The drone Joshua flew zipped past Haven and the two soldiers
who had no business in Haven did their best to hide around the west side of the
building. Joshua circled around and the men moved south, heading back to their
territory, away from Haven. Once the men had retreated, Joshua found an empty
plot of land and put the drone down on the ground.
The glamour faded around me as I ran for the drone, not
caring that the soldiers now could see me. It wasn't my first priority.
“Olivia!” I heard Joshua's voice and my eyes lit up in
excitement. Finally, I was home! I ran for him, just twenty feet away as he
climbed out of the drone. My arms outstretched ready to hug him, to grab him,
to pull him to me. “Watch out!” he screamed, the words barely out of his lips
as he pushed me aside.
My eyes widened in shock as the bullet fell to the ground,
just before it reached his chest. “Quick, come on!” he insisted as I climbed in
behind him. He closed the hatch around us and we belted in. Joshua wasted no
time as he took us up into the air. I heard the sound of bullets from the
ground whizzing by but none hit the drone. I wasn't sure if it was because the
soldiers had terrible aim or if it was because Joshua had done something again
to protect us.
“Thank you,” I breathed, feeling my heart slamming in my
chest.
“I'm just glad you're okay,” he answered. “Every day I've
been circling the skies as far south of Haven and back up to Spade. I heard you
because I wasn't that far away. I wanted to fly further into The Republic of
Cabal, but you'd be mad if I risked everything you worked to achieve for Spade.”
It was the first time I felt like there was a home to go to. A place where we
finally belonged.
“Yeah, I would have been,” I acknowledged. Although the
journey alone had been exhausting, it was the only way to ensure both of us
came out alive.
The remainder of the flight was in silence. I stared out the
window, grateful to be safe and home. When we reached Spade I'd bury the bracelet,
keep it away from anyone else. Glancing forward at the back of Joshua's head,
I'd have to tell him everything I hadn't said. The fact I'd been given the
vaccination in 2225 wasn't good news for me being able to conceive. If it were
true and I was different, now I was like the rest of the world, infertile. I
dreaded the conversation to come.
The flight was short. When we arrived back in Spade, Henry,
Rane, Elsa, Cate, Adian, Gavin and Adelaide waited for us. It felt like a
reunion. Climbing out I barely got my feet on the ground when Adelaide threw
her arms around me, causing me to stumble a few steps backwards. “You smell,”
her face scrunched with a laugh, but she didn't lessen her hold.
“Sorry, I haven't showered in… quite a while,” I admitted.
Joshua found my hand as we walked alongside together towards
the towers. I promised the others I'd join them for dinner shortly, as soon as
I cleaned up and we all could talk when I was done. Joshua led me towards our
room, the silence deafening.
“Do you want me to…”
“What?” I asked not hearing his thoughts or knowing what he
was thinking. I stepped into the bedroom as Joshua stood out in the hall. “You
can come in. It's your room, too.”
He closed the door behind us. “I just thought you might want
some time alone,” he offered.
“I've had enough time alone for a century,” I sighed. I
stripped down and turned the water on, not caring that he was staring at me. “Just,
stay in here?” I asked him. I sounded foolish, childlike. It wasn't that I was
scared. I was concerned that I'd wake up and be back on the trail, searching
for home. Being locked in a prison didn't scare me. It wasn't fun but I knew
where I was. I recognized what was real.
I stepped into the shower, closed the curtain behind me. I
could hear Joshua on the other side and it brought a smile to my lips. “I
missed you, Olive.”
“I missed you, too,” I breathed, dipping my head back, the
water turning black at my feet as it dribbled down. “How's Henry? I mean I saw
him, but is everyone holding up okay since Isaura is dead?”
I could hear Joshua over the spray of water raining down on
me. “Everyone couldn't be happier.” I reached for the shampoo, lathering it on
before rinsing it away. “I still don't think he believes that he has any
control over the land south of here to Haven. I've tried convincing him,”
Joshua sighed heavily. “But he insists that isn't his territory or his
intention.”
I rinsed the dirt away as best I could. I lathered my hair a
second time seeing more dirt circling down the drain but not nearly as much. “You
sound upset.” I wanted to look at him but kept my eyes shut as I rinsed the
suds from my hair.
Joshua let out another sigh. “I wanted guards at Haven. I
suspected you'd show there first, but Henry thought it was a waste of time and
talent. Not that I blame him. It did take you thirty-one days to get home.”
“That's how long I was gone?” I had lost track of time.
After rinsing the shampoo I soaped my body, digging the dirt out of my nails
and from every crevice of my skin. It seemed a near impossible task. I turned
the water warmer feeling it grow cool after some time. I paid little attention
to how long I'd been showering. I wanted to get clean, to scrub everything off
of me. Even that which couldn't be washed away.
“I thought you weren't coming back,” Joshua admitted. “That
they took your bracelet away or worse…” He didn't finish the sentence. I shut
the water off and pulled back the curtain. Joshua handed me a towel and I
wrapped it around myself before stepping from the shower stall.
“I'm here. I'm okay.” I smiled. “I rode a horse up to Haven.
Not the fastest way but better than on foot.” I sighed, drying myself off
before walking into our bedroom to find a wardrobe with new dresses. “What are
these?” I asked turning around to face him. The towel stayed tied around my
chest, keeping me warm as I saw dozens of new outfits lining the closet.
“A gift,” Joshua admitted. “The women have been bringing
thank you gifts for ending Isaura's reign. Some have been dresses, some shoes.
There's been gifts for Adelaide too since they know how important she is to
you.”
“That's nice.” I didn't know what to say, to think. “It's
too much.” I shook my head, taking a few steps backwards towards the bed. It
caught me as I sat down.
“I can return the dresses or donate them to other families?”
Joshua offered.
I didn't want to seem ungrateful. “It's not that I don't
love them,” I tried explaining. “I just, I can't live up to the expectations they’ve
set for me. I'm not a saint, Joshua. I murdered a woman.”
“Isaura,” he answered. “And she was a horrible person. She
would have killed you if you'd given her the chance. Hell, she tried! I saw her
try! You can't feel guilty about what you did. You saved countless women and I
know she did make amazing scientific discoveries but the cost was too great.
She needed to be stopped.” Joshua moved to sit down beside me on the bed. “No
one thinks you're a saint,” he grinned, nudging me. “But believe me, they all
feel this world is a little safer because you're in it.”
I didn't know what to say to that. I understood that Isaura
needed to be stopped and I'd done it. I didn't feel guilty per se for what I'd
done, instead I felt undeserving of such lavish gifts. I stood, walking towards
the closet. My fingers moved over the new attire pulling a blue and white
paisley dress that hugged my body down to my knees. “I'll wear this tonight.” I
beamed knowing it was a gift from Raven. I'd seen it on her once before and was
more than happy with hand-me-down gifts. I turned my back to Joshua, slipping
the dress on along with undergarments. “Help me out, please.” I gestured
towards the zipper in the back. I felt his presence behind me before he even
answered.
“Of course,” he whispered. His fingers grazed my skin as he
slid the zipper towards the top of the dress, securing it into place. “You
look, amazing.” He smiled, as I turned around finding my arms around his neck.
I leaned closer, my forehead coming to rest against his. “I really did miss you,”
he whispered
“I'm right here,” I assured him, kissing, my fingers moving
through his hair and to the back of his neck. “I love you,” I whispered smiling
as I felt his hands holding me tight against him.
“I love you too,” he breathed into my ear kissing my neck. “I
know now isn't the time to talk about it but I want to start trying. You and
me.”
My stomach flopped as his hands moved across my abdomen and
his kisses rested just above my cleavage. He pulled back slightly staring at my
ghastly expression. “I don't think I can, Josh.” My bottom lip trembled as I
reached for his hand. “When I went back they gave me the vaccine.”
“What?” he asked, shaking his head, dumbfounded.
“I was exposed. Isaura wanted me to die there with her. She
brought me in with the rotting corpses.” I grimaced, remembering the awful
smell of decomposing flesh. “They gave me the vaccine to protect me. It's okay,”
I assured Joshua. “It's not like we ever knew for certain I was like my mother.”
I leaned in, kissing him softly. “I know you're disappointed but at least we're
alive.” I squeezed his hand. “You and me, we can work the rest out, right?” I
had to hold onto hope that this wouldn't devastate him. It was upsetting to
know the choice had been taken away but what choice was death?
Joshua pulled me tight. “Of course. You're all that matters
to me in this world.” I felt his kisses on my neck and a slight wetness as I
ran my fingers through his hair.
“We can skip dinner if you want?” He was upset. I didn't
want him to be thinking about this all night in front of the others while we
ate.
“No.” Joshua took a tentative step back and emitted a heavy
sigh. He quickly regained his composure. Though his eyes looked moistened and
his cheeks were red, the tears vanished. “You need to eat.” He kissed my cheek.
“There's always hope,” he whispered taking my hand as he led me out of our room
and down to the dining room. “Don't give up hope, Olive. Don't ever give up
hope.”
“I won't,” I promised, kissing his cheek as we headed into
the dining room together seeing all the familiar faces. I hugged everyone
before finding my seat at the table, glad to be back in Spade and home.
Once seated at the table, Henry held up his glass of wine. “I'd
like to make an announcement. We all know that the women rescued from Torv have
been successfully bearing children.” A soft murmur erupted through the table
and quieted as he began speaking again. “Over these last few months, Rane and I
have been trying to conceive a child.” I glanced at Rane curiously.
“Yes, I'm pregnant!” Rane exclaimed with a laugh. “Though
not solely from Henry.”
“What does that mean?” I asked, trying my best not to laugh.
Had she been sleeping around with other men? It didn't sound like Rane, but I'd
been gone awhile and I hadn't known Rane all that well. I glanced at Joshua
hoping Rane hadn't come onto him.
Henry continued ignoring my interruption. “Although Isaura
was horribly misguided in her ways, Elsa was able to replicate what was inside
the vials. Rane was the first volunteer who offered to undergo the fertility
treatment. One injection twice a week continuously for one month and we were
able to replicate the process.”
I shot a look at Elsa. “I thought you didn't know what was
in the vial?”
Elsa chewed her bottom lip. “I wasn't one hundred percent
certain I could replicate what Isaura had in her lab. However, one of the women
we brought into Spade is a scientist and was able to help us create our own
fertility treatment. It's almost identical to what Isaura used but of course
we're doing it with permission.”
“So it uses Mindonsiphan?” I asked. Was the entire world
going to be like me?
“It's the combination that makes it work. Our entire town
already is showing some effects from the treatment,” Elsa responded.
“Like what?” I asked.
Adelaide grinned. “I'm not the only one who can make
butterflies.” She put her hands together and then opened them, letting a blue
and purple butterfly free. It fluttered around her head before rising higher
and flying away.
Joshua rested a hand on my arm. “It's okay. Ordinary is
changing. Most kids in her class can't do the things she can but soon all the
children being born will be able to.”
“Are you sure?” I questioned. “It's genetic?”
“It's too soon with the new mothers to know for certain.”
Elsa sighed. “But we think it will be and if not, at least we know what to do
to make future generations capable of conceiving naturally. No more lotteries.
No more babies born in labs.”
“That reminds me.” I glanced at Joshua, wishing I'd have
saved the scrap of paper that had Adelaide's birth record and her parents’
names on it. I'd shoved it into my pocket but in the past month it had
vanished. “There are birth records for the past ten years in Torv.”
Elsa shrugged, not surprised by the news. “That makes sense,
Olivia. They were running their own program trying to help women conceive.”
“No,” I frowned. “These were records from the different
towns of Genesis. Ten years’ worth in Fabian's office.”
Rane spoke up, “What do you think it means?”
Adelaide's eyes widened. “I'm younger than ten years old!
Did you find something about me?” She was smart.
My eyes met Joshua's. “We did.” I wouldn't lie to her.
“Before you worry her,” Joshua interrupted me, “I did some
digging.”
“What?” I didn't understand. What was he talking about?
“Research, Olive.” Joshua clarified. “I remembered
Adelaide's biological parents’ names. I've spent some time looking through
records in Spade. There's obviously not enough information but I think I may
have found Adelaide's grandmother.”
Henry's eyes widened with excitement. “Who is it?”