Chapter 740: Rebuilding.
Meanwhile, Zulu’s calm voice made announcements through the base. "Dear residents, it is important to remain calm right now. You have been trained for such events. Help your neighbors, search for any hidden mutated beasts, report any strange activity...."
For once, the bird was not being sarcastic, rude or playful. In fact, it was not the only mutated animal in the base on a somber mood. The animal patrol was also following the same instructions, under Dash’s command and the guidance of the canine unit.
Sunshine went to the command center first upon her return, her boots clicking against the polished floor. It was quieter than usual, but the screens were buzzing with data. Reports were flooding in from every base, and as she scrolled through them, she felt a strange lump in her throat.
The emergency teams hadn’t waited for her. The residents hadn’t waited for instructions. People were out there with brooms, hammers, and clipboards, putting their lives back together like a well-oiled machine.
"Well," she whispered to the empty room, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "I guess if I decide to retire and become a professional nap-taker, their lives will move on smoothly."
It was a bittersweet realization. She was bursting with pride, but a tiny, selfish part of her felt like a mom watching her kids go off to college. They don’t need me to tie their shoelaces anymore, she thought. Ouch. My ego.
Was it silly that she felt a little sad?
"You are wrong there," Lisha said. "We all depend on you in many ways than one.....Just because they are clearing the walkways and sweeping does not mean that they do not need you. They just do not want to burden you with the small things anymore. All those compulsory trainings you put us through were for such moments."
Sunshine nodded and smiled.
Before doing anything, she called to check on the most important people in her world: the children.
"Mom! Oh thank God you are back," Ariel’s voice chirped, sounding incredibly official. "But I’m a bit busy right now. I’m supervising the supply sorting. Half the grain is soggy or ash. But don’t worry, we can get more from your secret stash. We’re good!"
"We do have a stash, but don’t tell the whole world champ." Sunshine laughed. "Have you seen your brothers?"
"Yes. Castiel is being a hero," Ariel added, giggling. "He’s currently surrounded by the grannies at the mountain base. He’s telling them stories about White’s embarrassing moments. They love it but White doesn’t."
"That sounds that like our grumpy White," Sunshine teased, though her heart felt ten pounds lighter.
"Earl is in Iron Wood." He shared.
They exchanged three more sentences and then ended the call. Then she teleported to Iron Wood city. Sunshine materialized right in the middle of a busy street in the city. She nearly tripped over a stray piece of rebar.
"Whoa! Watch the toes!" a voice yelled.
She ignored it and went in search of her baby boy. She found him in the Iron Wood medic bay. Earl was covered in soot and looking like he’d gone ten rounds with a chimney. He was holding a thermal scanner and looking exhausted, but his eyes lit up the moment he saw her.
"Mom! you are back, I was worried," Earl said, wiping a smudge of grease onto his forehead, which only made it worse. "Berry and I have been helping out with the broken legs. The robots were ruthless. Children and adults, they all suffered the same fate. It was good thing they stopped, but boy, I would hate to be them."
"You look like a chimney sweep, Earl," she said, stepping forward to brush some dust off his shoulder and wipe the grease.
"It’s the ’disaster-chic’ look. Very trendy this season," he joked, pulling her into a quick, dusty hug.
"Tired," Berry complained from his shoulder, in a small squeaky voice.
Earl pointed at a group of patients that were still waiting. "I still have work to do Berry. You can go with my mom."
The lizard looked at Sunshine and then ducked inside Earl’s pocket. She smelled like a dead beast. It was not the best smell in the world for her delicate nostrils.
"How are they fairing?" Sunshine asked, her voice turning serious.
"Not so good, mom. We had some deaths, twenty-three so far. Six on life support," Earl said, scratching his chin. "I do not know how the watchers did this, but they achieved their goal, if it was death."
Sunshine nodded. "Well, this will be the last time this tactic works. Ala is working on something to identify other hypnotized people and restore them to normal. We will bounce back from this. Where is your father?"
Earl pulled her to a window and pointed in the direction of a former hotel building, "He was in there last I checked."
Sunshine moved to the glass building and spotted him at the reception desk. He was looking over some paperwork with commander Grayson and giving instructions. "Help them settle into the houses that are in good condition, construction should not stop."
Sunshine walked and tapped his shoulder, "Honey, I’m home!"
Hades dropped the papers in his hand. They scattered all over the floor, but he didn’t care. He crashed into Sunshine, wrapping his arms around her so tightly she let out a small oomph. "You’re back," he breathed into her hair. "I thought... I didn’t know what to think when I heard you had vanished with that pig."
He pulled away after a long moment to inspect her, and his eyes widened. Sunshine was a disaster. Her coveralls, which had once been clean, were now stained dark red and brown. There were bits of... something... stuck to her shoulder that looked suspiciously like coarse animal hair.
"Suni," Hades said, a small, stunned smile breaking through his worry. "Judging by your appearance, the boar didn’t have a very good ending."
Sunshine leaned against a pole, exhausted but triumphant. "Let’s just say that without the prime core that bore was a scared giant pig that could not even fight. One smack and it was minced meat."
She wiped a smudge of dry blood from her neck. "I heard from Lisha about why you brought these people here. Were the billionaires really chasing after them with fire torches and pitch forks?"
He laughed. "Not exactly, just verbal accusations and promises of revenge. Their businesses, buildings and food reserves were destroyed. I think Kris’s grandmother is one of the people in a coma. She was bashed over the head with plate." Hades answered, "They are not a happy bunch at the moment."
Sunshine nodded solemnly. "I figured. They will have to adjust because if they dare try to get back at these people then they will be banished. Tell that to Jon because he is the only sensible one."
"I will_ again" Hades looked at his wife_ bloody and already planning three steps ahead to keep everyone safe. He reached out and tucked a messy strand of hair behind her ear. "You’re amazing," he whispered.
"I’m sweaty and I smell like blood," she corrected, leaning into his hand. "But you are right, I’m amazing."
Hades laughed. "Anything about how the watchers accessed these people. How did they manage to hypnotize some and not all of us."