Iris Johansen - Dark Summer

"Wait a minute." Devon was trying to make sense of this. "You're saying that the dogs have no ability to heal?"

"No, the dogs can heal. That's been proved by those visits to the hospital. It just didn't start with a panacea created by Paco. There was never a panacea. It was always Marrok."

Marrok shook his head. "Paco had me feed the dogs the panacea."

"No panacea," Bridget said quietly. "You fed them, but you also petted them, you touched them, you lived with them. You gave them your strength. Just as they later gave it to those patients in the hospital. Shi'i'go ."

"Bullshit."

"I didn't think you'd accept it easily. The transfer doesn't seem to happen with people. It must be because there's an inherent healing ability in dogs anyway. Some people call it psychological, but it does exist. Ask nurses and doctors in any hospital. The dogs are strong but not nearly as strong as you. It's diluted in them. Why else did Paco make you come with him when he took Ned to visit a dying patient? He knew that he'd need you. It was a gamble with the dogs but not with you. And when Lincoln sent you on the missions with Ned, weren't you near them, touching every patient? I think Paco must have first noticed your effect on the dogs. They weren't aging, they were growing in strength. Then he started experimenting." She looked him in the eyes. "It's true, Marrok."

"What you believe is truth. Paco told Danner it was the dogs." His hand clenched into a fist on the table. "He was being beaten to death, and he told him it was the dogs."

"To protect you. He loved you. So he sacrificed the dogs. But he loved the dogs, too, and wanted to make it right. He told you that you had to protect them, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"And you did, Marrok," she said softly. "All these years, you did. You put aside everything, you grew, you worked and became a very special human being that had nothing to do with shi'i'go ." She got to her feet. "I've got to get back to the helicopter pad. It's almost time."

Marrok stood up. "I don't believe any of this, you know."

"You believe some of it. After it sinks in you'll believe more." She handed him the envelope. "It's the family tree of the Munoz family. I had it copied. I thought you might want it."

"Why didn't you tell him before?" Devon asked. "Why wait until now?"

"Do you know how much power a healer has? It's staggering. Misused, it could create chaos, sway the fate of countries as Lincoln was having you do. It would inspire worship or hatred depending on what side of the fence you are on. When Marrok was a boy, he hated the whole world. If he'd had power then, it would have been a disaster. Later, as he matured, it became better, but there was still that streak of bitterness and violence. He had to work his way through it." She started across the patio. "I think I hear the rotors of the helicopter. Are they close, Marrok?"

"Yes, five minutes to the south," he said absently. "And I don't like the idea of you and your precious family treating me as if I couldn't make decisions for myself."

"We just wanted to make sure they were the right decisions. You had a fondness for death and mayhem." She smiled. "And it's your family, too… cousin."

He thought about it. Then he smiled faintly. "As long as I can pick and choose. You wouldn't be too bad as a relation."

"Don't turn your back on Jordan and the others. You may need all the help you can get. Devon said she thought you needed a challenge. I just handed you a king-size one. The dogs may be safer because there was no panacea, but you're going to be faced with monumental decisions. You can't heal everyone, and there will be people who will hate you for not being able to do it."

He scowled. "If I even believe a tenth of what you're telling me."

"But you'll have to experiment, you'll have to find out what's truth and what's not. That's your nature." She started across the stretch of lawn, then stopped and turned around. "I've only run into one other healer, but if you need help, call me, and I'll put you in touch with him. I hear he wasn't any happier than you about discovering that talent." She smiled. "Good-bye. Next time I come, I promise it will be a social occasion." She turned and walked rapidly toward the descending helicopter.

"I'm… stunned," Devon said as she watched her. "It's plausible, but I'm still having to turn my thinking around."

"Don't be too quick. I haven't seen any proof."

And he didn't want it to be true, Devon thought. Who could blame him? The responsibility would be staggering, and there was still too much of the wild, reckless Marrok in him to accept it calmly.

Calm? No way. Not Marrok.

"And this may not be proof either. May I?" She took the envelope from him and opened it. She studied the paper and handed it to him. "Only a family tree as Bridget said. Very carefully documented for the Munoz branch of a Devanez family. Your name is on it."

His lips lifted in a crooked smile. "You mean the bad penny was actually acknowledged at last?"

"Acknowledged? If Bridget is right, you may well be the superstar."

"Disgusting." He grimaced. "I don't want to be a superstar. I want to be left alone."

"Then ignore everything Bridget told you." She turned and started walking toward where the dogs were playing. "Look how beautiful they are. Gracie's coat is shinier than I've ever seen it. She's very happy here."

"You're changing the subject."

"Yes. I'm going to start accepting search and rescue missions again next month. Bridget says Gracie gets upset on the missions. May I take Ned?"

"Of course. I may go with you."

She shook her head. "You'll be too busy." She stooped and patted Ned, who had run up to her. "Because you're not going to be able to ignore what Bridget said. You'll be reaching out, searching, experimenting, just as your Paco did. Bridget says it's your nature, but I think Paco gave it to you as a gift." She picked up a large twig and threw it with all her strength. Ned took off, and the other dogs raced after him. "Just as he gave you his dogs. He may have wanted you to save them, but he wanted them to help you, too. He wanted them to give you something he thought you needed."

Marrok watched the dogs running joyously, muscles flexing, tails pluming in the bright sunlight.

He took Devon's hand. " Shi'i'go ? "

She nodded. "In the very best sense." Her grasp tightened on his. "Summer."