Chapter 28

THE ENIGMATIC LYNX

House of Fourteen, Santa Monica, California, United States

Since Gen had sent Jack back after they had retrieved the sword, and before her meeting with the council, she was on her own leaving the House of Fourteen. It was actually nice to have a moment alone in the entryway to reflect and connect with the walls she’d helped to forge. She placed her hand on the walls, enchanted by how the symbols lit up and danced under her fingertips.

“He never quit looking for you,” a voice said at Gen’s back.

She spun around, not sensing that anyone was around her. Gen expected to turn around and find a man standing at her back, since the voice was male. That’s why she was surprised when sitting casually in front of her was an unassuming black and white cat. He was mostly white with large spots of black. His green eyes held a strange wisdom and she knew at once who he was.

“You’re Plato, aren’t you?” she asked, a little surprised she was talking to a cat, although she shouldn’t be. Gen had conversations with Faraday, the scientist squirrel. Also, she had a dragon who talked in her head, so why should this be that strange.

He nodded, standing up, his tail zipping into the air. It was all black, save for the tip which was white.

“You belong to Liv, right?” Gen questioned. “They say you’re a mysterious lynx. What does that mean?”

“No one belongs to anyone,” the animal said. “But I will say that I prefer Liv over all other people, ever. So I guess she’s my person.”

“That’s sweet,” Gen remarked.

Plato twitched his nose, like he didn’t like that description. “And the type of creature I am is a lynx and they call me mysterious because I often appear without warning and disappear much the same way. I know things. I’m sort of an enigma.”

“Right,” Gen said, looking back at the wall of symbols. “A second ago, what did you say?”

“You heard me,” the cat said deliberately.

“You are talking about my father,” Gen stated, turning to face the lynx again. “He never quit looking for me. How do you know that? How old are you?”

“It’s hard to say,” he answered. “And I know things.”

“Well, that’s sweet and I’m sorry if I worried him,” Gen replied, feeling the sentimentality of the moment weigh her down slightly.

“He knows and was very happy to see you come through finally in the twenty-first century. He and Elizabeth like watching you. They are very proud.”

“Oh, you can go to the Land of Chimera?” Gen asked. “Is that what you are?”

He shook his head. “I can go anywhere…”

“I guess I know why people say such strange things about you.”

“What do they say?” he asked, then shook his head. “Never mind. I already know. I always know.”

Gen actually laughed at this, surprised by how weird and wonderful this strange lynx was. “Can you tell me any more about my father and Elizabeth?”

“What do you think?” he asked dryly.

Gen nodded. “Probably not. I heard you only give cryptic information and only when you feel like it, much like Mama Jamba and Papa Creola.”

He nodded. “I dare say, I taught them how to do it right.”

She gave him a curious look, trying to understand exactly what this inconspicuous creature was. “Well, it was nice to meet you. So you just popped up to tell me what? That my father never quit looking for me? That’s sad. I’m sure that was heartbreaking. I’m sorry I made him worry so.”

“You can’t be blamed,” Plato said dismissively. “And things happen. It makes people grow. We can lament on how unfortunate it is or be grateful that things happen for our growth.”

“Did my disappearance help his growth?” Gen questioned. “He’d lost one of his daughters.”

“Some things only grow in darkness,” Plato replied with an edge of mystery to his voice.

Gen simply nodded.

“Also, I came to formally meet you,” Plato continued. “It seems you’ve arrived in this new world creating a lot of problems.”

She sighed. “That’s what I do. I’ve always been like that. It’s like trouble is magnetized to me.”

“Or you’re just willing to point it out when others turn a blind eye to it,” he related. “That must be exhausting.”

She shook her head. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I might get bored.” Gen laughed at herself.

“You sound like a real Beaufont,” he imparted.

“I am one,” she argued.

“Then maybe remember what Chip said to you last when you were leaving MystTech Creations,” he began. “What did he say… Oh, right, ‘I’m sure that everything will turn out okay. A woman like you, who is strong and smart will always come out on top. I believe that, anyway.’”

Gen blinked at him in disbelief. “That is what he said. But how do you know…” She trailed away, realizing she was asking the wrong question. Everyone had told her that Plato wasn’t understandable. Even Liv had related this. He was powerful and all-knowing and no one knew why.

“Why do you think that last phrase from Chip was important?” Gen asked.

“I just do,” he answered. “Doesn’t sound like the words of a guilty man, in my opinion. But maybe of a remorseful one who knew what was coming.”

Gen looked up with a sudden realization. It hit her so hard. So cold. So forcefully. “Of course. Chip didn’t set me up. But he knows who did. He was used. And he regretted it after getting to know me.” She thought for a moment. “Does that mean it was Dwayne?”

When she brought her gaze down to the floor, she was surprised to find the lynx had disappeared. But then she realized that after everything she’d learned about Plato, that she shouldn’t be shocked. That’s what he did—appeared with some great wisdom and disappeared before he could be thanked.

“Thank you, you sly little feline,” Gen said to herself, but truly believing that somewhere and somehow, Plato could hear her.