Playing Marbles for the Big Blue
06 Rescue My Daughters
Will Celeste rescue her daughters from the Helmagians who abducted her daughters?
06 Rescue My Daughters
Understanding that the Space Pod was not a safe haven against the Helmagians, Greg and I prepared to leave. Through our telepathic link, I reached out to Sela, my faithful AI companion who had become so much more.
"Sela, can you track them?" I asked silently, my heart pounding against my chest.
"Yes, Celeste. Their armbands are still active. I'm monitoring their location in real-time," Sela responded, her presence a calming force in my mind. "The Helmagians are taking them to a facility approximately 12 kilometers northeast of our current position."
Glivney plead, "Celeste, you and Greg don't have to go now. Our sensors found the deficiency in our shielding. We can make it better. We're stronger together. Ya know."
Greg asked, "Can you send me the shielding specifications? We need to make our home safe, so that when we get our daughters back that we can keep them safe going forward."
Glivney answered, "Of course." She took a memory card out of her scanner and handed it to Greg. She continued, "The Helmagians are a threat to us as well. We'll do whatever you request. When they are finished with you, they may come for us."
I gave Glivney a hug and held her hand as I told her, "Let us go home and find out just what we are up against and how many. If they think we have had a falling out, their attention will be focused on us and you all will be able to surprise them. We'll be in touch. Cross circuit to EC on the communicator.
"
"Be safe, you two. Take back your daughters!" Glivney told us as we left to get into the minivan.
Sela reported, "When they entered the facility, I lost the signal. I'm so sorry Celeste."
"Thank you for trying, Sela." I telepathically sent hoping to comfort Sela.
We drove home in silence with each of us grieving the loss of our daughters. Greg revealed to me the entrance to a secret room in our home. I was aware of the obvious Alvian styling in the secret control room.
"Greg, what can we do?"
"I don't know now, Celeste, but we'll come up with something. We have to get them back."
I stood in the dimly lit control room, my heart pounding as I reached out to Sela through our telepathic link.
"Sela, I need you to infiltrate the Helmagians' network. We must know what they are planning," I instructed, my voice steady despite the storm of anxiety within me.
"Understood, Celeste," Sela replied, her tone calm and precise. I watched as the faint glow of her interface activated, a testament to her unparalleled capabilities. Moments later, her voice echoed in my mind.
"I have accessed their communications. They are convening in the lower chambers."
"Sela, change the resonance on the children's trackers so that I can pick up their location before you leave them."
"Celeste, I have found a defect in their shielding. I can change the resonance on their tracker signal to take advantage of that defect on your command."
Through Sela's eyes, I saw the Helmagians gathered around a holographic display. Their leader, a towering figure with crimson eyes, spoke with a venomous edge. "We will strike where it hurts the most. The Alvian leader's grandchildren will pay for the sins of their ancestors. Our technology can now penetrate their defenses."
A chill ran down my spine. "Sela, transmit this to me immediately," I urged.
Within seconds, the data streamed into my consciousness. The Helmagians' plans were more advanced and dangerous than I had feared. Minutes felt like hours as I waited, trying to maintain a calm facade for Greg's sake.
Suddenly, Sela's voice returned, urgent and filled with concern. "Celeste, I've uncovered their true intentions. The kidnapping is just the beginning."
I listened intently as Sela relayed the Helmagians' plans. They weren't content with simply abducting the girls; they aimed to strike at the heart of Alvian society. The Helmagians had developed technology capable of penetrating our defenses, planning to use it to breach our sanctuary and expose our presence on Earth.
"They intend to use Gail and Sally as bait," Sela continued. "Once Greg attempts a rescue, they'll track him back to our hideout and launch a full-scale attack. Their ultimate goal is to force a confrontation between Alvians and humans, revealing our existence to Earth's governments."
My heart raced as I processed this information. The stakes were higher than we'd imagined. Not only were our children in danger, but our entire way of life on Earth was threatened.
A chill ran down my spine. "Sela, transmit this to me immediately on the locator's resonance locked into their shielding defect" I urged. Within seconds, the data streamed into my consciousness. The Helmagians' plans were more advanced and dangerous than I had feared.
But then, a sudden shift in their demeanor caught my attention. One of the Helmagians, a wiry figure with sharp features, glanced around suspiciously. "We are being watched," he hissed. The room erupted into chaos as they scrambled to secure their systems.
"Celeste, they have detected my presence. They are altering their plans," Sela informed me, her voice tinged with urgency. I clenched my fists, knowing the window of opportunity was closing. "Extract yourself, Sela. We have what we need."
As Sela disengaged, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the battle ahead. The Helmagians were formidable, but with Sela's intelligence, we had a fighting chance.
Frustration and fear battled within me. We'd gained vital intelligence, but at the cost of losing our advantage of surprise. Now, we were back to square one, facing an enemy who knew we were onto them and would be even more cautious.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. We'd have to be smarter, faster, and more resourceful than ever to outmaneuver the Helmagians and bring our girls home safely.
"Greg," I called out, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "We need to talk. Things just got a lot more complicated."
I turned to Greg, who stood frozen in place, his face a mask of anguish. "Greg, we need to act fast. My band - it can help us find them. I've got their signal!"
His eyes widened with recognition. "You're right. But there's something you need to know first."
"What is that, Greg?" I asked in amazement that Greg would pick this time for confession.
"Your band's, the spyband's capabilities are more extensive than I've let on. It's not just Alvian technology; it's specifically designed for covert operations."
Through Sela's silent assistance, I could already see the complex network of Helmagian security measures surrounding their hideout. Their technology was impressive, but they hadn't counted on the unique combination of Alvian engineering and Sela's enhanced capabilities.
"I can help track them," I said, carefully maintaining the pretense that it was the spyband's abilities rather than Sela's intervention. "Their armbands are giving off a signal that I can follow."
In reality, Sela was already formulating a rescue plan, analyzing every possible entry point and security weakness. Together, we would bring my daughters home, even if I wasn't their biological mother. Some bonds transcend blood, and my love for them was as real as any parent's could be.
I watched Greg's face intently as he made the difficult decision to reveal the truth about the spyband. The weight of our current crisis with the girls' kidnapping had forced his hand. Through my telepathic link with Sela, I could sense her processing the complex layers of truth about to unfold.
"Celeste," Greg began, his voice heavy with resignation, "I need to tell you something about who you really are."
He reached for my wrist, where the spyband lay disguised. "You're not who you think you are. Your real name is Natalie."
I maintained my composure, though inside I felt Sela's reassuring presence steadying my thoughts. Greg explained how I had once been married to a Golram spy, who had given me a spyband similar to his own. The band had saved my life after the Golram's violent attack, though it couldn't restore my memories.
"I found you and used Alvian technology to change your appearance to match Celeste's," Greg continued. "The original Celeste, my wife, died six months ago. I used the band to hide you from the Golram and protect you."
Through our private connection, Sela confirmed the truth of his words now at last. Thanks to Sela, I already knew this but was faking amnesia. The spyband's capabilities had allowed me to fly, to appear Alvian, to become the mother these girls needed.
"I'm giving you access to the spyband's full capabilities now," Greg said, inputting a new code. "We'll need everything at our disposal to rescue the girls."
I watched Greg input the new code into my spyband, though I knew through Sela that this was merely a formality. The weight of his revelation about my true identity still hung in the air between us.
"The spyband's full capabilities are now yours," Greg said, his voice heavy with both trust and desperation. "It will help us track and rescue the girls."
Through my connection with Sela, I could already sense the complex network of security measures the Helmagians had in place. Their technology was impressive, but they hadn't anticipated the unique combination of Alvian engineering and Sela's enhanced capabilities.
"I can sense them," I said carefully, maintaining the pretense that it was the spyband's abilities rather than Sela's intervention. "The girls' armbands are giving off a faint signal."
In reality, Sela was already mapping multiple entry points and analyzing security weaknesses. "The Helmagians have implemented a three-layer defense system," Sela communicated silently to me. "But there's a vulnerability in their eastern perimeter."
I felt a surge of determination. These girls might not be my biological children, but the maternal bond I felt was real. Whether I was Natalie or Celeste didn't matter – what mattered was bringing them home safely.
"Greg," I said, turning to face him, "I know how we can get them back. The spyband is showing me a way in through their defenses." I didn't mention that it was actually Sela's advanced capabilities guiding us. Some secrets were better kept, even from allies.
Together, we began formulating our rescue plan, while Sela continued to gather intelligence on the Helmagian compound. Time was of the essence, and failure wasn't an option.
As darkness fell, we put our plan into motion. My heart raced as we approached the compound's perimeter, staying low and moving between shadows. Sela's constant stream of data guided each careful step, identifying blind spots in their security grid. The spyband hummed silently against my skin, its power merging seamlessly with Sela's capabilities.
Greg moved beside me, his years of training evident in his fluid motions. After twenty tense minutes of methodical advancement, we reached the outer wall. The moment had come to infiltrate their stronghold and bring our daughters back to us. We flew over the wall through the sensor blind spot that Sela had detected.
Through Sela's guidance, we moved silently through the Helmagian compound. The spyband's capabilities (or rather, Sela's advanced interface with it) allowed us to navigate past their security measures with surprising ease.
"The girls are being held in a containment cell two levels below," Sela communicated silently in my mind. "I've detected a weakness in their eastern security grid."
Greg moved beside me, his face tense with determination. I knew he believed the spyband was guiding us, and I maintained that illusion. In truth, Sela's abilities far surpassed anything the Alvian technology could achieve on its own.
"They're moving the girls," I whispered to Greg, as Sela fed me real-time information. "We need to hurry."
We descended through darkened corridors, our movements precise and calculated. The Helmagian technology hummed around us, their revenge plot against Greg's family - against our family - now clear. They wanted to hurt the Alvian leader through his grandchildren, just as they believed their leader had been hurt years ago.
Through Sela's eyes, I could see Gail and Sally huddled together in their cell, frightened but unharmed. My heart ached at their fear, and I felt a surge of maternal protectiveness that had nothing to do with biology or false memories.
"Three guards approaching from the north corridor," Sela warned silently.
I touched Greg's arm, signaling him to stop. We pressed ourselves against the wall, waiting as the guards passed. The moment they were gone, we moved swiftly toward the containment area.
Finally, we stood at the door of our daughter's cell. Sela unlocked it and Gail ran into Greg's arms, and he carried her. Sally jumped up into my arms and I carried her too. Greg and I made a hasty retreat guided by the information that Sela continued to give me.
The girls' cries of joy filled the corridor as we made our escape from the Helmagian compound. My heart raced as I maintained telepathic contact with Sela, ensuring our path remained clear. Greg led the way, his protective instincts on full display as he guided us through the shadows.
"Two guards approaching from the eastern corridor," Sela warned silently in my mind. "Take the next right turn."
I gently nudged Greg's arm, directing him toward the alternate route. The spyband on my wrist hummed quietly, maintaining our disguise capabilities. Through Sela's enhanced perception, I could monitor the Helmagians' movements throughout the facility, their confusion growing as they discovered their prisoners had vanished.
"Mom!" Sally whispered, clinging to my hand. The word sent a complex wave of emotions through me. I might not be their biological mother, might not even be the Celeste they first knew, but in this moment, protecting these children felt like the most natural thing in the world.
"Almost there," I murmured, both to the girls and to Greg. Sela's guidance had led us to a maintenance exit, far from the main security checkpoints. The cool night air beckoned through the partially open door.
As we emerged into the darkness, I felt the weight of our deception - both mine and Greg's - pressing against my conscience. Yet watching him embrace his daughters, seeing their tears of relief, I knew that sometimes the truth was more complex than simple facts. Through Sela's silent presence in my mind, I understood that family wasn't always about blood or birth - sometimes it was about the choices we make and the love we choose to give.
"Let's go home," I said softly, keeping my senses attuned to any pursuit through my connection with Sela. Whatever came next, we would face it together.
We quickly entered the minivan and sped away. I used the spyband and some skillful driving by Greg so that we were untraceable by the time we reached our destination.
Back at home, I watched Greg embrace the girls, their tears of relief mingling as they clung to each other. Through my connection with Sela, I monitored the surrounding area for any sign of Helmagian pursuit, but we seemed to have escaped cleanly.
"You're safe now," I whispered, my heart aching with a love that felt no less real for being built on artificial memories. The spyband on my wrist hummed quietly, maintaining our protective disguises.
Greg looked up at me, his eyes filled with gratitude and something deeper - perhaps guilt for the layers of deception between us. Through Sela's enhanced perception, I could sense the complex emotions radiating from him. He knew I wasn't his Celeste, wasn't even truly Alvian, yet here I stood, having risked everything to save his children.
"Thank you," he said simply, extending his hand to include me in the family embrace.
The girls wrapped their arms around me, their small bodies still trembling slightly from the ordeal. "Mom," Sally whispered, and despite knowing I wasn't their biological mother, wasn't even the Celeste they'd first known, my heart swelled with maternal love.
As we held each other in that moment of safety and relief, I knew that whatever came next - whether facing more Helmagian threats or eventually returning to Alvia - we would face it together, as the family we had chosen to become. I wondered after Greg had revealed the deception of my identity, would he refer to me as Celeste or Natalie?
