Chapter 374

The Retreat

As Charlotte and Diana sat at the bar in the kitchen watching the other women, Selina stopped by. "Want to help?" the little genius asked the young woman.

Worried, Charlotte answered, "Everything is happening so fast that I barely know what's going on."

"Oh, you will get used to that," Selina said as she reached for Charlotte's hand.

"Well, I'll be glad to help if I can."

Charlotte glanced at Diana, who nodded with a smile. "No better way than to just dive in."

The child dragged the woman toward the other end of the kitchen and commented, "We – especially the men – drink gallons of iced sweet tea with our meals. It's my job to make it today. We have a dispenser on the bar that we keep it in so that it's ready, should anyone want some, even late at night. Some drink it without sugar, so we have an unsweetened dispenser too."

As Selina continued with her instructions, she commented. "The containers are heavy and I'll have to climb up on a stool to pour the tea into the dispenser." Knowing it was too much too soon, Selina refrained from saying that she normally used her TK abilities to help lift the containers to the height of the dispenser.

"Well, I can do that for you," Charlotte offered.

"Thank you. The tea is almost finished steeping, so we can get started."

Charlotte had never had an adult conversation with a six-year-old before, let alone a genius that age, or any other, for that matter. As they worked, Selina asked questions about Charlotte's job, offering insights that startled the adult. Then, as Selina delved into geology, the young woman was soon struggling to keep up. It was obvious that Selina wasn't trying to brag, but rather was just extremely interested in the whole process of tunnel boring.

Once the tea was ready, Selina directed them into more food preparation areas, with her seemingly unconscious knowledge of cooking and meal preparation astonishing Charlotte. Mom is never going to believe this, she thought as Selina blended their efforts into that of the others, finishing just as the others did. The meal was ready.

Diana picked up a phone, keyed the PA system, announced that supper was ready, and admonished the men to come and get it before she threw it out.

"We need to take a plate to Arlene..." Charlotte began.

"Jennie just did," Selina returned. Charlotte had no idea how Selina knew what Jennie had done, especially with the seeming madhouse in the kitchen, but after everything Charlotte had seen, she had no doubt that Selina did know, somehow.

A few minutes later, as Charlotte was standing in line at the hot bar, Diana quietly whispered into her ear, "Once you're enhanced by Little One, things will come. In no time, you will be just as much a part of meal preparation as we are."

"I hope so," Charlotte replied, blushing despite herself. "I was certainly lost this time, though."

"Nonsense," the Clan Queen said with a chuckle. "Most anyone new would be intimidated by all of us working in the kitchen at the same time. You did just fine."

The variety of food on the hot bar rivaled any restaurant where Charlotte had ever eaten. As the men left the dining room after thanking the women, they began putting away the leftovers, cleaning the bar and processing the dirty dishes. Well, at least I can do this, Charlotte thought as she carried a stack of dishes to the sink to rinse before putting them in one of the professional dishwashers.

The precision she had witnessed in meal preparation extended to the cleanup. In a far shorter time than Charlotte could ever have imagined, the kitchen and dining room were again spotless.

Diana smiled at Charlotte. "Let's go check on your mom and give Arlene a break."

Charlotte was all for that because she was still worried about her mother.

As they walked into the suite, Arlene pushed the remains of her supper aside, picked the remote up and shut the TV off. "Still sleeping like a baby, but Little One has started to move around a bit. I don't think it will be long now."

Charlotte put her mother's tray on the coffee table before she and Diana sat. After chatting for a while, they noticed when the blue glow snapped off as abruptly as it had come on. Within seconds, Ada's eyes opened. Glancing at the others, she frowned and spoke. "Uh, I'm ready."

Diana and Arlene burst out laughing.

"It's been hours, Mom. You've been asleep the whole time, and even missed supper. We brought you a tray, though."

Arlene hurried over to pick up Little One. Prepared to argue, knowing she had not been asleep, Ada slid her feet to the floor and sat up, but as she did so, the slight frown on her face turned into a look of puzzlement. Charlotte stood by her mother's side. "Mom, let me help you." But as Charlotte reached a hand out, Ada shook her head.

"Wait," she quietly said, then came smoothly to her feet, a look of astonishment growing on her face. The astonishment quickly turned into a smile – with a waterfall of tears to go with it.

"Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness," she sobbed over and over. "I don't hurt." Then, as she flexed her legs and moved her arms about, "I don't hurt anywhere, and I can move my arms and legs freely."

Arlene grabbed a stunned Charlotte and hugged her, then did the same for a weeping Ada.

Ada went on. "You have no idea. You have absolutely no idea how good it feels to stand without pain. And look," she declared as she did a deep knee bend, "my body does what I ask it to." There was a moment of silence as she stood completely still.

"What's wrong, Mom?" a concerned Charlotte asked.

Ada stared at her daughter eye to eye. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing," she managed past her tears of joy. "I just feel ... I can't remember ever feeling this good. Remember, nothing!" she exclaimed. "I have never felt this good in my whole life. It's just ... unbelievable."

"Oh, Mom," Charlotte gushed. "That's so wonderful. I know Jeff and everybody told us that you would be healed, but I just couldn't believe it. You sure?" she questioned.

"I've never been more certain of anything." Turning, she glanced at them. "Where is Jeff? I have to thank him. I have to thank all of you," she gushed.

"Not us," Diana quietly said as she motioned to Little One as Arlene stood holding the little alien to her chest.

"She can understand me?" Ada questioned as she took the few steps to Arlene.

"Like we mentioned before, not in so many words," Arlene replied for her mother, "but she can feel your emotions if you touch her."

Reaching out tentatively, Ada cupped her hands around Little One, then quietly choked out, "I hope you can understand how thankful I truly am. I have lived in pain as I gradually lost the use of my body. I could barely stand, but now I feel better than I can ever remember feeling in my whole life. Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Both Ada and Arlene felt a flood of emotions. Startled, Ada almost moved her hands, but instead, continued to try to send her gratitude.

Jeff walked in, and Arlene handed Little One to him. "She says you are welcome," the Prime stated with a smile. There was a moment of hesitation before he went on, "She cautions that the healing is ongoing for the next few days, but you will be unaware of most of it other than a ... uh, I think she means a voracious appetite. I can certainly attest to that, as can all of us here."

A look crossed Ada's face as her eyes fell on the tray sitting on the coffee table. Seeing the look, Arlene and Diana both broke out in laughter. "We brought you two of our best steaks along with two baked potatoes. That should hold you for a couple of hours," Diana said with a chuckle.

Arlene motioned toward the small refrigerator in the corner of the bar. "Jennie brought in extra food when she brought my supper. It was cooked especially for the two of you. But if you're still hungry after that food is gone, I remind you that there will be more steaks and baked potatoes as well as other food in the first refrigerator in the kitchen."

"And don't be bashful," Jeff admonished. "It's perfectly normal to have an unending appetite for the next several days. Little One used her energy to begin the healing process, but your body will continue to supply its own energy as the process continues. And even after the healing process has completed, you will continue to eat more than you ever have in your life. That's normal for someone who has been enhanced. You will not gain any excess weight, but you will have more energy than you have ever had in your life."

Motioning toward the couch, he continued in an atrocious accent, "Your turn, Mademoiselle."

As Charlotte smiled at his weak attempt at humor, "But I'm perfectly healthy," she protested. "The company had us take a thorough physical every two years, and I had mine just a few weeks ago. There is nothing wrong with me."

"Other than you will probably die before you reach one hundred," Jeff said, an odd inflection in his voice. "None of the rest of us in this room will – and that now includes your Mom. When we told you two that your bodies would be perfect, we meant exactly that – perfect. And they will stay perfect, particularly with Little One nearby in case we have an accident or something else happens." Smiling, he nodded at the couch, "Get your butt over there and lie down. Little One is ready."

Charlotte didn't know what to think about Jeff's comments. When she glanced at her mother, she realized that Ada was in the same boat. Did he just say that everyone here except me would live past one hundred? Do I believe that? After a glance at the youthful-looking Susan, who grinned back at her, Charlotte was more confused than ever, but she certainly wasn't going to chance making any of these people mad at her after the alien had apparently healed her mother. Wondering, she sat on the couch Ada had just vacated.

Arlene reached to adjust the cushion as Charlotte kicked her shoes off.

"Now just lie back and pull your top out of your pants. In a little while you'll feel just as good as Ada does..."

"And you won't die before one hundred," Diana added.

"Do it, Baby," her mother encouraged.

"But I feel fine," Charlotte protested even as she stretched out and pulled her blouse out of her pants enough to expose her flat belly. "Nighty-night," Arlene said with a grin as she put Little One on Charlotte's stomach. A glow began under the alien and a blue beam reached out for the young woman's forehead. A smile touched her face and her breathing deepened in sleep.

A Hummer worked its way up the driveway to stop near the back door. Kayla and one of the troopers got out. After sitting her bag on the ground, the trooper saluted. Kayla returned the salute, grabbed the small bag and hurried into the Retreat.

It didn't take her long to find Jeff and rap smartly on the suite's door. As soon as Diana opened the door, Kayla burst through, hugged Diana, then Arlene before throwing herself into Jeff's waiting arms. The kiss she gave him would have awakened a dead man. "I missed you," she said as she finally took her mouth from his.

"I missed you too, Babe. But that was a quick trip. How did it go?"

"Boring," she responded, dragging out the word, "and who is this?" she asked, turning to Ada.

"Long story," Jeff said before introducing the two. When Kayla nodded toward Charlotte as she lay on the couch with Little One on her stomach, Jeff continued, "We had to rescue Ada before Moreau's henchmen could kill her. He sent Charlotte to kill Art, but she handed him the gun and told us what they were trying to force her to do. These two," nodding to the sleeping Charlotte, too, "have as much interest in this as we do, so you can talk freely in front of them. So what about Nichols?"

"That SOB needs to die," Kayla snapped.

"Well, we all agree on that," Jeff said with a chuckle. Then, glancing at Ada, "I imagine that Ada thinks the same way about the two that tried to kill her earlier in the day."

"And..." Kayla questioned.

"Security has them, and I imagine they will be on their way to the base shortly." Then, changing the subject, "Do you need to report to the General?"

Kayla shook her head. "I used the secure system to do that before I left the base."