Bab 411: Babe or Beast
Peg was not surprised in the least as Drake shot past him and boarded the ship first. He shook his head as he signaled the rest of his crew to follow. His eyes trailed around the open upper deck as Ry made his way over, a frown marring his handsome face. "Please tell me this can all be easily explained away…"
Ry shrugged. "Depends…"
Peg sent Ry an irritated glare. "Why bother with a crew if you've already murdered everyone on board?"
A guilty grin spread across Ry's as he glanced away and ran his hand through his longer-than-usual hair. "Well, you see…" He glanced toward the hatch leading below deck. "The traffickers are dealt with… but the trafficked are not…"
Peg's expression fell flat. "Why do I feel like that's a much worse thing?" About that time the hatch busted open. Drake led the way with April in his arms as Arei followed behind. "What in the hell? I would expect April to require assistance… but Jos?"
Ry's playfulness turned to worry. "How well do you trust your crew?"
"With my life."
Ry blew out a troubled breath. "Good… It may come to that."
Peg's brow arched in confusion and doubt, but he didn't ask further questions as Arei closed in the distance. His gaze shifted from Arei's turbulent gaze down to Jos and the small bundle she had clutched to her chest. "What's that? What's going on down there?"
Arei tucked Jos and the bundle tighter against him. "Split the crew. Send a hand full out to search the rest of the ship for survivors and send the rest to the fourth level. In the back are cages…" His eyes trailed down to the bundle in Jos's arms. "They may all be exceedingly young, but trust me… Some are incredibly powerful even at such a young age."
Peg's brows arched more. "Some of what?"
Arei swallowed. "Children… Some are younger than a year… most not much older… All rare species and very powerful."
As Arei began to walk past, Peg stopped him. "And that?"
Arei frowned. "I'm not sure… But Jos refuses to release it."
"Does Jos refuse to release it or does it refuse to release her?"
Arei swallowed down his own worry and doubts. "I'm not sure… Hopefully, we'll have answers once inside."
Peg nodded. "Very well. I'll do as you say. Would you like me to contact Dad or will you?"
"I will once we're inside."
***
Jos woke up to the sound of light murmurs. Her eyes fluttered open, and one of the elegant rooms of the Embassy came into view. She jerked as her memories of before she'd fallen asleep returned. She quickly searched her arms and relaxed as she realized the baby was still nestled against her. A warm, content smile curved her lips as she pulled it closer and brushed her lips across its sleeping head.
"You're awake…" Arei approached the bed slowly. "Do you remember what happened?"
Jos furrowed her brows. "What do you mean? After I boarded the ship?"
Arei nodded. "You and April were in a daze before passing out. You both slept the entire trip here… and you've been asleep for over an hour… April is still out…"
Jos scooped up the baby as she pushed herself up to a sitting position. "I… I was just tired from the exertion of the sirens' song…"
"Jos, that can't be it." His gaze moved down to the baby. A muscle in his jaw clenched. "The council wants to examine the baby. It's the only one not in their custody from the trafficking."
Jos tightened her hold on it. "Can't they send someone to the room?"
He glanced over to Peg. When Peg nodded and lifted his phone, Arei moved to sit beside her on the bed. "Jos, we need to talk."
Her worried eyes moved from the baby to Peg and then back to Arei. Her lower lip trembled as she nodded. "Fine… then talk."
He tried to hide the worry and frustration from his voice. "You know the Embassy is actively trying to identify these children and return them to where they belong… right?"
Jos's watery gaze settled on the baby's delicate, sleeping face. She nodded her head, afraid that any words she said would expose the tears she was trying to hide.
Arei reached out for the child, but Jos pulled away from him. He frowned as he pushed away from the bed. He rubbed his temples as he stood. "Alright… but you'll have to hand it over once the council sends someone."
Jos nodded begrudgingly. "I know…" She whispered, not taking her eyes off the baby in her arms.
He left the door of the bedroom open as he joined Peg in the living area. "What do we do?"
Peg lifted his gaze from his phone. "Based on the origin of the other children on that ship? Probably not much… They've already said the ones they cannot get properly homed will have to be put down. There aren't currently any faculties that could take on such strengths all at once… especially since most of them are too young to understand when or how to properly use their powers."
"And if I were guessing, the bundle in Jos's arms is likely the strongest…" Poseidon muttered as he watched the amber liquid in his glass ripple with the twist of his wrist.
Arei nodded with a frown. "That could explain why it was the only one out of the cages…" His gaze moved back to Peg. "Who is the council sending up?"
Peg blew out a heavy sigh. "You'll see soon enough… She's on her way now."
Arei narrowed his eyes. "Why do I suddenly get an even worse feeling about all this."
Peg shrugged. "Call it good intuition, I guess."
Before Arei could comment further there was a light knock on the door before it opened with a puff of dark smoke. Arei could feel his heart drop as he watched his uncle's most trusted advisor step into the room. He stood alongside his father and brother as they gave the visitor a slight bow. He shot Peg an irritated glare before rising again. "Hecate… Long time no see… what brings you here?" He hid his nervousness as he stepped over to the bar to offer her a drink.
"Hecate, a pleasure as always, but I'm as confused as Arei. It's surprising to see you here… theatrics aside. Did Hades send you or were you already in the area?"
Hecate arched a curious brow an intrigued smile spreading across her lips. She gave them a slight bow in return. "A pleasure gentlemen." Her smile widened almost wickedly. "I too was surprised at my summonsing here. But after seeing the drove of goodies the lot of you brought in today, I can honestly say it's a pleasure to be here." She took the drink from Arei as she settled into the lounge chase beside the open balcony. "It has been quite a long time since I've encountered such an unusual and rare combination of specimens under one roof."
Arei arched a brow. "So then, you've recognized the children that had been held on the ship?"
Her smile spread even wider displaying abnormally sharp teeth. "I have, and you shall be amazed to hear the list." She took a generous drink from her glass as she set forward in unmasked excitement. "Among the more interesting, there was a Teju Jagua, Fossegrimen, Psaglav, Asakku, a Yukiona, a set of Komainu though one is not doing well, AND three Tengo!"
Peg opened his laptop and began typing in the names. "I must admit, I've not heard of any of those other than a Tengo and Komainu. Are they all of Asian descent? If so that would make tracking down living relatives easier."
She shook her head as she continued in growing excitement. "No, that's the amazing part. Those children are of the rarest creatures from all over. Some of them had even been thought extinct. "Take the Teju Jagua, there hasn't been mention of one in South America for several hundred years now. They were thought to have died out with dragons. It's the same as the Yukiona. They have not been seen in Japan since the invention of electric heaters."
Poseidon arched a brow. "What does your intuition tell you about them?"
Hecate shrugged. "They are all too young to have committed any crimes. Some will be easy enough to return to a normal life with family… Unfortunately, a handful of the others will most likely be confined, contracted, or put to death. They will grow to be too dangerous to release… and their parents, if found also put down." A gasp from the hall drew her attention away from the curious eyes surrounding her.
Jos squeezed the baby to her chest as worry and fear spread rapidly across her face. "No! You can't! They are all harmless children!"
Hecate studied Jos quietly for several long moments before tilting her head and asking in a critical tone. "You say that even as the child in your hands feeds at your own life force?"
Arei shot to his feet and bolted toward Jos and the child. "Give it here!"
"No!" Jos called out as she spun away from him, clutching the baby tighter. "I'll not hand her over so you can kill her! She's just a baby, she can't help it right now…. But…" She held the baby away slightly, her eyes twinkling down at the child. "But perhaps she can be taught to control it over time…"
Arei sent the others a worried, questioning glance.
Hecate motioned for him to sit back down as she stood. She patted his arm as she passed him. She placed a hand on Jos's shoulder. "I understand where you are coming from, dear, but this child in your hands has the potential to become a very deadly creature indeed. Do you by chance know what she is?"
Jos's fearful expression locked on Hecate as she clutched the baby to her chest. "I don't, but I can feel her emotions… her fear… they are the same as I was when I was a child."
Hecate reached out and cupped Jos's cheek. "Oh, my dear child… You must realize the creature in your arms is probably conjuring those emotions to trick you. Yoki are notorious for such things."
Jos's expression was clouded temporarily before resolution overtook it. She shook her head. "I don't care if it's a trick. If it is she's doing it because she's trying so hard to survive. I can't fault her that."
Poseidon lifted a hand to pause the heated debate. "Wait, Yoki? Are you sure?"
Hecate nodded not taking her eyes off Jos and the baby. "Yes, is that so strange? I just told you there were others as well." She stepped closer to the child and tugged the blanket away to get a better look at the child. A curious smile twisted her lips. "Though I must say seeing a Kitsune in person is a surprise."
"Kitsune… That is pretty… Shiori Kitsune…" Jos whispered as she stared down into the sweet, sleepy eyes of the child.
Arei jerked around. "You can't name that child. Jos, you're getting way too attached. The council will never-"
Poseidon and Hecate both stopped him with silent gestures. Hecate ignored his outburst and continued speaking as she brushed a finger across the soft, white fur of the child's large foxlike ears. "Yes, a Kitsune. Zenko most likely, which is a good thing. Though Zenko foxes can still be mischievous and sometimes problematic they are not nearly as bad as a Yako." Her gaze moved back to Jos. "I shall talk to the council about this child, but before you decide on anything too drastic yourself, I would recommend spending time away from it. What you are feeling toward it may very well be an illusion cast by the fox."
Arei's brows furrowed. "What do you mean something more drastic?"
Hecate turned a knowing smile to Arei. "The wheels of your future have already begun to turn, but I thought I'd give you both a chance to determine their path."
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Jacquia_comics
Jacquia_comics sorry for the crappy uploads lately. We are out of state and the internet keeps going out because of storms. We should be back home in the next week or so.
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