiling. But, the smoke was making it impossible to see; filling the small room, seeping under the door to the outside.
Can't stay! All done! This should do!
Da kicked the pail, and turned to the door. He didn't notice the splash, as the pail slid away. Acid splattered, on the floor, the paper face masks...and ignited a tiny spark against one.
Da opened the door carefully, peered hesitantly around the doorframe. All was clear; the corridor empty. He closed the door behind him, and fled.
But...with the small breeze created by the closing door, a draft fanned the small spark. The paper mask burst into flame, lighting the others. Not soon after, the room became a roaring inferno; before Da had even reached the other end of the hall.
Oblivious to what was developing behind him, Da pulled off his mask, tossed it away, and headed out, once again, to the experimental lab...and to the rescue.
****
The crying of a faint, panicked voice in his head brought Loni to full consciousness. Beside him, Gem woke with a start, at the same instant.
"Where is the baby?" she telepathed to him. "Does Lydia have her?"
But, when together they looked over to Lydia's mat, she was sleeping soundly, dead to the world. Next, their eyes went to Scar's corner.
He was gone!
As one, they shot to their feet.
Like tracking dogs, it wasn't hard for the pair to follow the mental print of their daughter. Her thoughts were basic, infantile...to be expected. She should not have even been in the position to call out to them. All the wee one demanded was: milk; her bottom dry; and a less uncomfortable, confining space.
Her cries were audible, as they neared her.
They were appalled at where, and how, she'd been hidden.
She screamed her indignation, as they lifted the rock roof from her cave. With obvious anger, Loni flung away the rocks of the ring surrounding their treasure.
He knew who had imprisoned the child; the why did not matter!
Gem, lifted the infant gently, cuddling her against her chest. Then baring her leaking breast, the mother nursed her child on the spot.
****
Da crept into the experimental lab, fearful of being detected. Warning sirens were sounding everywhere; apparently the distraction had worked, as no attendant was in evidence.
He went first to the incubator, to gaze lovingly at his belly bump. She was so small; tiny little toes and fingers, but...all there; the mouth sucking one thumb.
But, no time to dawdle.
Let's get this done!
Da moved to a nearby row of shelves. He'd seen what they contained when watching from above: diapers, towels and washcloths; a sort of wrapper thing that fit around your chest, tied at the back...or front, as you chose, so you could carry the infant from place to place. He had seen it used at other times.
He donned the wrapper carry-thing, tied it so his burden would be in front, then grabbed a diaper, and made for the incubator, again.
First thing, Da pulled the electrical plug powering the machine, and then all the tubes leading into it. The insistent beeping, that started the minute he unplugged, was drowned by the loud and persistent warning sirens. But now, he knew, he needed to hurry, before someone noticed and came.
He lifted the lid on the tiny bed; quickly removed the needle and tubing from her foot. As he pulled the tube from the baby's nose, she gagged, and went limp; the thumb she had been sucking lay abandoned beside her open gasping mouth. A moment later, she appeared not to be breathing at all, but Da had no time to think of that. All he wanted was to get her free.
Loni will fix her, if I can't. He couldn't fix Lydia...but, Gem did. She will fix my baby bump!
And Da thought no more about it.
He diapered the tiny bottom, glad the sides of the garment stuck to each other. He lifted, ever so carefully, and slid the wee creature inside his chest pack.
Then Da turned, and ran like the Hydra was chasing him.
****
When Scar rose to the top of the ladder, the empty sack hanging from his neck, prepared to carry the blue infant baby away with him, he found she was already back with her parents.
Finding an empty, and destroyed cairn, he knew immediately what had happened, and when he went back to the campsite to claim her, Scar found the baby, he felt had been given to him, asleep in Gem's arms.
It annoyed him, but he could wait.
He returned to his sleep pad, to lay down, but Loni would have none of it. At first sight of Scar, Loni shot to his feet. The wrath emanating from both the telepaths was palpable.
In a second, before Scar could sit, Loni had crossed the center of the camp area, and floored him with one solid punch, direct on his jaw.
To this point, Loni had never been aggressive or violent with Scar; his self control was ever at the forefront; patience never absent...until the perceived injury to his tiny, helpless infant. It was evident, this was Loni's breaking point; where he drew the line.
The blow had hit hard, with all the anger and frustration, building since Gem's kidnapping, behind it; even Loni had been unaware of this evidence of a seething loathing, smoldering beneath the surface.
As Scar
