Dave and Jake headed for the shed where the radio set was.

"I've discovered something remarkable Dave," he said on the way, "I want you to hear this.

"Southgate calling Eden, over."

There was the usual pause.

"Hi Jake, how did the trip go?"

Jake was pleased to hear Bill's voice again.

"It was short Bill, we just ran into a snow storm, remember them?"

"Not if I can help it," came the reply.

"I've got some more news for you guys, are you ready for this?"

"Ha, sure, I'm sitting down, fire away Jake."

"The berries do more than heal, they regenerate every part of us."

"How do you mean Jake?"

"Well, we can see in the dark for one thing, and run miles without getting tired, Oh, and we can jump very high too. Both Martha and I did all these whilst out trekking. We only found out we could do this stuff when we had to run for our lives to get out of a blizzard."

"Boy, that's fascinating Jake, I'll tell Steve when I see him. Any news from the other guys yet?"

"No not yet, and for some reason, I feel a little uneasy about it. Any news from your end for us?"

"Yes, things are really moving here, we're building a modified glider, it should be ready in a week or so. I'll keep you posted."

"Thanks Bill, over and out."

Jake and Dave left the shed, and Dave tried a jump to see what would happen. He reached about one and a half times his own height. "The berries haven't had as long to work on you," Jake rea.s.sured him, "give it time."

On reaching the others by the fire, Jake looked at Martha, who stopped him before he could speak.

"I know," she said, "you're worried about Zeek and Betty, I am too." She stood up, "I think we should go and look for them."

There was urgency in her voice that worried him.

"Here," he said, reaching into his back pack, "share these out between you."

He gave Dave a handful of berries. Martha did the same, but kept some for her and Jake. They all ate.

"We're going after them, you can come if you like."

"We'll come with you," Dave replied, and all the other Thomases followed. They didn't bother to take anything with them; they just set off South at a terrific pace.

A few hours had pa.s.sed, and Betty woke up with a start. "It's all right Betts, I'm here." She just reached up and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Thanks," she said.

"For what?"

"Just being here," she answered.

The crowd around the fire was getting ugly. Curses were being hurled at Betty and Zeek. Evermore foul in both language and content.

"These guys are sick," Betty said, in an over-loud voice. Zeek just smiled, he too was feeling more than a little fed up with this whole escapade.

"Shut up vermin," the guard hissed through the doorway.

"Make me, foul breath," Zeek hissed back.

The guard thought better of it and stayed outside, but Zeek was fired up now and didn't want to let it lie there. He was up in a flash and had the guard by the throat. He physically lifted him off the floor with one hand and would have choked him but for the commotion outside. Instead, he threw him back out of the hut across the dirt in front of it, and stepped outside and yelled, "HEY, Beastie boy, we're leaving."

He grabbed Betty's arm and pulled her outside. Beast rose up and screamed like something demented. He ran at Zeek like a mad man, but Zeek smashed him in the jaw with a right hook that sent him flying backwards. He landed just about where he had started from and lay on the ground without moving. Another two of them rushed at Betty who deftly side stepped and tripped both of them as they went past. They fell into Zeek, who caught both of them and banged their heads together with a sickening crunch.

"WE'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!" Betty screamed in defiance. The hatred rose in the rest of the Beast's followers and they all ran at Betty, screaming and hissing murderous threats at the two holy ones in their midst.

As they came towards her, Thomases came flying out of the trees from all directions, closely followed by Jake and Martha. Betty and Zeek leapt into the fray landing right in the middle of it. Filthy ones were flying right and left. Jake was picking them up two at time and throwing them against the trees. They weren't getting up again. Martha and Mary formed a triangle with Betty and floored any who came within reach. Dave was running around the outer edge picking off all who tried to escape. Danny pushed a giant of a man backwards with one hand. He fell over Sarah who had crouched down behind him, and young Paul finished him with a blow to the chin as he went down. The three kids rubbed their hands together and set off after another victim.

The sound of hatred slowly diminished as good defeated evil. The battle lasted only a few minutes until all the sc.u.m were silent. One or two moaned in pain, but none of them were moving. The realisation of what had just happened began to dawn on the victors, and anger gave way to laughter. They all shook the dust of the Beast and his followers off their shoes as they left the camp, heading back towards the cabins.

Zeek caught up with Betty to hear her silently saying, "Thank You Lord."

He waited till she had finished and put his arm around her.

"Amen," he said, giving her a squeeze. "I meant what I said the other day Betts, I do believe, He's my G.o.d too now."

She hugged him tightly and said, "What am I to do with you now young Zeek?"

"Marry me," he replied, so loud that everyone else could hear.

She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him.

"That I will," she responded, and kissed him.

Young Sarah stood watching, "How romantic," she sighed.

But the mood was somewhat broken by young Paul saying, "Yyyyuuuuuukkkkkk."

Chapter Twenty.

Chapter 11.

The Return "How's it coming Tris?" Steve asked, on entering the workshop.

"It's going well Steve, we still have some minor niggles to iron out, but a few more days ought to see it completed."

"Good work, let me know if you need anything."

Steve left feeling distinctly old. Young Tris had really taken over the whole department and obviously loved every minute of it. Before he'd gone too far, he turned and called back, "Hey Tris, fancy coming with us when we go and fetch them?"

"You bet!" Came the excited reply. Actually, Steve had an ulterior motive for inviting Tris along on the trip; he wanted him to survey the main ship with a view to making modifications to it. Steve was developing a retirement plan of his own.

The walk back to the settlement seemed shorter each time he did it. The news from Earth had really intrigued him, did he have the same abilities as Jake? Steve wanted to find out, but Clare met him half-way.

"Hi Hun, penny for them."

"What? Oh, sorry Sweetie, I was miles away."

"You were thinking about Jake," she said. "That's right, how did you know?"

"After that last radio message, it's what everyone is thinking about, should we find out what we can do?" She teased, but before he could answer she was off running like the wind. Steve set off after her, and to his amazement, he soon caught her up. It was no effort at all so they kept going until they reached the lake. It was still no effort, so they set off around the edge of the lake and soon reached the other side.

"This is wonderful," Clare said, giggling like a school girl, "I don't feel tired at all, and we've run a couple of miles."

Steve didn't answer, he had something else on his mind. He accelerated away from Clare and cut in front of her. She stopped running and just looked at him with her mouth open. Steve had run onto the lake, but wasn't so much in it, as on it.

"Come on," he shouted, "see if you can do it too." Clare was not one to pa.s.s up a challenge, so she started after him. She hit the waters edge and kept going.

"Weeeee," she screamed out in glee, "I'm running on the water." She was so focused on herself that she didn't see Steve standing some way off to her right. He just stood and watched the woman he loved having the time of her life. When she did eventually see him, he was sitting cross-legged on the water with his head resting on his hands staring at her. She slowed to a walk and came over to him.

"Pull up a wave," he said laughing.

"Is this for real?" she said, as she sat by his side.

"Oh it's real all right, I'm wet through, and the water's freezing.

"Sweetie, while we're here and on our own, can I run something by you?"

"Of course Hun, what's on your mind?"

He thought for a moment before speaking.

"I've been thinking about John and Lisa, and how they've sort of retired. Do you fancy doing something similar?"

Now it was her turn to think awhile.

"Yes, Hun, I've been thinking along those lines myself, but I was waiting for you to suggest it, now, what's this idea you've had?"

Steve was staggered at her perception and said, "Come on, let's get off this water and I'll tell you on the way home."

The group arrived back at the cabins still somewhat elated at all that had happened. Dave and Mary had been holding hands most of the way, as had Jake and Martha.

"There must be something in those berries-" Jake said, but Martha cut him off.

"It's called youth," she said, with a rye smile.

"Ah...So that's it. We're all having a second childhood. No wonder I feel so funny."

She gave him a dig in the ribs. "Is that, funny, funny, or funny, funny?"

"Oh, definitely the second funny," he said, "especially when you're around."

"Ah," she said, "that funny! Would it help you to know that I feel that funny about you too?"

Jake smiled at her, at last he could stop being professional.

"Hey Zeek," he called out, "it's going to be a double wedding!"

A loud cheer went up, and Betty and Martha looked at each other and both mouthed, 'Yes!'

Celebrations went on late into the evening. No one noticed it getting dark until Sarah attracted everyone's attention.

"Look everyone, the moon is rising." They all turned to look at it. It was a beautiful sight, shining as usual against a black sky, but a wonderful green colour.

"Look Jake," Zeek said, pointing, "it's a green thing!"

No one else got the joke, but Jake and Zeek knew exactly what it meant.

"It's not all green," Danny said, a few seconds later, "there's a blue patch."

He pointed it out to the others, and sure enough, there was a patch of blue just discernible.

"Berries?" Betty asked, "They're blue."

"Could be water," Martha said, "though our lake is green too."

"Well, we'll find out soon enough folks," Jake said, "we'll be back up there in a few days."