"Yeah. Yeah I do. Very much."
"You're gonna get better and get them, right? You're gonna go down there and get back Faye and Ty. Right, Dodge? 'Cause you can't fight any more bad guys if you're hurt."
"I'll get better and then we'll go. If it's the last thing I do, I'll get them and we'll be together again." I reached over, grabbing his little hand and I gave it a squeeze of reassurance. "I promise"
I intended to keep my promise. I would get better and we'd head down to Florida, search out Faye and Tyler and get them. But something told me all that wasn't going to be as simple as it sounded.
TWENTY-ONE - Major James Reynolds
If it had been my choice, my decision, if I were running things, Division Five wouldn't be the ones we picked up looting or causing trouble. In fact, they'd not make it into our sanctuary settlement at all.
Because most of COM Camp moved down there to the settlement before the shit hit the fan and everything shut down, we were able to avoid any power losses. We are the only pocket of civilization that is close to the way things were when the world shut down. At least, the only one that I know about.
The reasoning for placing all the trouble makers in Division Five was to keep them out of Divisions One through Four. That was the suggestion of General Allen. In a way he had a point. If they banned together anyhow, as long as they had what the other divisions had, they'd stay away. Not the case, trouble was brewing constantly.
For the most part they do, unless they get ill or hurt in one of the many brawls that happen.
The problem is most of those in Division Five won't work to keep things going, so those who do have to work argue and fight.
My biggest concern was when I went there recently and I was asked several times if it was true we found the woman.
Right or wrong thing to do, I lied. Everyone knew about there being a surviving woman, that fact moved rampant all across the settlement. But it was supposed to be kept under wraps. Then again, all it would take would be for one person from Division Five to have been at the clinic when Faye arrived.
Leo, as he called himself, was the leader over there. His real name wasn't Leo, he stated that was his star sign and he was putting the past, along with his name, behind him.
He was adamant that I wasn't being honest. So much so he was abrasive and confrontational.
He locked eyes with me in some sort of attempt to see if I were telling the truth. I tried to maintain eye contact, which was difficult considering I wasn't being honest. I kept telling myself that Faye depended on me. What Leo or others would do with the knowledge of Faye, I didn't know and I didn't want to take a chance.
Because he was so head strong that we found her, I decided just as a precaution, to check clinic records to see if anyone from Division Five was there when she arrived.
Unfortunately, there was.
TWENTY-TWO - FAYE
It had been nearly a week since I saw Dodge, Bud and the boys. I expected them any day, but a part of me knew Dodge's injuries were too severe for even him to bounce back in a day or two.
James had told me the route that was mapped and with stopping would take them five days to get to COM Camp.
I impatiently waited.
In the meantime James became my balcony buddy. He never sat on my side, I never invited him over, nor did he ask. I would sit outside and after he was done working for the day, he'd come out on his patio.
Undoubtedly, he was my stand in for Dodge.
I actually asked him to join me for my first official meeting with Barry and Dr. Lewis.
Dr. Lewis was not at all what I expected. After meeting everyone else and experiencing how friendly they were, I was taken aback by the arrogance of Dr. Lewis. He never even told me his first name.
He wasn't young like Barry Chatham. He was a middle aged man, who seemed angry at the world. He projected a smug righteousness. I wanted to tell James to smack him.
It was the end of the world, as we knew it. Yet no one seemed to tell this to Dr. Lewis. He still wore a tie, neat blue button down shirt, hair combed perfectly. He was the type of doctor I always imagined solved a lot of problems and knew he was the only one who could. More than likely he had a trophy wife, and his kids wanted for nothing.
If arrogance had a scent, he reeked of it.
I was glad James came with me.
Nothing was said when we arrived, not at first. A younger man took four tubes of blood from me, smiled and then thanked me.
James asked him. "What are they checking for?"
"Diseases, immune deficiency. They need DNA sampling, and hormone levels."
That was the one.
Hormone levels.
After the blood work, I was taken to a back meeting room with a table and chairs. James and I sat down and Barry entered shortly after.
He shook our hands and was pleasant and upbeat. "How are you feeling, Faye?"
"I'm well, thank you."
"Tyler is doing wonderfully," He said.
"He'll wake soon?" I asked.
"Very. We stopped medication this morning. See? All is bright."
Then the dark hit. Dr. Lewis walked in.
He didn't introduce himself, I learned only of his name because Barry said it. He pulled out a chair at the table, dropped his folders and said. "Let's get to this."
I looked at James.
"Why is Major Reynolds here?" Dr. Lewis asked.
"I asked him," I said.
Dr. Lewis shot a serious look at James. "I certainly hope you are not breaking the rules set forth with this woman."
"Excuse me?" I questioned. "Rules? What rules?"
"He knows the rules," Dr. Lewis replied.
"I don't." I said.
"Doesn't matter because he knows them. Anyhow ... we need to get to this right way. Enough time has been wasted since your arrival down here. Let's get something straight, I don't agree with this pampered pet rule that we have happening with you."
I laughed. "Pampered pet?"
"You are a subject."
"No, I'm out of here." I stood up. "James." I moved toward the door.
"Stop right there, Mrs. Wills. This is out of your control."
"Bullshit," I snapped. "I came here of my own free will."
"I beg to differ," Dr. Lewis spoke calmly. "You came here because that boy needed help. He was dying. We helped him."
"Okay, thank you. But that doesn't mean I am your subject."
"You owe us."
I huffed out a 'ha' and turned for the door.
"Time to pay the medical bills," he said. "I'll disconnect him. I will. I don't give a damn. No sweat off my back if he lives or dies. That's not why I'm here; I'm not here to save a nineteen year old boy, I'm here to save humanity. So make your call. Walk out that door, he gets disconnected; you get the boot, good luck as a woman on your own out there."
I spun around. "You arrogant piece of shit." I pointed. "You have no right to talk to me like that."
"And you have no right to deny us what we need."
I laughed. "I never denied anything. I was never asked. You came in here with your holier than thou attitude, talking to me as if ... as if I were a lab animal. I gave my blood. What else do you need from me?"
"Your uterus."
I looked at Dr. Lewis, shook my head with a scoffing breath and opened the door. "You're insane."
"And we're ..." Barry spoke passionately. "Out of options. We are out of options as the human race goes. Even if you aren't the only woman, you are one of the very few left. We are facing extinction."
I turned slowly around. "I hear you. I do."
Dr. Lewis began to speak. "So you see ..."
"I don't!" I shot a hand his way. "Hear you!" After turning from Dr. Lewis, I lowered my voice. "Go on, Barry."
Barry continued, "It's called Project Eve. When we first realized very early that it was wiping out the female population, not only was I called in to find out why, but also to find a solution. Hence the name
Project Eve. For those who follow the creationist theory, they believe Adam and Eve were the first man and woman on earth. They initially bore three sons, but it's said that in their lifetime, they bore something like thirty three. In theory, if one woman bore enough female offspring, we have enough male children to begin repopulation."
"What is enough females?"
"Ideally, eight."
"Eight? That's absurd. Are you asking me to bear eight children or are you thinking in terms of just taking my uterus?"
"We want you to have them. Four will suffice," Barry said. "Two sets of twins. That's all. One set, then wait a year after birth and then another."
For some reason I looked at James. He gave no indication of what he thought.
"Barry," I spoke to him, not even acknowledging the presence of Dr. Lewis. "I lost my children. It crushed me. Crushed me beyond belief. I don't know that I even want to take the chance of having and losing another child."
"I understand. That's an option, you don't even need to raise them. Give birth to them, be a surrogate only."
I took a deep breath and sat down.
Dr. Lewis interjected. "You have an obligation to do this."
"Shut up." I barked. "I don't listen to you. Barry? Even if I agreed, there's no guarantee I'd have twins, let alone females."
"Yes, there is," he replied. "I'm a geneticist. When asked to find a solution, I went immediately to the fertility clinic where I was working on genetic engineering and sex selection. I took the embryos waiting to be surrogated. We have female embryos here. Right now. Once you are primed, we implant about six. Hopefully two will take hold. If they all take hold, we will abort several for your safety and that of the children."
It was a heavy request and one that truly went beyond what I personally wanted. I understood what they were asking. If I failed to give birth to a girl, if I truly was the last woman on earth, then was I truly failing mankind?
Was it indeed my responsibility? A part of me believed it wasn't, then there was a part of me that felt it was.
I told them with all good intentions that I needed to think about it. Honestly, think it over. It was not a decision I would make lightly or impulsively.
Barry agreed to give me all the time I needed. Dr. Lewis not so much, stating, "She is playing us until the boy is healed."
When he put up a fuss about wanting an answer, James simply stated. "If we hadn't found her, you'd still be waiting on an answer. So, with all due respect. Stand down, Doctor."
Dr. Lewis didn't like that much, but I did.
Barry gave me the time to think it over and I agreed to their physical examinations to determine if I could indeed be a surrogate.
I left that meeting room with a lot on my mind.
Project Eve was a big responsibility. More than physically I worried that emotionally I just didn't have it in me to handle.
TWENTY-THREE - DODGE
"Happy Labor Day," Bud told me as I walked out to the RV.
I merely chuckled a 'what'?
"First Monday in September. Let's pause in appreciation of all your hard work."
"Thanks." I smiled then cocked an eyebrow when I looked at Bud. He seemed to be dragging. 'You look tired, Bud. You feeling all right?'
"Oh, I'm fine. First good night's sleep I had all week. Didn't have to get up and have inane conversations with you about carburetors and I wasn't chasing you either."
Had Bud been the only one telling me about my odd behavior, I would have thought he was joking. But George informed me I had 'spaced out' episodes. It made sense. I had pockets of time I blacked out and didn't remember what was happening.
My head injury was worse than we thought. It bothered me that I blacked out, that I spoke gibberish, that I had dream like moments and brought up High School memories.
I couldn't control my head, nor could I control my arm which hurt far more than it should have. The air cast wasn't cutting it. My arm ached and it was a pain worse than the headaches. Bud made the suggestion, that maybe we needed something more stable. If we past a clinic or hospital, we would stop and get items to make a cast.
I took one hell of a beating and knew it. It took me nearly a week to get back to semi normal. Bud said no way we were leaving until I made it an entire night without getting up and re-living the past.
When I woke up on Labor Day, Bud simply said it was time to go.
Before leaving he showed me the map. The map had been marked by the soldiers. Because of the quarantine holes in the road we had a zig zag route. Drive five or six hours and stop for the night. It would take five to six days to get to the Panhandle.
The boys were getting restless and were bored without the KOA campsite. Darie increasingly became sad. The child that didn't seemed fazed by much, drew silent and carried around Faye's shirt. He insisted on being the one to hold the items Faye left behind. Constantly stating he missed her and Tyler. But he wouldn't let go of that shirt. I realized why that was when I tried to take it from him when we were getting ready to leave.
"Get in the RV," I said to the boys. "Darie, give me that shirt. Faye is gonna want that."
"Give it back." He handed it over.
I took it. I caught a whiff of it.
It made me pause.
It smelled like Faye. Admittedly, I inhaled it as well. I brought it to my nose and brought in her scent. Of course Bud busted me doing so and asked what was wrong with me.
Nervously, I replied. "It smells like Faye."
Bud laughed a 'tee-hee' style laugh.
"What was that for?" I asked.
"You're funny. Kind of like a puppy dog."
"I just miss her. I miss Tyler. But I'm used to missing him, with being off at school and all."
"Gut telling you he's fine?" Bud asked.
"Yeah, it is."
"Mine, too. And we'll get to them. But then what? Have you thought of beyond that? We need a long term plan."
"Head west I suppose, I don't know."
"Stick with the original plan. Find a good settling spot?" Bud asked.
"Yeah. I'm not worried about finding other survivors. I think that will come eventually as the world heals. Right now, I say we stay put and be a family, or try."
"Start all over and try to move on from the pain." Bud said.
"Yes, exactly."
"With Faye?"
I lowered my head.
"It's Ok, you know," Bud stated. "To want to move on with her. Start anew. You guys will make a heck of a family. You already do."
"You don't think her being down there will change things, do you?" I asked.
"Nah, Faye needs ya. And you and her and them boys. That's what she needs. I've known Faye a lot of years. She's done a lot of healing. You did that, Dodge. The boys and you. You and her ... well, that's a given."
"I don't want to be 'the given', Bud, I want to be 'the one'"
"Well, isn't that just the mushiest thing I heard in years? But nice, that was nice." He grabbed the RV door and opened it. "For what it's worth, I don't think that should be a worry." Bud got inside.
The kids were loaded in and I stood there. He was right. Faye and I had a connection. All I wanted was for us to be safe and away from everything.
We moved out and knew a stop wasn't far off.
But even stopping for a night that was one night closer to finding Faye and my son.
I was happy with that.
TWENTY-FOUR - MAJOR JAMES REYNOLDS
The day had been pretty productive, especially being called to Division Two to meet the general who 'on the record' was none too pleased with my remark to Dr. Lewis. Off the record, he laughed. And asked, of course, was I breaking the rules.
I was. Not all. But some.
The rules were pretty much laid out. We were not to get personal with Faye. No soldier was to speak on a personal level to her, do anything outside the boundaries of our job. Finally, we were not to sleep with her or make an attempt to be intimate in any way.
Al
l the rules were set forth to keep an emotional distance from her. She was one of optimistically, a handful of women. More than likely she could possibly be the only woman COM Camp finds.
But I broke the 'personal' rules, she knew a lot about me and I about her. Our porch talks were just that. I didn't tell the general I was breaking any of the rules. Mainly because I didn't want him to switch my detail. I liked hanging out with Faye. She was a good reminder of life.
The way she moved her hands when she spoke reminded me of my wife. Her laughter brought back memories of my childhood friends. The way she drank, reminded me of my mother.
She was every woman I ever knew, and I valued that.
One Division was busy all day, ending in Division Five to make four arrests after a fight broke out at their distribution center.
Rules in each section were simple. Contribute. Nothing was hard labor. But if you didn't contribute in some way, you were rationed your share. It was the only way to keep things running.
People didn't get that. Again, they seemed more concerned with finding the woman. That gnawed at me.
I stopped by our PX on the way home, picked up a bottle and then swung over to the mess hall. I knew I missed chow but Red was working and he gave me a ton of leftovers.
After my shower, I reheated the food, grabbed my bottle and headed to the patio door.
That was when I heard it.
A child's voice came from outside. I paused thinking, what was a child doing out so late and then as I slid open the door, I heard another voice, that one a man.
'Hey, Faye, I'm running late so I won't be able to swing home first. I'll still be able to grab Mark from practice though. Maybe I'll be brave and let him drive home. Love you.'
Beep.
'Next message'
'Mom! Hey! Dad let me drive. I did real good. I hit the curb a couple times. But that's ok, it was my first time. So cool. Why aren't you answering? Are you sleeping? You're the best. I love you. Bye.'
Beep.
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