Zara (13 page)

“
Yes, he is.  But he is a good human who wants to help you,” Zara said, walking up and placing her hand on Trig’s shoulder.

“
Oh my gosh!  It’s Zara the Amazon!” the kids began to squeal with excitement.

Zara was glad in this instance she was easily recognizable to the kids
.  They seemed to open up to her right away.  She kept them calm as Trig unlocked the gate.

“
You do look like her,” one little boy said.

“
Who?” Zara asked.

“
Angel.  She said she thought you were her mother.  I thought she was just joking or something.”

“
I am her mother.  Where is she?” Zara looked around.

“
At the circuit fight with the other kids.”

“
What circuit fight?” Zara asked.

“
The one the humans have us kids do.  We’re not supposed to talk about it to anyone except for our handlers.  Will I get in trouble for telling?” a little girl who had to be no older than five asked.

“
No, sweetheart.  You will not get in trouble.” Trig patted the little girl on the head.  “Do you know where the circuit fight is held at?”

An older boy about twelve stepped up
.  “Two blocks down inside the old shuttle station.”

Trig looked at the boy and smiled
.  “What’s your name son?”

“
Arrow.”

“
Arrow.  I need someone to step up and be responsible for all these kids.  To make sure they all stay together until I come back.  Do you know anyone who can help me out here?”

The boy nodded
.  “I can do it.  I’m the oldest anyway.”

“
Great.  Thanks, Arrow.  You will be going with these IDJ officers to a safe place.  You have nothing to fear.  I am going to help each of you find good homes, okay?”

The boy looked at Zara and Torch for confirmation
.  Both of them nodded their heads.  “Yeah.  I’ll do it.  I hope Angel is okay.  She made her handler mad by not hurting her last opponent.”

Zara put her hand on the boy
’s shoulder.  “I’m her mother and I promise you, if anyone hurts her, they will answer to me.”

*****

“Why are we waiting again?” Zara asked with frustration.

“
This is a big bust.  We are going to need to have clearance from this region’s chief IDJ agent.”

Zara paced away from him
.  Torch watched her a little too much for Trig’s liking. 

The chief of the IDJ showed up with about thirty more officers
.  This was going to be one hell of a bust.  Trig walked over to introduce himself. 

“
Chief Baker?” Trig stretched out his hand.  The older man shook it.

“
Special Agent Roberts.”

“
If you could have some of your men circle the perimeter, I would appreciate it.”

“
Of course.” Chief Baker looked over at Zara and Torch.  “Why are there civilians present?”

“
We believe one of the children being forced to fight in this illegal circuit is the daughter of Zara.”

The man
’s eyes shown with surprise.  He recognized the woman.  “She will have to remain here until we have the place secure.”

“
What if I take responsibility.”

“
You know that is not IDJ protocol, Special Agent.”

“
I know, sir.  But…it was the IDJ that screwed up and contributed to her being separated from her daughter for eight years.”

The chief looked over at Zara again
.  “You will keep her and the other man by your side at all times?”

“
Yes, sir.”

The chief nodded his head
.  Trig turned back and headed toward Zara.  He pulled her to the side. 

“
We’re about ready to go in.  You two will need to stay by my side.”

“
What are you talking about?” Zara looked at him with confusion.

“
I have two choices, Zara.  If you want to come inside while we secure the place, then you have to stay by my side, both of you.”

“
What?!” Both Zara and Torch yelled out.

“
Stay by my side or the chief will have you both pulled out of the facility.”

They would have argued more but the chief was making his move with the IDJ agents in play.

“Here we go.”

*****

They entered slowly and surrounded the crowd.  There was a small amphitheater style seating that circled around a cage. Though the chief was there, the officers were looking at Trig for the signal.  He waited until there were enough men surrounding the arena.

Zara focused on the cage
.  Inside was a girl with brunette hair and a tall Plutian halfsie boy.  The girl was the one that had Zara’s full attention.  Even from this distance, she knew it was Angel.

“
It’s her?” Torch asked.

Zara nodded
.  “Yes.”

Trig raised his hand
.  When he lowered it, a loud whistle vibrated throughout the building.  All the IDJ officers shot out toward the crowd and started taking people into custody.  Trig made his way down to the cage.  Zara and Torch were right on his heels.

“
Get those guards secure over there!” Trig yelled out to the IDJ officers. 

Zara looked at the cage
.  Inside was her daughter who was struggling with a portly man who was trying to pull her with him.

*****

“Let me go!” Angel yelled at the man.

“
Come on, little bitch!  We have to get out of here.  I am not going to get arrested and I certainly am not going to lose all the money I put into you!”

Angel kicked him in his crotch making the man let go of her
.  He shoved her forward so she fell down on her butt on the mat.  He grabbed hold of his throbbing balls.  “You bitch!” The man went to punch Angel but his hand was stopped mid-motion.  Someone held his hand from behind. 

Angel sat on her butt trying to
scramble out of range.  She watched with curiosity as the person who had interfered with her handler slowly came into view.  The person holding the handler pulled the handler’s hand back and then another hand flew up connecting with her handler’s chin. 

Angel followed the hand up the arm, then to a shoulder
, which led to a face.  She stared in awe and shock at the face of her rescuer.  She knew who it was, but why would she be here?  She just couldn’t believe it.  Zara the Amazon stood before her.

Zara walked over
to the young girl.  Angel was so beautiful.  More so than the picture showed.  She reached out a hand to help her stand.

“
Are you okay?” Zara asked.

Angel nodded her head
. 
It was her.  Zara the Amazon.  She wasn’t dreaming
.  The female was really here.  She couldn’t believe she was meeting her in person.  She stepped closer and breathed in the tall female’s scent.  It was a cinnamon scent, warm and…familiar.  Then she understood why the scent was familiar.

“
You’re my mother?” she asked, surprised and angry all at once.  She had suspected for a while.  Every time she watched Zara fight on T.V., she felt something for her.

Zara squatted down so she was eye level with her daughter
.  All she wanted to do was take the girl in her arms and hold her.  But the girl seemed hesitant with her touch.

“
Yes, I am your mother.”

“
Why did you give me to the orphanage?  Why didn’t you want me?”

“
Baby, I wanted you so much.  You were taken from me while I was in a breeding facility.  I have been trying to find you for eight years.  Not one day has gone by where I have not tried to find you.”

Torch stepped up behind Zara
.  The little girl looked up at him with suspicion.  He had a familiar scent too.  “Is that my father?”

“
No, my name is Torch and I am your uncle.”

“
Then where is my father?”

“
He died almost two years ago.  He didn’t know about you.  I didn’t know about you until recently.”

“
Zara, we need to get all of you outside of this building.  I have officers bringing the rest of the children.” Trig walked up to them looking around the small arena for signs of danger.

“
Okay.  Come on, Angel.” Zara stood and tried to reach for the girl’s hand but she pulled away from Zara.

“
I can walk by myself.”

“
Of course.” Zara tried to reassure her.

The little girl turned
her back on Zara and Torch and walked toward the exit where the other children were being shuffled off.  Zara turned back to look at Torch worriedly.

“
She hates me.”

Torch hugged her awkwardly patting her on the back
.  “No.  She just doesn’t know us yet.  We have to be patient with her.”  Zara nodded her head and allowed Torch to escort her out of the building. 

Trig felt like someone kicked him in the gut
.  Seeing Zara turn to another man hurt him deeply.  It was at that very moment he realized how much she meant to him.  He loved her more than he had ever loved anyone.  However, he didn't know where he stood with her.  He followed in the direction they went.

*****

Angel looked around at the human officers.  There were so many.  They were scaring the little kids.  “Get your hands off her!” she yelled at the human who was grabbing hold of little Taylor.

“
What’s going on?” Trig asked, hearing the girl scream.

“
He was scaring Taylor.”

Trig looked at the officer who was blushing
from embarrassment.  “Sorry, sir.  I was trying to get all the kids to load onto the shuttle.  We have to take them down to headquarters for interrogation.”

Trig glared at the man
.  “Interrogation is for criminals.  These are children!  We will question them here while preparations are made to accommodate them.”

“
Yes, sir.” The officer ran off to follow Trig’s orders.

Trig knelt down to address the little girl named Taylor
.  “Miss Taylor, I am deeply sorry my officer didn't mind his manners.  Can you forgive us please?” Trig used a funny accent, which made the little girl giggle.  He turned to Angel and gave her a wink, which caused her to smile.

Damn,
the man can charm even little girls. 
She loved that about him.  Zara stared in awe at the first smile she had seen Angel have.  It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. 

Trig sat down on the ground and had the two girls sit across from him
.  “I will ask you two some questions.  Then, I will take Taylor with the other kids to help them find new homes.”

“
What about me?” Angel asked, not looking up at the woman who was her mother.

“
You will get to go with Zara, your mother.”

“
Do I get a say in that?”

Trig glanced over at Zara and saw her flinch
.  “For now, let’s stick to this plan okay.  I need you two girls to be big girls and help us put the bad guys away.  Do you guys think you can help me out?”

“
We won’t have to go back to the handlers?” Angel asked.

“
Never again.  I promise you,” Trig told the girls and watched as Angel straightened her back and threw her chin in the air. 
God, she was more like her mother than she realized,
Trig smiled.

“
Okay.  What do you want to know?” Angel asked.

Two hours later
, the IDJ officers were done questioning all the children.  All the children except for Angel would be put in temporary foster homes.  Trig, Zara, Angel, and Torch checked into a local hotel for the night.  They made arrangements for a ship to take them the next morning to the next region where the GCFA ship was docking.

It had been a tough night on everyone
.  Angel didn’t really allow herself to sleep.  Zara didn’t sleep because she was watching over Angel.  Torch didn’t sleep because he was pacing outside the hall of the suite that Zara and Angel were in.  And Trig didn’t sleep because he was keeping an eye on Torch. 

Trig needed to speak with Zara alone
.  They had some things they needed to straightened out.  The opportunity arose the next morning when everyone met at Zara’s suite.  Trig walked into the suite and frowned.  Torch was already there and they had ordered breakfast.  Trig ignored the man and walked over to the table where they sat and handed a bag to Angel.

“
What is this?” Angel asked.

“
Thought you might like something else to wear.”

Damn it
! 
Zara had not even thought about what Angel was wearing.  There were so many more things that Angel was going to need.  She had a spare bedroom in her suite, but it wasn’t set up for a child.  She felt like a failure already.

“
Thanks, Trig!” The little girl’s eyes gleamed pulling out a new pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

“
No problem, sunshine.” He turned to look at Zara who didn’t seem all that happy.  “Zara, could I speak with you alone for a few minutes?”

“
Okay.” Zara stood and looked around for where they might go to talk.

Trig took her hand and pulled her back to her bedroom
.  He closed the door.

“
What’s this all about?!” Zara demanded.

Trig took her into his arms and kissed her
.  His lips were hard and demanding.  They were persistent.  He continued his onslaught until she gave in to him and opened up in surrender.  God he needed this.  He needed her.  Reluctantly he released her and stepped back.

“
We have unfinished business between us,” he said with a deep timbre.

“
I can’t…not right now.  I have to put all my effort into helping Angel.  She needs me.”

“
I understand that, but know this, Zara…I am in love with you.  I want to share my life with you and your daughter.”

Zara tried to turn her back on him but
he wouldn’t let her.  “Please, Trig.  I have to focus…”

“
What do you feel for me?” Trig asked, lowering his voice.

“
It’s not that simple,” she barely whispered.

“
Answer my question!”  He stared her in the eyes, waiting.

“
I love you!  Okay?  I am totally in love with you.  I have never felt like this for any other male, ever.  I don’t know what to do about it.  How I feel about you doesn’t change things.  I have a daughter that I need to connect with.  Right now, she doesn’t trust me.  I don’t blame her, I really don’t.  But she has to come first.”

Trig touched her face gently
.  Her blue eyes shined with unshed tears.  They were there on the verge, just not falling.  “I agree. Angel has to come first.  She is a child and will need the majority of your attention.  But I want to be there with you, to help you take care of her.”

“
But…” Zara started to interrupt him but he kissed her soundly.

“
Think about us.  I have to stay to help with the other children.  But when I am done here, I am coming for you and I want that answer.”

“
Trig…” she tried to plead with him, but he turned and opened the door to the bedroom.  He walked out and Torch and Angel watched him carefully.  He approached Angel again and knelt by her where she sat at the table.  “I have to go, sunshine.”

“
You’re leaving?” She looked between Trig and Zara.

“
I have to stay here and make sure all your friends have good safe homes like you will have.”

“
I thought you were coming with us.”

“
I will come later.  I promise.  Could you walk me to the elevator?  There is something confidential I wanted to tell you.”

Angel nodded her head and stood
.  She reached for Trig’s hand and they walked out of the suite down the hallway to the elevators.

Zara and Torch watched as Trig said
something to Angel.  She nodded her head at him.  “What is he telling her?” Torch asked.

“
I don’t know.”

“
You and him are serious?” Torch looked at her with a frown.

“
I am focused on Angel right now.”

“
Good.  He’s a puny human.” Torch smiled smugly.

Zar
a growled at him.  “I love him so back off.”

“
Fine.” Torch turned to go back inside the suite.

Trig entered the elevator
.  Angel waved goodbye and turned back toward the suite.  When Angel got closer, Zara couldn’t help but ask, “What did Trig have to say?”

“
He said it wasn’t your fault what happened to me and you have been looking for me for a really long time.  He said that sometimes the best way to beat the bad guys is to let the anger go and live your life to the fullest.”

“
Was that all?”

“
No.  He also said he was in love with you.  He said he wanted to marry you and hoped to adopt me so I would legally be his daughter.”

Zara was floored
.  He said that?  He was serious then. 
Holy shit. 
“What do you think of all that?”

“
I told him that he better hurry up because Uncle Torch was interested in you too.”

*****

They arrived at the GCFA ship four and a half hours after they finished their breakfast.  Zara felt like she was home as soon as she boarded the ship.  But what kind of home would this be to raise her child?  Would Angel like it here?

She hadn
’t expected to see any of her friends, but some were there waiting for her in the lobby.  It was Rage, Rachel, Talon, a pregnant Lindy, Taurus, Maya, and Maya’s two adopted children, Luke and Lucy.

Zara walked up to her friends who greeted her with a formal hello
.  Except for Maya and her kids.  They hugged on Zara, who hugged them back.  She turned to introduce Tiger’s brother.

“
This is my…Angel’s, Uncle Torch.”

The males greeted Torch with a firm h
andshake and a little bit of suspicion.

Zara then introduced her daughter
.  “This is my daughter, Angel.”

“
It is so nice to meet you,” Lindy said with a kind smile.

“
Welcome to the family.” Maya reached out to hug a surprised Angel.  Maya’s kids took Angel, hugging her too.

They all went to the elevator and took it up to Zara
’s suite.  She felt nervous.  She wanted to make Angel happy, but she was pretty much clueless on how to do that.  She was never a mothering type of person.  How was she going to become one overnight?

Talon helped Lindy sit on the couch and Rage and Rachel stood behind them
. 

“
You live here?” Angel asked, looking around the suite.

Zara didn
’t have much.  This was where she lived year round.  She didn’t have a second residence for off-circuit times as the other fighters did.  “I do. I haven’t had a chance to get things set up for you.  But I’ll get whatever you need.” She led her over to the second bedroom that she rarely used. 

“
This will be your room.  It’s not much but you can do anything you like to it.” She opened the door and was shocked.

The once sparse bland room had been decorated
.  Pink and purple flowers were painted on the walls.  A canopy princess style bed was a big feature.  There were tubs lined against one wall with all kinds of toys.

“
Oh my gosh!  This is awesome!” Angel exclaimed, running into her new room.  She ran over and checked out this and that.  Maya’s kids went inside to show her things they helped pick out.

“
How?” Zara looked at her friends in shock.

Maya came up beside her
, smiling as she watched the kids playing together.  “Trig called me and Taurus right after you guys found her.  We didn’t want you to bring Angel home to nothing so we all pitched in.  All the male fighters painted and moved furniture around.  The women all went shopping.  The kids, mine and Hammer’s, helped pick out all the toys.”

“
But why?” Zara watched the happiness shine on her daughters face.  That was priceless.

“
Because…you’re family,” Maya said sincerely.

Zara
turned to look at her friend and a tear escaped.  She hugged the smaller female to her with all the gratitude that she felt.  Maybe a little too much gratitude.

“
I…can’t…breath,” Maya said breathlessly.

“
Oh…I’m sorry.” Zara released her immediately.  Both women laughed.

“
It’s okay.  We wanted to throw a welcome party but had to postpone that for a bit.  Trig said the IDJ and the GCFA lawyers would have to address what happened in order to insure that you are granted full custody of Angel.”

“
But I am her mother.” Zara frowned.  Why hadn’t Trig told her all this?

“
Trig says it's just a formality, but he will stay until it is all resolved.  We will plan a spectacular welcome party though.”

“
You don’t have to do that,” Zara told her, watching her daughter again.

“
We all want to.  Plus, it will allow all the kids to come and get to know one another.”

“
Okay.”

“
Excuse me,” Torch said from behind them.  He walked past them and into Angel’s room.  He looked out of place amongst all the soft pink, girly stuff.  “I brought you something for your room,” he told Angel.  He walked over to the dresser and placed something on it.  He stood back.

“
What is it?” Angel asked as she walked up to the dresser.

“
It’s a picture of me and your father, Tiger.”

Angel studied the image
.  She easily recognized her uncle, but the other man was the one that drew her attention.  She picked up the picture.  “He has brown eyes like mine.”

Zara had moved closer and smiled
.  “Yes.  I loved his eyes.  They were warm and kind.  You have so much of him in you.  I am grateful for that.”

Angel turned and hugged Torch
.  “Thanks, Uncle Torch.”

He patted her head
.  “No problem.”

“
When do you plan to leave?” Angel asked Torch.

“
Well, I thought I would stay here and spend time with you.”

“
You’re staying here?  What about your job?”

“
Rage and Talon said I could try out for a spot on the GCFA circuit since Talon is on family leave.”

“
Yay!” Angel hugged her uncle.

*****

A couple of hours later Zara was able to close the door on everyone sending them off to their own suites.  Angel had played and gotten along great with Maya’s kids.  She went to Angel’s bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed. 

Angel opened her eyes
.  “I felt a connection to you whenever I watched you on T.V.”

“
I am so sorry I could not find you sooner.” She brushed a loose strand of hair from Angel’s face.

“
What do we do now?”

“
We take it day by day and get to know each other.”

“
I’m glad you’re my mother.”

“
I’m glad too.”

“
Will you stay until I fall asleep?”

“
Of course.”  It didn’t take long.  Angel had had a very busy day.  She tucked the sheets up under her arms and kissed her forehead.  She stood and walked to the door, looking back one more time before heading off to her own bedroom.  She could easily see herself doing this every night.  Everything would be exactly right.  She would have everything she had ever wanted.  There was only one thing that was missing from this perfect picture—Trig.