YAAF
Number Seven parked the Humvee at their usual spot by the wall of the enclosure where there was shade this time of day.
"Two hours to sundown." Number Seven turned to Yaaf. "We assume that you'll be back before that."
"We will." Yaaf climbed down from the passenger seat and walked around the front of the Humvee where Number Three was already waiting for him.
His nervousness had been affecting all of them throughout the day, and Yaaf hoped that he would get good news today. Sullha might not have been successful in luring Rohilah to the playground, or worse, she'd discovered that Number Three's mother was not trustworthy.
That would be a heavy blow to Number Three, but at least his mother was alive, and he could hope that she would be freed when the clan was ready to take over the island. Yaaf's mother was gone, so he didn't even have that.
Number Three set a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry about. It is what it is, and it cannot be changed."
Number Three didn't move his hand right away. "What if she's a Sacred Mother like Number Eight's mother?"
The question echoed in the collective.
"Then she won't be at the playground. Sullha would have ruled her out," Number One said.
Number Three projected relief. He feared facing his mother and discovering that she'd turned into someone else like Number Eight's mother. On the other hand, she might be nicer to his little sister if she'd joined the order. The Sacred Mothers saw childbearing as their God-given mission, so she should be delighted.
The collective pointed out that the Sacred Mothers might not rejoice in having daughters. They believed that their mission was to deliver warriors for Mortdh's army.
Number Three feared what he would find, and so did the collective. If he was disappointed, they would all feel the pain.
None of them remembered being loved by their mothers, and yet they still hoped that perhaps that had been a defense mechanism, and that once freed they could learn to love their sons.
"We have to wait for Sullha to tell us if Rohilah is trustworthy before we let her see you," Number One said. "We can't remove the thrall from your mother until we know it's safe, and we can't remove it from your sister at all. She's too young to keep a secret."
Number Three nodded. "I know. I just want to see her. I don't need her to see me."
What he didn't know was whether he wanted Number One to remove the thrall at all. What if his mother was afraid of him? What if she screamed and told him to go away?
He didn't want to face that possibility.
The collective wrapped itself around him, letting him know that he wasn't alone, and that if any of what he feared did happen, they would smooth out the pain.
"My mother hasn't taken Bianca to the playground," Number Three said. "That's why I think she might be a Sacred Mother. She was different when I was growing up. I spent most of my childhood on that playground, and so did everyone I knew. Why is she different with my sister?"
The collective had to agree that it was strange.
They had all spent the majority of their childhood at the playground because it was the only place they could be free and socialize.
"Sullha will figure it out," Number One said.
If Rohilah was a Sacred Mother, then Number Three would lose his mother twice.
Bianca would also be lost.
Yaaf squeezed his shoulder once and let his hand drop.
"Come on," he said.
They started walking toward the wall, and the Eight settled into their usual mode of operation for these visits, only this timeNumber Three accompanied Yaaf while the other six powered the thrall needed to hide them from the enclosure's inhabitants.
After thralling the guards at the main gate to open up for them, Number One and Number Three walked down the enclosure's main thoroughfare to the other side of the compound where the playground was located.
