Early morning (Sunday, May 29, 2022) Aqrabuamelu compound, Flushing, Queens, New York, United States

We are taking you live to the press briefing on today’s terrorist attack in Jackson Heights. Speaking is Major Khouri of the Defense Intelligence Agency, head of the interagency anti-terrorist task force.

The scene cut to a conference room at Fort Hamilton where the High Priestess, in her uniform, was addressing the press.

… today’s attack was coordinated by right-wing militants. FBI and domestic intelligence services were able to identify the threat en route and our joint agency force was able to stop the threat. There were no civilian casualties…

Arcsa spoke, “We did lose one squad of Aqrabuamelu. May they see the Garden of the Gods and never know thirst.”

Ella and the others spoke the rote words and settled back to watch the High Priestess, who Ella still had trouble thinking of as anything beside Bahu, lie to the press.

As if reading that thought, Arcsa interrupted again, “She isn’t lying you know. Most of these private contractors are infiltrated with white supremacists, but this one,” and Arcsa brought up on the screen next to the press conference the same logo as the one on the soldiers in the Adirondacks, the orange circle with black center and white letting saying KENAZ on it.

“This group is particularly egregious. The CEO is nominally an Edward Albrecht.”

Ella’s mom, who was sitting next to her on the sofa, followed up on it “Nominally?”

“Their ownership structure is exceptionally opaque. Especially for government contractors.”

“What does it mean? Kenaz?” Harish asked. He had calmed down now. More than likely due to the Valium his mother had given him.

“Torch,” Arcsa said. “In Nordic runes.”

After the news conference was over and Ella debriefed with Arcsa and several Aqrabuamelu soldiers, they made their way to a room that had been set aside for her family.

Ella held her mother’s arm and her father walked with Harish. Arcsa walked them down the hall, leading the way.

There were cries of “The Prophet leads the way! Blessed Innana has returned!” Especially from the many visiting Aqrabuamelu who had come for the cure. They went to their knees, forehead to the ground. Ella was too tired to make them stand up and just kept going. Her mother tensed each and every time.

They reached the room, two bunk beds, linen robes in the style of what the Aqrabuamelu wore, and what made Ella sigh in happiness, a private bathroom.

Luxury indeed for the Aqrabuamelu.

“I will leave you to rest. Eleanor shall stay with you tonight to help if you need anything but tonight should be one for family. Please use this phone if you need anything. Food will be brought shortly.”

He closed the door on his way out.

“So this is where you have been living?” Navneet eyes the spartan metal beds, the bare cement floors and walls, the small functional bathroom.

“What me? No! I would kill for a private bathroom. My usual room is just a few doors over.”

Ella thought about introducing her squad to her family, they had apparently all met when Ella had been… well unconscious. But she thought better of it when she saw how tense, how worn out they were.

“Mother, why don’t you take a shower and clean up. Here is a robe for you. The soap is actually quite good and smells nice. Like chamomile.”

Her mother let Ella lead her to the bathroom, and eventually Ella heard the shower kick on.

“Harish, I know today has been well… hell. You definitely got a crash course. So… do you want me to tell you the full thing or do you need time?”

She looked at Harish who still looked grey. He looked from Ella to their father and actually moved to get a hug from their father.

“Yes…” he sounded uncertain and was quiet.

“So it all started when Charlie and I were coming home late one night. We were waiting for the subway to take us back when…” and she started going through the story once again.

At some point her mother came out and listened. She winced when Ella admitted to her first kills in Miami and then actually interrupted when Ella got to curing Tauthe.

“You cured infertility?”

“Magically induced infertility. See there is this little knot on a chromosome and I unravel it, and it all comes apart across their body.”

“You can see chromosomes?”

“Well yeah. I am really good at small stuff. I think I can solve some long standing problems in physics! But larger stuff… I end up like what happened in the Adirondacks.”

Ella got up and got some water from the dining cart someone had brought in.

After she finished she sat there watch Harish.

“So… you are like what yo the Aqua, Aqra…”

“Charlie said it best. I’m the leader of a magical cult that has infiltrated most of the elite military units around the world.”

“And this Emperor?”

“Well given he is trying to kill me and attacked you. Asshole.”

“Are you really…” Harish struggled a bit to say what he wanted, “my sister?”

Ella thought about it for a moment. “I would say yes. But I have no idea what I am anymore.” She felt that was a cold place to leave it. “I love you guys, you know? But I doubt I am the same person I was a year ago. So I am your sister but I’ve been through a lot.”

Her father spoke, “And all this killing? Doesn’t it bother you?”

Ella thought about it. It did bother her in an abstract way. “Emotionally? I think I am disassociated from it. Maybe that will have a cost later. I never knew it would be like this…”

“Be like what?”

“Be something I am good at.”

They all took a moment to process that statement, including Ella.

Harish wasn’t done, “You put two bullets into that one guy. He was unconscious.”

“Yeah. I did.” Ella took a moment to explain, “It wasn’t safe to leave him there when we didn’t know how many more hostiles there were. I didn’t have time to tie him up or anything.”

“But, if you did, would you have?”

“Sure. That guy was a mercenary not a real enemy. He probably had a family. At least a mother and a father. I am not a sociopath. I’m just…”

And here Ella ran out of what to say.

Arcsa from the doorway interrupted, “… pragmatic.” He waited a moment, “I’m sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed.”

Perhaps that was a loaded questions. They all took turns thinking about what they needed here. Their house was in ruins, there had been a kill squad sent to it, and the daughter of the family had turned out to be a ruthless killer.

“I think we need time…” Harish said. He looked at Ella.

“Do you want me to give you some space? I can go sleep in with my squad.” Ella said tentatively.

Harish wasn’t that obtuse, he knew what she was asking, “No. I think you should stay with family.”

“I’m going to hug you.”

“Just don’t cry. You get snotty and gross.”