All Chapters of Center Land (Book 3 of Kendra's Journey): Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Kendra’s mind whirled as she followed Jeena to the food tent. She’d managed to convince Minerva to stay and answer more questions.  She discovered that the Amazon women were on a bi-annual surveillance trip about their territory and that they had a home with real buildings that they lived in.  These trips were to get an idea of what was happening in the area around them.  They rarely interacted with the people that they watched. They simply made note of what they were about so that they could keep on top of things should someone be planning a move that they would consider harmful to their own kind.  It also gave them an idea of how well the wildlife was faring.  They took a special interest in the well-being of the creatures who co-habited with them and dealt severely with those who were cruel or inhumane to them.She’d learned that, not only had they observed her and Rex making love, but they’d seen a blonde male and petite bl

His mouth was so dry that it felt like he’d swallowed a cup full of sand. He needed water, but there was no one in sight to ask for it.  He questioned if they’d give it to him anyway.  Since he’d been captured, the treatment that Rex had received was harsher than anything he’d experienced.  The flesh on the goose egg that the blow to his head had caused was broken, yet he’d been given no medical care for it.  He was so worried about infection that he’d used most of the water that his captors had provided to wash it out; leaving very little to quench his thirst with.His head finally felt clearer.  For quite a while, his world was nothing more than a dizzy blur.  Now, at least, he was able to decipher that he was being transported east toward a community of aliens to be sold or traded for staples that the Amazon camp was in need of.He’d tried to telepathically reach first Arthur and then Olga, but

Marta waited outside Minerva’s tent for Kendra.  They were breaking camp the following morning so this was her only opportunity to get her  away from camp unnoticed.  The alien village was but a day away.  They’d be there the following night and then the girl would be sold and the money would be in Minerva’s possession.She’d already conversed with Minerva and learned that the rogue queen was rapidly reaching her fill of the surface human in the bedroom.  It didn’t surprise her.  Minerva was a woman of exotic likes and dislikes.  From what Marta knew of what went on inside that tent, the foolish girl had allowed Minerva every liberty.  Of course, she was drugged the night before and Marta had no doubt that she’d been drugged again; especially since Marta had told her that it was a special Amazon drink that would help elongate her life.  She imagined Kendra willingly drank it when it was offered.&

They tussled with the idea of Ari and Felix returning to the village.  Felix was concerned about the welfare of the baby after his wife having gone through the trauma of having a knife held to her throat and then being pinned beneath extreme dead weight that covered her body completely.  Ari held firm to her insistence that she was fine and so was the baby.  She wasn’t about to go back to the village when the others were going to Center Land.  The academy at Center Land was, after all, her alma mater.  Of everyone in the group, she belonged going there the most.Kendra did  her best to emphasize that they had no plans of staying.  It was their intention to slip in, fetch Eugene, and slip out again.  The laughter that Ari emitted upon this statement sounded resentful and almost evil as she informed Kendra that no one simply slipped into Center Land.  She reminded her that the academy’s focus was to produce soldiers for t

Felix followed Olga as they walked in silence for a good distance.  His mind whirled over what type of conversation with his aunt was about to happen.  Was she going to speak to him about his desires for Kendra or his wife’s hatred for her?Ari had, somehow, discovered his secret longing for Kendra.  How did that happen?  If only she’d spoken to him about it.  He could have explained how it was an old feeling from a time when he thought that Kendra would be the only female he’d ever see and it just came and went from time to time. He was never good about change.  Anyone could tell her that.  He’d battled his aunt when it came time to move and wouldn’t have done so if it wasn’t for the fact that Rupert’s knowledge of where they lived was dangerous.  He’d  balked when Rex joined their little group and took a while to accept him. It was just his way.Seeing this side