to regular parents as well. It's as though the Light is paving the way . . . and somewhere there must be schools that guide these gifted children. We all cannot be warriors forever, and yet, this is also a way to fight the Darkness. Light up one mind and you have cast out an army of demons and affected potential generations."
"That is so true," Damali said in a reverent tone, glancing around the shop. "But where . . . how do you secure the space?"
Mehki nodded, waving his hand toward the left side of the long, rectangular facility. "The bookstore doubles as our library and it has room enough for community classroom space-gotta educate the masses, too.Must give the people small sips of water until they learn how to take a big gulp." He turned to his right and indicated toward the caf�. "But for them to retain the knowledge, they have to eat right. This caf� doubles as our kitchen for the Guardian team and the children's school. We feed the public, but also our own . . . and you have to cook your own and not lean on the toxic poison out there that pollutes the mind, body, and spirit."
"Say it again loudly, brother," Marlene said with a wide smile, looking around the team. "I am still working on these people, trust me."
"Getting off the fried chicken wings is like breaking a drug addiction," Mehki said, laughing. "You know I'm from Philly where the basic saying is, 'Ain't no thing but a chicken wing,' and we were raised on cheese steaks, hoagies, and mustard pretzels served by old men who vended, didn't wash their hands, and seemed like they hadn't bathed in a week. So, if I can change,a Neteru team can-c'mon, now, people."
Tension-relieving laughter filled the sacred space and Big Mike rubbed a palm over his scalp with a wide grin.
"Brother, you killin' me. I'm trying to get off the ribs . . . but you know, every time I think I'm safe, they keep pulling me back in."
"I'm not killing you, man, that pork is," Mehki said, laughing harder.
"I keep telling the brother," Shabazz said, shaking his head. "But I can't do nuthin' with him."
"Yeah, well, wait until Aquila and Urhra get on him. Our team mother and father donot play with the food thing atall . Just warning you . . . and Miss Deloresgot, uhm . . . things explained to her on day one. It's all good."
"Praisebe !" Marlene said, shaking her head as Inez covered her mouth and laughed into her hands. "Now when I see Delores it won't be no mess, if another whole team got on her about her kitchen ways."
Mehki held up his hands, his infectious grin still making members of the Neteru squad chuckle. "I wasn't in it. Now through the center doors in the middle of the facility is where the courtyard is. We've poured enough libations to fry anything that might try to bubble up to the surface . . . and overhead, we have mosquito nets cast from the tops of one building to another, but have spun silver going through it, and then we purified it with incense and prayers, and our tacticals put a serious charge on it. That way our little ones can play out there unmolested."
With a proud nod, Mehki bade the team to follow him out the large center doors. "When we get across the courtyard, you've gotta take off your shoes when you go inside . . . we've got paper slippers at the door. Cool?"
"Cool," Marlene said, eyeing the group hard.
"Brother Mehki, you just have to forgive them," Damali said with a sigh as bodies bristled. "They just came out of a firefight in Detroit and don't wanna drop weapons or do anything that can make them feel vulnerable."
"We understand," he said calmly, "butit's house policy."
"I know," Shabazz said, glancing around at the team. "Weknow."
Although no one agreed, the squad followed Mehki through the double doors that led out to the open-air courtyard. Despite all his assurances of security measures, the battle-fatigued Neteru squad went on instant alert, entering the yard like a Delta Force on two-by-two detail, hugging the perimeter, weapons raised, and hand signals the only form of communication. By the time they got the short hundred yards across to the other building, Mehki's former mirth had dissipated.
"What have you guys just been through?" he asked quietly, his expression completely sobered.
"The darkside raised Dracula,