“Wait a minute!” Jaxon stood up and planted both hands on the table. He glared at Cass. “What is that, Latin?” Cass shook her head and smiled against Jaxon's cold gaze. “Then what?” He questioned.

“It’s the language the Kai’den speak. It’s not important. We will have time to answer all your questions...not now!” Her smile evaporated. “The Kai’den are important, but not for our survival.”

“Sit down.” Barry barked, but Jaxon made sure to wait a minute before he lowered himself into the chair.

“Where do they come from? Doyle asked.

“Best I know, they've always been here. The Kai’den don’t tell me much. Just enough for me to do my job.”

“Which is what?” Barry interrupted.

“I’m a Rah’ka’ven, or a raven, to make it easier. It’s like recon. We locate and keep tabs on the drol’ka. Most of us just call them eaters.”

"Eaters?" Barry asked

"Yes. Eaters, because they require human blood to retain their vitality." Cass explained. “Let’s just create some references, here. “Kai’den, we call them The Watchers. The augmented humans that work for them, we are Hol’den. It means keepers of man; keepers for short. Soon, you will meet some of the Penth’Thoora. That’s means hand of death. They choose to go by hand or hands, but the rest of us call them panthers. Panthers are humans that have been augmented for battle. They are like…”

“Augmented?” Doyle interrupted, again.

“It’s all biology, DNA manipulation, science stuff, Doyle. I don’t understand it. I never will. Look, the Kai’den are us. They are human beings…but millions of years from now. They can manipulate our genes and DNA to do some incredible things. What they do to us is job-specific. I am stronger than most people, faster than any normal human, and have stamina for days. Plus, as you witnessed, we can heal rapidly. I am a spy. I have keener senses and memory recall is near-photographic.” She paused to think a moment before she began again. “Panthers are grim reapers. They’re killers. Everything about them is modified for combat. Their bones are denser. Connective tissues are fortified. Their strength and speed make me and that eater, Dillon, look like babies. They feel pain, but it does not interrupt their nervous system like the rest of us. You could tear off one of their arms and they would keep on fighting until they bled out."

“Sooooo, these Kai’den are like time travelers?” Doyle asked.

“No, Doyle. They are what we could be if we evolved for a few million years. "Cass paused and frowned at the disbelief she saw on their faces."

“They figured it all out. They don’t get sick. No diseases. No cancers, no aging. They call themselves the Deen’Etta. They are the "Enlightened Mankind". They refer to us as the den. The den are primitive mankind." Cass paused and took a breath. “This is frustrating, and it’s a lot. I know you don’t believe me, but look around. We are surrounded by the unbelievable. You saw that Dillon guy. Please, you will come to believe me. I just need you to suspend your disbelief and trust that the eaters are real. If you wanna chance to survive, listen to me and do what I say.”

“We don’t mean disrespect. It’s just…a lot to swallow.” Barry broke in. “I mean, ancient races and what, fucking vampires. I went to bed half-convinced I’d wake up in my motel room and this would all be a fading dream. Now, you’re adding all this science fantasy shit on us.”

Cassandra rose from her chair and took a moment to look each of them in the eyes. She turned from the table, dropped her head into her hands, and rubbed at her temples. She took a deep breath, before facing them again.

“We knew it was going to happen.” She let her words sink in. “We knew the eaters were planning something big. We didn’t know what, but we knew when it happened it was going to be catastrophic. This is my station. The house and this shop are my base of operations. I was on my way back when the bombs hit.”

Tears began to run down her face and she wiped at them with her palms. She blinked her eyes clear and sat back down.

“Cass, what is it?”

She cleared her throat and answered. “It’s the entire world.” Her voice was a weak whisper.

Joel scribbled on a piece of paper, asking what Cass had said. Doyle took his pencil and responded. Joel read the words and he lowered his head to the table, covered it with his arms, and began to cry. Barry got up, walked over to the young man, and squatted next to him. He took a piece of paper and quickly jotted something down. He gently shook Joel’s shoulder and Joel turned his head to look at him. Barry held the paper for Joel to read.

“That doesn’t mean your dad didn’t make it. We made it. Everywhere doesn’t mean everybody!”

Joel sat up and took the pencil back.

“It’s not just my dad. I have family and friends. We all do.”

Barry read the words. He put an arm around Joel and squeezed him close.

Not all of us, buddy. Not all of us.

“The strikes weren’t coordinated, perfectly. I managed to get a warning and my orders, before we got hit. We need to pack up and get to Durant. There is a larger safe house there with a pinky.”

“What’s a pinky, lady? We got about ten of them right here.” Jaxon chuckled at his own joke.

“Sorry, a pinky is a Pen’Kai. Pinky is the nickname, like raven or panther. Pinkies are like directors of operations. Bosses. My pinky is Jamal. He is the head honcho in southern Oklahoma. He is based out of Durant.” she finished.

Nobody spoke for a few minutes. Barry silently moved back to his chair and went over everything she told them. Jaxon took Joel’s unattended pencil and doodled a rudimentary picture of a panther and a raven. Doyle got up and paced a few times, before returning to his seat. Joel stared through Cass, blankly. Barry was the first to speak.

“Okay, Cass. I’m with you. I don’t know what I believe. I don’t, but I believe what I saw. That is enough for me to get the fuck as far from here as I can. Doyle?”

Doyle had zoned out and didn’t notice he was being spoken to.

“DOYLE!”

Doyle whipped his head toward Barry.

“I’ve decided that Cass is our best option. You with us?”

“What are my options?” Doyle asked, after glancing at Jaxon, on his right side, then Joel to his left.

“What do you mean, Mr. Falcone? You don’t consider me a good option?” Jaxon sounded like his feelings were hurt.

“I mean no offense, man. There are two of them. Only one of you and a deaf kid.” Doyle explained, sheepishly.

“Yeah, I guess you got a point. I go wherever Mr. Falcone goes.” Jaxon announced.

“And the kid stays with me. I’ll take responsibility for him.” Barry announced.

Cass smiled in response to Barry’s words and nodded her approval.

“Alright. There are a few more things you need.to understand,” Cass noticed Joel wasn’t aware she was talking. “Doyle, could you get Joel’s attention for me? He needs to be able to read my lips.”

Doyle nudged Joel and when the boy looked up he directed Joel toward Cassandra.

“Everybody, pay attention. There is at least one eater around here. None live in my territory, so if there are more, they are transient. The eaters have been known to kidnap people for feeding. I believe that is what those two were doing yesterday. They were driving around looking for survivors to store away for later.”

Cass went quiet as she contemplated something.

“It doesn’t make sense,” she spoke.

“What doesn’t?” Barry inquired.

“They feed on humans. Why do they want so many dead?”

“Because they are purifying the gene pool.”

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Barry sprang from his chair and shook his head. He noticed Joel was up, too. He was looking all around the room, as if perplexed by something.

“Wait a damn minute. Who said that?” Jaxon whimpered.

“So I wasn’t just imagining that voice in my head?” Doyle asked.

“No Doyle, you were not. Jamal! Enough with the theatrics. Come on in.” Cass ordered, nearly yelling.

“Girl, if you want my company, unlock the damn door.”

“I didn’t get a chance to prepare you. I’m sorry. I was not expecting Jamal to come to us. Remember the pinkies? One of their abilities is trans-mental communication. It only goes one way, but he can speak to your mind.” Cass explained.

“Is anybody going to open this door? I ran for hours to get here. I’m tired and hungry!”

“No fucking way!” Barry exclaimed.

“It’s real, Barry,” Cass assured him. “I told you. Everything I said is the truth.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jamal had finished off an MRE while he and Cass talked, in private. Barry realized that trans-mental communication doesn’t work on deaf people who have never heard speech before. He scratched through a few pieces of paper trying to explain to Joel what had happened in his mind. Jamal and Cass returned to the table and Jamal took Cassandra's chair. Cass did not sit back down. Barry was impressed by Jamal's appearance. He had to be nearly seven feet tall. He was long and lean, but exceptionally well-muscled. To Barry, Jamal looked like he could be a power forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder. His skin was charcoal black and the LED lighting reflected off his sharp facial features. He was such a stark character and Barry couldn't help but stare at him.

“Alright, Jamal is going to go over a few things about what is going on. When you are done, supplies need to be loaded into the vehicles. We are heading out first thing in the morning. I am heading out to do some recon. I need to sweep the town. I don’t wanna leave any survivors behind. Plus, if the eater is about, I’d rather us not stumble into him on the road.”

“You can’t go out there, alone,” Barry said.

“You let her beautiful face, diminutive frame, and kind heart fool you into thinking she needs protecting. I assure you, Mr. Merch, she is the protector here. Check your ego. If you were to accompany her, it would only slow her down.”

Barry cocked his head and clenched his eyes. He did not like the feeling of having Jamal’s words jammed into his head.

“You will get used to it. I use it now, only because I have plans for you. There will come a time when this is the only feasible way I can communicate with you. In that moment, you need not be distracted by the eerie sensation of my psychic voice.”

What do you mean? What plans do you have for me?

Barry sat motionless, preparing his mind for the coming intrusion. No reply came.

Answer me, dammit! I want the truth.

He clenched his eyes and grimaced, waiting for the wriggling static feeling that came with Jamal’s mind speech. Still, no answer came.

“Answer me, for fuck sake!” Barry growled.

“Answer what?” Jamal was caught off-guard by Barry’s outburst.

“You know what. You can read my mind.”

Jamal chuckled, softly, and shook his head.

“No, Mr. Merch. I can not. I am not psychic. My ability is not mystical. It is all about brainwaves. I can modulate, amplify, and project my thoughts into your brain. They are detected by the specific language centers of your brain responsible for processing heard language. When you hear a word, those physical vibrations are detected by the structures of your inner ear. They are deciphered and transformed into many different wavelengths, which travel to the part of your brain that understands the meaning of the words. I just cut out the middleman; sound. I can transmit in this way, therefore, you can receive my communication. You can not transmit in such a way, therefore, I can not receive your communication.

Barry is an intelligent man. He understood the concepts of alpha waves, beta waves, theta waves, and so on. Jamal’s explanation appeared valid.

“You are the radio station, and I am the car stereo.”

“Yes! Very good, Mr. Merch”

“It’s Barry, please, and what is your plan with me? Shoot straight, please.”

“I always do, Mr. Merch. For now, I am going to communicate with you, alone. I am going to do it with my mind. So you can get used to it.”

“The Kai’den know better than to give a man too much power, or information. They compartmentalize us. None of us knows everything. There is not one among us so powerful they can’t be neutralized by another. They keep our numbers just large enough to keep the Drol’ka Choth in check. This catastrophe has disrupted the status quo. The eaters are no longer a minuscule minority. For all we know, their lineage may outnumber our own, now. Due to that fear, I have received an unexpected directive. The Kai’den want our numbers bolstered. Effective, immediately, the Hol’den are recruiting.”

Barry sat back and took a long, slow breath. This was all so much. It didn’t seem real. He always thought there had to be other intelligent life out there. Billions of galaxies, there had to be something; something out there. He never expected it to be here. The notion that he would be three days into the end of the fucking world, having barely survived an attack from a blood-drinking super maniac, and then be recruited into an ancient society of super-powered humans short-circuited his goddam mind. Barry didn’t respond. He didn’t move. He didn’t blink. He found himself neck-deep in an existential crisis. His mind argued against what it had experienced. It all happened. It was physical; tangible. He saw the bombs and the dead bodies. He smelled the blood and decomposition in the air. He still ached from the ass-beating the eater gave him. He could vividly recall the feeling of holding Cassandra’s hair as he wiped crusted blood from it.

“You do not have to give me an answer, now. Our next step will be the same. We will take a couple of weeks traveling down Highway 3, on our way to the Kiamichi Mountains. We will search for survivors as we go. Every Pen’Kai within Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas have been ordered to call in their Hol’den and make their way there. They will be gathering survivors. All those beating hearts will be drawing eaters. Many will not make it.

That is why we need you. Cassandra said she sees something in you: a strength and resolve. More than that, she believes you to be a caring and selfless person. She thinks you would walk into the fire to pull others from it. Make no mistake, Mr. Mer…Barry, the fire is already here.

As I said, no hurry to respond. We have a while until we get to the mountains. Think it over and…”

“I’ll do it!” Barry blurted. “I don’t need time. All those dead people…what are we talking about, billions? I’ll do it. Save the pitch. I had nothing to lose before this went down. I’ll be damned if I sit by and don’t do everything I can to save what’s left of our world.”

Jamal grinned at Barry as he reached across the table and reached out to shake the other man’s hand. Barry took his hand firmly and began shaking it.

“When we get to the mountains, a Kai’den will be there. She will interview you and decide what augments you will have, if any.”

Barry stopped shaking Jamal’s hand and just held it.

Augments…I didn’t know that was an option for me. Shit. I gotta tell him I can’t do it. I can’t be like Cassandra. I can’t even tie my shoes without wanting to scream. Oh shit…how much walking are we going to do? He said searching for survivors. That probably means walking the streets and going door to door to room to room step after step and here and there then I maybemovingrubbleanddebrisandmybackcan’thandleitandthepainwillbetorturousimnotaheroicouldn’tevensavemyownwifeanddaughtericantsaveanybo...

“Something wrong, Barry?” Jamal gently squeezed Barry’s hand.

Barry met Jamal’s concerned gaze and let go of the man’s hand.

“I’m broken,” Barry whispered.

“What do you mean, Barry? Broken? How?”

“I can’t help you. My back is destroyed.” Barry explained.

Jamal threw his head back and laughed a deep, hearty laugh.

Barry felt instant rage come roiling up.

“What the fuck is so funny?” Barry bellowed.

Jamal quickly reigned in his laughter and held his open palms outward at Barry.

“I’m so sorry Barry. I spend so much time with my Hol’den. I forget how definitive regular peoples’ problems can be.”

Barry calmed a bit but still didn’t understand why Jamal felt the need to laugh.

“Barry, I am Pen’Kai! I am more ancient than the Sphinx. When the Kai’den found me mankind was still naked. I was among the first Earthlings to speak words. They took us and taught us. Lifted us from the mud and set us about to teach others. Saber-toothed cats and wooly mammoths. Ice Ages and the Stone Age. I witnessed the building of Göbekli Tepe over 9000 years ago. I saw the rise of the Pharaohs. I have lived countless lives under countless names, yet I am older than any name. Pen’Kai means “Finger of the Watchers, for that is what we are. The Kai’Den use us to poke and prod mankind toward enlightenment. We are the prophets and the gurus. The shaman and the Buddhas. The philosophers and revolutionaries. When mankind takes a hard left toward tyranny and treachery, the Pen’Kai are there to be the catalyst that corrects man’s path.”

“How old are you?” Barry asked

“I do not know the number of years I’ve been alive, Barry. Ten Thousand? Twenty? I’ve lived more years before the keeping of time than after. Ancient. How long I have lived is not as important as how I have lived. The Kai’Den have been teaching, and augmenting, me the entire time. I can do a great many things, Barry. No small number of them would be considered miraculous. Do not worry about your back. Or any other malady. Trust that when the Hol’den takes you in we assure you are capable of doing the work.”

“What does that mean?” Barry wondered, aloud.

“Come, Barry. Follow me to your cot. If you could indulge a geezer like me, you will wake up tomorrow, a new man”

Jamal rose and headed toward the cots. Barry lingered, for just a moment. He couldn’t believe everything he was told, but he was intrigued. He quickly stood and walked toward his cot. Jamal waited for Barry and asked him to lie down. Barry, still hesitant, stood at the side of the bed, but he delayed a moment.

“All is fine, Barry. I assure you. Trust is not easy to give strangers, but you will not regret it.” Jamal assured him.

Barry slowly lowered himself into the cot and folded his arms over his chest. Jamal instructed him to close his eyes and try to remain relaxed. Barry did so, but Jamal placed a hand on Barry’s head and Barry’s eyes sprang open. He looked up at the dark-skinned man with a look of warning.

“Trust me, Mr. Merch,” Jamal said.

Barry closed his eyes, again, before making a final statement.

“The boy is deaf. He has never heard words before. I don’t think he understands what is going on, so stay the fuck out of his head!”