she could determine if everything was still cool. The silent transaction took only seconds, yet the logistics of moving that many people, safely, weighed heavily on her shoulders. Her thoughts immediately went to Carlos with every footfall as she crossed the cobblestoned street. The man had so much on his head . . . if God would justplease give him a break.
As expected, the metal grates were pulled down over the Nile's large storefront plate-glass windows, but she peered between the steel bars to search for any signs of movement within. Everything was still, and yet she knew Guardians were watching her from some vantage point between the brightly hued African ensembles and books that decorated the left bank of windows or from the vegan caf� side of the shop that flaunted menus and flyers in the other windows on the right.
"Hotep.Enen-a Neter,ita em kheperaungkh. I submit to God who comes in the form of transformation and life," Damali said, standing at the front door.
Locks and tumblers turned and a rack of steel grating lifted. A thick-bodied, mahogany-toned warrior answered the door wearing only white meditation pantaloons.
"Praisebe to Neter," he said with a big smile. "I'm Mehki, the seer-healer you mind-locked with. "Herukhuti tua en pashet a Set hur Apep. I overthrow Satan's intelligent and animal evil." He paused for a moment and then glanced over Damali's shoulder, suddenly seeming worried that her team might have been harmed. "Where are the others?"
Damali waved her squad in from across the street. "We are all fine-no one from our Neteru squad was lost.Tua-k, Tua-tu, brother. Thank you so much."
Mehki waited until Damali's team was safely inside and then turned the series of bolts to secure the building. Moving swiftly, he went to a ceremonial altar that was arrayed with eucalyptus branches, sacred water, anointed candles, pinecones, garlic, fresh ginger, and spiceslaid out on a long red-and-purple tie-dyed cloth, and gathered an incense holder and a cylinder of clear water. He lit the incense and, within seconds, heavy plumes of pungent smoke filled the air. Without apology or permission, he splashed Guardians and the door and then swung the incensor toward them until the team was nearly choking. Appearing satisfied that no one had burst intoembers, he beamed as he returned his ceremonial items to the entrance altar.
"Mehki greets you warmly, brothers and sisters-welcome to our house. All is in the hands of the Divine and it is our honor to host you," he said, his eyes taking in the large group before him. "I teach Qi Gong body energy systems, martial arts, and am part of the Herukhuti brotherhood," he said proudly.
"Good to meet you, brother," Shabazz said, giving Mehki a Kemetian traditional embrace. "We are honored that you opened your home."
Mike and Inez stepped forward as Damali went around the team introducing Guardians and describing each person's gift.
"You took in my baby girl and my momma," Inez said, offering Mehki a deep Kemetian bow. "Thank you, bless you."
"We are blessed, sister," Mehki said. "You know it is African tradition to add to one's compound-there is always room at the table for one more. Neter blesses a full house. You do know that the baby has sight, a future Guardian in the making . . . every child belongs to the entire village; every elder is to be revered and their wisdom gleaned from." He glanced around excitedly. "The child is strong."
"Yes . . . Ayana is special and I bet Delores is having a good time here," Marlene said with a knowing smile, giving Inez a wink.
"I bet she is," Inez said with a slight chuckle. "And my momma needed somewhere she could hold court."
"We can wake them, if you'd like?" Mehki said, searching the faces around him.
"No, no," Inez said. "If I can just peek in on her and give her a kiss. . . ."
"This must be hard," Mehki said, looking first at Inez and then slowly sending his deep, compassionate gaze around the team. "That's why we had to open the school. We decided we just needed to create a bridge to the future, no matter what happened. Before, in the early days, like when we all got the call to step up, we had lived our entire lives feeling different, not knowing who we were. But have you noticed," he added, his eyes shimmering in the street lamplight that pierced the shop's darkness, "the children are coming faster, stronger, with the gifts-not just to Guardian parents, but