When Isibel returned home it was dark outside. She walked into the house and that was the worst of it. The house was a living hell that incubated the past. The memories of her happiness. Upon opening the door, the room was nearly dark and things were sallowed, grayed out. She was a bad mother. She'd removed all of his things. Every little thing. The pictures he'd drawn that had been taped to the walls. She'd ripped them down one by one. His clothes. Friends and family had said don't rush. It's too soon. You'll want some of this.

She didn't want any of it. If it was over, it would be over.

She mourned. Then the government came. They came to collect whatever was left of her son's life. They didn't want the drawings and the little 6-year-old boy pairs of pants. They wanted his documents, they wanted his records. They'd thought he was something else but she'd protested so much, her plight was gaining attention. She'd publicly announced that she had evidence of his genetic purity.

She walked down the dimly lit hall. When she got to the bedroom she stood in the doorway. She could see a duffle bag on the bed, half open. Nole was packing. He was dressed in his military issue clothes. Black, gray, and brown camouflage pants. A black t-shirt. He didn't notice her for a moment. He was as tall as Caius but had a completely different physique. He had a strong but slender frame. He was less decisive than Caius and he carried that in his manner. In most ways that was a very good thing, it made him considerate and thoughtful. It had made him a good father. He had been patient with Kell and paid close attention to the things that had been important to their young son.

For a split second she longed for him.

Nole looked up and their eyes met. He subtly shook his head before turning and walking back over to the closet.

Isisbel walked into the room and stood near the bed, close to where he was packing.

He threw a pair of pants into the sack. Then his blue eyes looked into hers and stayed fixed a moment. "Where were you?"

Only then did she realize she was draped in wet clothing. She removed her overcoat and took off her vest underneath. She threw them on the bed. She was wearing wool pants and a long sleeved white shirt. She stood watching him for a moment, unconsciously ran her fingers over her steel wedding band.

Nole stopped packing and looked up at her. "Out?"

Instinctively she straighter her hair. She felt faint, tired from all of it. "Where are you going?"

"Where were you?"

She moved over and sat down on the bed. Her eyes filled with tears. "I went back to mom and dad's house." She looked up at him.

He nodded still angry, but then softened when their gaze met. "I don't know how you can do it. That's where Kell died — ."

" — Was killed." Her voice was hoarse.

Nole nodded. "Yes. Was killed."

" — a small child. Killed." She covered her face with her hands. "And they found out they were wrong, that his DNA was pure. But that didn't change anything."

Isibel waited but he didn't add to it. She hated this about him. His restraint or paralysis. He would just stop talking and the gulf between them would widen, it would deepen. It was like a child hiding in an obvious place, only he thinks he can't be seen.

"Are we done with the conversation?" she snapped and stood up, looking at herself in the mirror. Her hair had been held up under her knitted cap, under the parka. It was damp from sweat as she loosed it and it fell down her back.
"I'm leaving tonight. I'll be gone four weeks. I don't want — "

"Where are you going?"

"You know where I'm going." He let out a breath and tossed a framed picture of her into his gunnysack. He opened a drawer and retrieved a framed picture of Kell and threw it in too.

She watched him with what must have looked like contempt.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Why can't you act? Why can't you stand up for your son?"

"You don't know what you're talking about."

She eyed a military jacket in the corner. Boots. She let out a breath slowly and shook her head.

"You know where I'm going, Isibel." He walked closer to her and stood inches from her, despite his proximity he didn't lower his voice. "Is it convenient for you? I mean it must make it all easier."

"Nothing's easy." She snapped and pushed him hard. "Don't try to intimidate me."

He took her by the arm and held her there a moment. "I'm not the enemy," he whispered. He released her.

Isibel looked down "no. I know you aren't." She sat down on the bed. There was a flicker, a recollection of how things had been. That she'd been in love with him. Nole sat down beside her and moved her hair back away from her face. When she looked back up at him he almost looked frightened. Like a young boy. She turned to him and put her arms around him held him. She felt his warm breath on her cheek.

"I'm not the enemy," he whispered. He released her.

She thought of him. It would be freezing cold. It would be dangerous. Somehow she knew there were no rules out there. No humanity. The enemy wasn't built for that — they didn't have that kind of inefficiency.

Isibel sat straight and put her arms around him. She felt his lips on her neck.

The house was silent.

She pulled away again "How can you still want me?"

Nole shook his head, was serious and intent "I just do."

The penalties for infidelity of her kind were harsh. The government said they had to be. The Altmen were loosing their virulence. It wasn't just procreating. Experiences with humans had a profound effect on the expression of their DNA, with no explanation Altman genes were more susceptible to epigenetics. As a result the effects of experience had more significant impact on Altmen than humans. And, these changes persisted for generations. The only solution was to control exposure to human life and so exile and enactment of strict laws forbidding fraternization and moral treason. Human women were the scapegoats of society.

But relationships between the two were inevitable.

The first generation Altmen had been almost Godlike in their intellectual powers. Isibel didn't remember those days but her mother still did — a faint memory of these engineered humans being hailed the "human solution to the casualties of war." They rose quickly to power. Some formed factions and gained control over all levels of government; the relationship worked but was not amicable. One powerful sect of Altmen controlled the economy and the political systems. They didn't care about social policy just power and influence. Back then Altmen fraternized with humans. Indeed, most were celebrities and treated as special citizens. Altmen and humans began reproducing and the effect was problematic for both Altmen and humans. It appeared that human traits were almost always dominant. The Altman genome was recessive and with each generation they devolved. An unfortunate result was that they were also resistant to re-engineering.

First the government used propaganda to create animosity between Altmen and humans. The powerful sect of Altmen were caught off guard and destroyed, executed one at a time. You would think it resulted in an ongoing war but the transformation of society was swift and efficient. After taking back the power, the government put an end to interspecies coupling. Altmen were "bred" to save their genome. Without special perimit, Altman men and women were removed from human society. The men were allowed in with special permits. Caius was allowed in order to guard the land between the safe zone and the battle field, the territory once known as the neighborhood of Syvil.

The discrimination and hatred for Altmen began when interspecies coupling laws were introduced. Children were taken from their families and women who continued or started affairs with Altmen were executed.

Make no mistake. Women, you will sacrifice your life to save your species.

A few intellectuals and scientists had argued that the truth was Altmen were human. Really, everyone knew it was true and as much as the government said the harsh laws against interspecies coupling were to protect the human race from being tainted by Altman blood, the truth was that the humans diluted the Altman genome. In three generations, their intelligence dropped considerably making them less strategic and agile. Making them less effective soldiers. In everyday life there was no evolutionary need for such intellectual acuity and capacity. But, on the battle field it was advantageous.