“Why are you doing this?” I shouted as they dragged me
towards the hall where the council members convened. Once inside, Joshua and
Janessa were thrown in beside me.
What's going on?
I asked Joshua,
careful not to let anyone else know we were speaking to one another.
I'm not sure. Two guards came in when Isaura hadn't
returned and they got Fabian to find out why we were in the room without the
patient. Fabian is next in command so without Isaura's body we're under some
scrutiny.
I don't see why. She's dead, he wanted her dead and it's
done. She's not coming back, Josh. Not ever.
You and I both know that
, he told me.
They don't
quite understand the potential of what she was capable of. They're afraid of
her, but even more afraid she'll return and retaliate against them
.
I sighed watching as the members of the government all took
their seat at the long mahogany table. Janessa, Joshua and I stood with guards
keeping a watch on the door. Fabian stood alongside us. Had he intended on
betraying us all along?
“Olivia, Joshua.” The eldest member Douglas recognized us,
giving a faint nod. “And, you dear, are who?”
“Janessa,” she breathed barely audible. Her voice was
fragile, fear showed in her eyes.
Douglas began the inquisition, “Fabian, tell me what's going
on, please.”
Fabian took a step forward. “For the past several months,
Isaura has been working against our command and our instruction. She had
abducted women from their homes, some with the promise of fortune and a child
and others just out of pure need and want. She's experimented on them, drugged
them and forced them against their will to participate in the most advanced and
insane scientific endeavor imaginable.”
Douglas sighed. “She's been working on fixing the problem
with conceiving children.” Had he given Isaura permission after all? Did he
know what she was up to in the lab? “Where is she now for the crimes against
humanity that she's committed?”
Fabian sighed. “I'm not exactly sure. Olivia claims that
she's dead, but we've no body.”
“I see,” Douglas answered. “Please Olivia,” he gestured. “We'd
like to hear your side of it.”
I stepped forward glancing at Fabian. Was I supposed to
protect him? Would he have protected me? I wasn't sure he would have.
“I was asked while in Spade to come here and assassinate
Isaura. That ending her life may end some medical breakthroughs, but it would
also bring peace and stability to the turbulent nation.” It wasn't a secret
that the Republic of Cabal had its problems. “Joshua, Janessa and I volunteered
for the mission. Isaura had in the past proven instable at best. She'd come to
Spade for me and would have destroyed the town months ago had I not volunteered
to go with her. Just as she had destroyed Shadow.” I felt my stomach somersault
and the blood boil inside of me. My skin had reddened, my hands trembled. “When
men from Cabal came and told me she needed to be stopped, I was willing to do
the job to protect the women we'd rescued and saved. Some are capable of conceiving,
a few already have,” I admitted. “She may have left a mark on society both good
and bad but you have to understand she wouldn't stop what she was doing.”
“And you felt killing her was the only course of action?”
Douglas asked.
“Am I guilty of murdering Isaura? Yes,” I answered. “I'm
prepared to face whatever consequences await, but I'll have you know she would
have killed all of us if it was to her advantage. She would have stopped at
nothing to get what she wanted.”
“And what about Mindonsiphan? Is it not true that you've
been treated with a great magical medicine that can bring us down to our knees?”
“Is that why you're afraid?” We've never threatened them
using our abilities, our power, or our strength. “Isaura was treated with it,
too, so were her test subjects. You can't ignore the world around you is
changing.”
Douglas sighed, glancing at the other members of the room. “Duly
noted. We need to speak alone. Please take the three of them out into the
waiting chambers. You may remove their handcuffs.”
Janessa and Joshua's hands were unbound by Fabian before we
stepped into the hall just outside the room.
“You protected me,” Fabian breathed, surprised I hadn't
named him as one of the men who had ordered the assassination on Isaura.
“What good would it do not to?” I asked. I reached over hugging
Joshua.
No matter what happens, go back to Spade. I'll come find you
.
Joshua moved back from my arms, giving me a peculiar look. I
pulled him back against my chest giving him a kiss as the doors opened and they
called us back in for their verdict. It was hardly a trial. Perhaps because
they hadn't wanted the entire country to know what Isaura had been up to.
“Joshua and Janessa we hereby order you to leave the town of
Torv and The Republic of Cabal at once. You are forever banished from stepping
foot on the soil of The Republic of Cabal for your crimes against the
government: espionage, treason, and assassinating a government official.”
Joshua shook his head in disgust. He didn't say anything. He
didn't have to. I could see how he was feeling just by the look in his eyes.
Go
home,
please
. I told him again.
“Olivia you are hereby sentenced to life in prison. You are
forever banished from The Republic of Cabal after your life and you should be
buried far from our soils for your crimes.”
“Wait!” I held up a hand.
“You don't get a say in this.” The eldest gentleman, bald
and in his upper eighties stared me down.
“I accept my sentence, I ask that you please consider my
request. There is a town north of where Haven used to lie known as Spade.”
“We're aware of the town of Spade,” he answered. “They
haven't any representatives in our council. What are you asking?”
I sighed. “They are formally declaring themselves a country
from the south-most point of Haven north through Spade.” I would do this for
Henry. Joshua would have a home and the women that we'd rescued would be safe
in their own country, protected and cared for.
“What if I say no?” he asked amused.
“War will fall on The Republic of Cabal and you thought the
Red Plague was bad? I can assure you, The Republic of Cabal will burn like the
boils of the Red Plague singed our skin. You so much as consider touching
anyone in Spade and I myself will be sure to haunt your town and torment you
upon my death.”
A nervous laughter erupted in the hall. The eldest gentleman
raised his hands to silence them. “That's enough. Your husband Joshua and
friend Janessa can have Spade. Frankly, I don't care. They so much as set foot in
Cabal–any one of your people–and I will personally see to it that they're
executed for trespassing.”
Joshua's eyes narrowed. “Touché.”
“Now get the girl out of here!” He waved his arm at me and
Fabian led me down to the prison.
I didn't get to say goodbye to Joshua. He'd been escorted
out with Janessa and I'd been taken down to a prison cell.
“I'm sorry.” Fabian stared at me sadly. “I hadn't meant for
any of this to happen. Well, not like it had,” he confessed.
I sat on the cot, my feet at the edges of the dirt floor. “I'm
not afraid,” I said. “I just hope you won't get into any trouble for this.”
Fabian frowned. “It'd be best if you sent the eldest down here first to have a
word with me. Someone who can verify you locked me up.”
“You're not planning on escaping, are you?” Fabian asked.
That's when it dawned on him, like a switch had been flicked. “It's why you
wanted Spade to be its own territory. So that they couldn't come for you,
arrest you again.”
“Precisely.” I grinned, waving him off. “Send your eldest
council member to fetch me food or a blanket. Something that he can see I'm
here and locked up.”
Fabian eyed me skeptically. “I can't let you go. You do know
that, right?” He looked almost apologetic though I supposed it was because he'd
gotten me into this mess. Truth was he was probably glad for it. He was now the
commanding officer and had control over the medical and science facilities of
The Republic of Cabal. I just hoped he'd be honorable in how he handled things.
At least for now, the women in Spade were safe and could have children.
“I'm not asking for your help,” I assured him. “Just go
fetch the elder.” He headed up the steps. My fingers smoothed over the bracelet,
glad they hadn't taken it away from me. Had they I don't know what I'd have
done. I sighed, glancing around the cell. It was cool and dark. There were no
windows. Genesis' prison had been a remarkable step up compared to Torv.
Several minutes passed before the elder appeared carrying a
plastic bottle of water. “You had to send for me? Care to enlighten me as to
why?” He asked. “I won't be back down again,” he told me. “Though I will tell
you one thing.” He laughed. “You did take a huge problem off my shoulders.
Isaura was out of control and needed to be stopped.”
“So you should have given me a medal, not thrown me in
prison.” I took the water from his hands and had a sip.
“If it were up to me…” his voice trailed off. “Alas, it's
not.” I sipped the water, his fascination almost frightening. “We had to make
an example of what you've done, Olivia. We can't allow high levels of our
society to be assassinated. You understand why you're here, don't you? I do
promise you that even though you're in prison you will be fed and well cared
for. We have no intention of torturing you or killing you any sooner. Consider
it our thank you gift.”
“I should be delighted,” I muttered having another sip
before closing the bottle and putting it down on the cot beside me. “I do have
one other request.” I paused thinking it over. “Have Joshua and Janessa left
already?”
The eldest responded, “Hours ago. Sorry you couldn't say
goodbye. If that was your request,” he shrugged, “you'll have to think up
something else.”
“Leave Spade alone.” My voice held warning, a threatening
tone and I needed him to understand if they came after me or attacked Spade I'd
do what needed to be done. We'd destroy the city of Torv and The Republic of
Cabal if necessary.
“I promise we have no intention of interfering in matters
north of Haven. We've never been close with Spade and have no reason to offer
trade or befriend them.”
“Very well,” I answered as he retreated for the stairs. I
could hear his heavy steps and waited until he was gone before focusing on the
bracelet. It would take me back to 2225. It wasn't the first place I wanted to
go but I could do it. I could get back to Spade. I just needed to break out of
prison.
The moment I shifted through time it had been easier than
the last. I'm not sure whether I was getting better at it or it just became
something natural with the bracelet secured to my wrist. My eyes took a moment
to adjust as a cloud of smoke and haze came down the stairs and enveloped the
prison cell.
I cursed beneath my breath, my hands worked at the iron bars
trying to get free. I hadn't considered that I would be stuck in 2225 in
prison! I opened my lips, prepared to scream out for help when a shadow moved
through the smoke. “Hello? Is anyone else down here?” I asked certain I'd seen
someone just outside my cell.
I felt the breeze of the body as the smoke swirled around
him. “What are you doing in there?” he asked, coming up to the cell door,
staring down at me curiously, he was almost a full foot taller than me.
“It's a long story. One I don't think either of us have time
for. Is there a fire?” His voice was thick with a foreign accent. One I'd heard
only once before in Haven. The man had the same dark skin and brown eyes. He
looked familiar but it was impossible. “Can you help me,
please
?” I
begged, my hands gripping the iron metal, relieved it hadn't been hot. The fire
wherever it was would be coming for us, that is if the smoke didn't kill us
first.
“Let me find the key,” he said disappearing into the fog
laid cloud of smoke.
“Hello?” I called not hearing anything, had he left me here
to die? What other option did I have? Return to present day and die in a cell
slowly or die quickly now? From out of the smoke the man coughed and wheezed,
the keys jingling in his hand as he tried the first and then the second until
finally he found the one that unlocked the cage I had been trapped inside. “Thank
you!” I breathed throwing my arms around him in an embrace. He seemed awkward,
unmoving and I let go.
“You're not infected, are you?” He asked with hesitation
after I touched him.
“No. Vaccinated today.” I showed him the pierced skin and
bruise that was now forming on my arm.
“Good, me, too.” He led me back up the stairs through the
smoke. The building was on fire. “Come on,” he told me leading me along the
first floor and towards the front exit. Flames hovered and licked the walls and
I ducked, careful not to get burned as I maneuvered with the man towards the
door. The fire terrified me, the heat radiating from all sides, scorching me as
sweat dribbled down my forehead. The fire blazed brighter as I reached the open
door, throwing myself outside, unsure how I didn't catch on fire. He followed
right behind, barely escaping the flames as he gasped for air.
“You okay?” I looked him over, glad to see neither of us had
been burned.
“Not used to such excitement,” he admitted. “Come along now.”
He led me down the street. “You'll have to tell me how you got in that cell.
The prison here hasn't been used in years.”
I laughed nervously wondering how you tell someone you just
met that you are actually from the future. “It's a long story,” I smiled. “I
need to head north home,” I explained. “Is there any way I might be able to
borrow a vehicle?”