by Castle, W. A
“I love you,” he whispers, leaning in to kiss me again.
“Eww, stop kissing,” Eli sticks out his tongue and runs away.
I can’t help but laugh at his reaction. My mirth dies when I look at the woman carrying Diego though. I make to take Diego from her, but she pulls away.
I am suddenly so angry and shocked that she would keep me from Diego that an honest to goodness snarl comes out of me, “Give me my child.”
“Sorry, I, I didn’t know who you were, I…” the woman looks wide eyed from me to Trevor then to Jax and back to me. “Of course.”
I take Diego from her and turn my back to her. I press my forehead to his little head and rub my forehead against his soft skin, marking him with my scent. Diego must recognize me because when he looks at me, he smiles and waves a little fist in the air. “I’m not leaving you again.” I promise him.
That same night that Maddie is brought back to Leddington High with the other scientists, we are called into a meeting with Ram. I knew it, I knew they would want something in return for helping get Maddie back, that’s how the world works.
When I enter, Maddie is already there with her mom and Jax. When she sees me Maddie’s eyes brighten and she waves at me. I nod at her and take a seat next to Aaron. When I heard she woke up, at the time I was too busy to look for her, but there are a few things I need to tell that red headed woman.
Moments later Vincent, Ram, and the two other scientists walk in.
“I asked for all of you to be here tonight because there are a few things we need to discuss,” Ram begins to say.
I lean back on the chair, ready to hear what they will be asking of us.
“When you came to us a week a go asking for our help, a lot was left unsaid. Stipulations were left open ended for a reason. I don’t know how much you know about our town or of what was done to Maddison during her stay in VIO,”
“Her stay? You must mean her capture,” Aaron says deceptively cool.
“- or of how she and Vincent are connected, so tonight we will discuss-” Ram continues before being interrupted again.
“What was done to me?” I perk up when Maddie speaks up. She looks furious, “You have no idea what was done in that facility. Not only to me but to hundreds of people.” She turns her furious stare at the scientists.
“Maddie,” Vince says softly as he takes a seat next to her.
I give Ram credit for not losing his cool at the abrupt interruptions. But I want to know more about what happened in that place.
“There is a secret, a secret than very few people in this town are aware of.” Ram says.
“A secret?” asks Sue-Anne.
Ram’s eyes sweep to Vince and then to the rest of us. “As you know, our town is relatively safe. It’s been flesh eater free for weeks. The gates around the school and the constant patrols help, but that’s not the reason this place is a safe zone.” Ram looks to Vince again.
Vince stands up nervously, “I am the reason there are no flesh eaters around. I have the ability to keep them at bay, even at making them turn around and leave.”
I straighten up at this.
“You’ve been bit?” Jax asks, looking appalled.
“Yes. Long before you found me in the clinic,” Vince says looking straight at me. Son of a bitch. “Back then I didn’t know I could control them. Control most of them, anyway. But that is something Maddie and I have in common, we found each other that night. And then again today.” He says looking at her. My eyes narrow.
“We are hoping that our community and yours,” Ram turns to Jax, “can unite. We hope that we can work together. A quid pro quo.”
Jax scratches his beard, looking skeptical, “What is your ‘quid pro quo’?”
“For us to work together, to trade with each other, create a new sort of world where we can not only survive but thrive once more as a society.”
“We can work together towards a better future, but I’m not ready to disclose our location just yet,” says Jax.
“That’s fine,” says Ram. “We will require one thing though,” he says looking at the scientist named Van then to Maddie. “Maddison will need to stay here.”
“What?” I say, standing up. Not caring that my chair nearly topples back.
“No way,” Jax slaps the table in front of him.
“Why?” Maddie looks at Ram straight on, but it is Van who answers.
“We need to monitor the side effects of what was done to you. We need to figure out what’s been done to your system. There are tests that need to be run-”
“I will never be anyone’s guinea pig again. If you think I’ve forgotten what you did, you’re wrong,” Maddie says in a tone I’ve never heard her talk in before. She’s not pissed or angry, she’s something else entirely.
“You were a guinea pig?” Sue-Anne says in a small voice.
“I have always done what has needed to be done for the greater good. I won’t apologize,” Van stands up.
“Van,” Ram turns to his ex-colleague.
“THEY WERE CHILDREN!” Maddie roars, standing up and slamming the table with both hands. I sit back down on my chair, momentarily taken aback by her reaction. “And you gave me your word,” she says, her voice soft but full of anger, “You have no word and a person without a word is worth nothing.”
Maddie straightens up, “I spoke to Vince earlier today and I agreed that he could take blood samples from me, whatever he needs. But you,” she points at Van, “You will never touch me. And Dr. Halen, I owe you my life,” She turns to the female scientist who up until now hasn’t said a single word, “I will try and help you in any way I can. But Ram, you won’t dictate over my life. If Vince needs me to stay, I will stay other than that you have no say over me or what is done to me.”
I’ve never seen Maddie like this. What exactly happened to her in that place? I may never know.
“I hope we can all come to an agreement at some point,” Ram says, dropping the topic of me staying here for now, “but for now you all can stay or go as you please. Our home is open to you.”
This meeting continues for a while longer, but I tune it out. Dr. Clearmont wants me to stay here and continue being a lab rat, keep being experimented on. But I refuse, I wholeheartedly refuse. I-
A hand settles over mine, squeezing tightly. I look up to see Vince giving me a look. I take a deep breath in and try to settle my nervousness
“Ulises, wait!” I holler after him. As soon the meeting ended Ulises was already out the door. He’s been avoiding me, but I don’t understand why. “Wait, Ulises!” I yell when he doesn’t stop.
He stops abruptly but doesn’t turn around.
It takes me a few steps to catch up to him. “I want to thank you. For rescuing me, for coming back for me.”
“It was nothing.” Ulises says coldly and continues walking without even turning to look at me.
I run until I’m close enough to grab his arm and pull on him until he faces me. “What is this? Why are you avoiding me?”
“I’m no avoiding you,” he scoffs, looking me at me but at the same time not truly seeing me.
I stare at him for a beat, not sure of what to say to him. Something happened while I was gone because before I was taken, we were friends, he was helping me… I swallow hard, trying to keep my hurt from showing. “You came back for me when I was left for dead. You keep being there for me, I just want to thank you.” I say and turn to walk away but Ulises’s laugh stops me.
“I ‘keep being there for you’?” he laughs again but it’s not a good-natured laugh, I turn my head to look back at him, confused. He drops the sneer that mars his face, “I keep failing. Time and time again I drop my guard and people get hurt.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask him.
“I keep swearing to protect you, like I swore to protect Amy…” his voice breaks.
Oh.
“It’s never been your duty to protect me, Ulises,” I say softly, turning my body to
face him, “Nothing’s that happened is on you.”
“Every time I start to believe things will be okay, I let my guard down. And I’m tired of it. I’m tired of being so weak. I’m tired of… letting you down.” He breathes heavily and pushes the heels of his hands against his eyes. “You were with me when you got taken, that’s on me. And god knows what they did to you. I was right there, I should have…” Ulises breaks down.
Slowly, I walk until I’m close enough to him to wrap my arms around him. I let my own tears fall freely. “I promise you, it’s not your fault I got taken. You weren’t with me when it happened.”
“Exactly, I should have been. I should have,”
“No, you shouldn’t have.” I don’t let him go when he tries to step away, “You are not my keeper Ulises. You’re not anyone’s keeper. You rescued me, momma told me how you brought them to see Liam, how you fought for them to contact the doctors in the lab and how you nearly punched a guy to be in the group that drove to the lab.”
Ulises steps back and gives me an intense stare, and it’s then that I really see him. He has bags under his eyes, he looks almost gaunt, which is weird seeing gauntness in a man his size. I lift my hand to his stubbled cheek, “When was the last time you’ve slept?” I ask him softly.
“I haven’t slept since you’ve been gone,” he places his calloused hand on top of mine on his face and he closes his eyes.
A flutter in my chest has me rubbing at my breast bone. I feel a pull to him, I feel like I want to… kiss him, and not in a platonic way. Which is confusing because I have Trevor and I shouldn’t have feelings for two people. Right?
“Ulises,” I say breathlessly.
“Your hands are cold,” he says lowly. He opens his eyes and pins me with them. “I know that I stand no chance with you. And I can live with that, but.’ He surprises me when he leans over and presses his lips to mine for a few heart beats, “I had to do that, at least once. This whole time you’ve been gone, I have only thought about you, getting you back, not for me but for-” I interrupt his words by pressing my lips to his. Then, I turn away from him and walk back to the room momma has been given.
I touch my lips softly, trying to keep the memory of Ulises’s lips on them a bit longer. I don’t want to mess things up with Trevor, so from now on I will keep my distance from Ulises, a person can’t have feelings for two people. It’s just not done. But what if… no. No.
“Do you have a moment, Maddie?” Dr. Halen walks up to me late in the morning as I’m on my way to see Vince in his gym/lab. This place is quite something, I wouldn’t have thought I’d be back in a high school again, much less be living in one. It’s an entire world here, of course I would rather have the regular world back.
“Sure do, Dr. Halen. What’s up?” I offer her a smile.
“Oh, you can call me Georgie, that’s my name after all,” she laughs nervously, “anyway, I just wanted to ask you how you are feeling?”
“I feel fine, doc. I mean, Georgie,” I smile sheepishly, “Why? I’m actually on the way to see Vince so he can take some of my blood.”
“Are you feeling, thirsty?” she asks carefully.
I stop walking and turn to her. “Actually…” I fiddle with my ear, “I’ve been wondering about that. I don’t feel thirst, but I haven’t drunk any…” I pause, looking around for anyone that could be overhearing.
“Liquids,” Georgie offers.
“Liquids,” I say.
“There is something I have to tell you, but no one else can know,” Georgie pats a small navy lunch bag that hangs from her shoulder.
“Secrets?” I ask warily.
“Yes, but it’s for the good of everyone,” she says gravelly. “I’m serious, what I’m about to tell you, you can’t tell anyone. You can’t trust anyone with this information. Not even Vince, he’s a good person with good intentions but he doesn’t have guile. He trusts too much.”
I look around us but there’s no one around. The only thing going on back here are the crops in the track area that people are beginning to plant. But that’s far from the gym. I turn back to look at Georgie expectantly.
Georgie looks around and then sighs deeply. “Ever since you told us that our failed cure causes thirst for ‘flesh eater’, God there needs to be a better word for them,”
“It’s a fitting word.”
“Yes, well for flesh eater blood, I’ve been doing some research. I admit I looked at the experiments VIO has been doing and- well that doesn’t matter I guess,” she says when she sees my unimpressed face, if I never hear about VIO again it will be too soon. “Well, I’ve created these for you.”
Georgie hands me her lunch bag. I give her a look before she motions me to open it. I frown when I see the contents in the foil lined bag. “Blood vials?”
“Enhanced infected blood injections.”
“Enhanced… infected blood injections?” I parrot.
“Do you want to hear the entire scientific process, or should I just give you the cliff notes?”
“Give me the ‘For Dummies’ version,” I deadpan.
“I created these vials for you, so you aren’t dependent on sucking down infected blood. These will help you go longer without having to intake blood.”
“I’ll just be dependent on these?” I say as I close the bag.
“You can use them interchangeably with blood direct from the source. These just curve the appetite and some of the side effects.”
“So, like a nicotine patch of sorts?”
“Uh, sure.” Georgie gives me a look that makes me smile. “It’s all experimental. There will be people after this, after you even. You’re turning into what they have designed the virus to do.”
“What is it? What am I turning into?” A ball of dread settles into my stomach, making me want to throw up.
“Before we escaped, I looked into some of VIO’s files. I’ve been reading them over trying to understand… The virus was created in order to create the perfect soldier. Nearly indestructible. There’ll be those that will try to destroy you, to destroy people like you, manipulate and use you.”
I take in a sharp breath. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because all of this is a matter of when not if. People like you will be in danger. I just want you to remember I tried to help you.”
“What are you saying? What is it you know?” I frown, trying to understand where Georgie is getting at.
“I’m just saying you need to be prepared to fight. Listen, I’m leaving, soon. I’m going to meet up with my husband. There’s a safe zone, an island, free of infection last time I heard. If ever you want to take your loved ones there, it’s in Belfast, Maine. There’s a port there with boats. We have them in place in case of emergencies. But there’s something about that island you need to know.”
-two weeks later-
“What the heck am I feeding you baby boy?” I wince as I hold Diego’s dirty diaper at arm’s length and deposit it into the woven trash basket. Diego just grabs his little feet with his little hands and amuses himself by rocking himself. “I outta start teaching you about modesty,” I mutter as I detangle his limbs and wrap his booty up in a new diaper.
“Hey babe.” Arms wrap around my torso and a chin rests on my shoulder.
“What are you up to today?” I ask, turning my head to the side so I can give Trevor a kiss.
“The morning shift was spent tending the crops, it’ll still be a while before anything begins to sprout and becomes edible. Who would have thought I would be spending my morning’s gardening? Later I have a shift in the kitchen,” he tickles my neck with his lips before continuing, “But right now I am completely free.”
I laugh, turning in his arms, “I was thinking it was the perfect time of day for a stroll. Want to join us?”
“Of course, I’ll go get Eli and I’ll meet you downstairs in five.” Trevor tickles Diego’s chubby belly and kisses me again before he leaves.
“Feel like getting some v
itamin D, little guy?” I ask Diego as I sort through my clothes trying to find something summery to put on. I’ve repurposed a file cabinet into a place for Diego’s and I’s clothes and knickknacks.
The day after I was rescued, I decided I wanted to stay here in the school, Vince’s lab is here and it’s easier to experiment with his crazy ideas with me within walking distance. And, I admit that it makes it easier when I need to talk to him about certain things that involve the side effects of being bit. He understands.
Jax, Clara and Aaron decided to head back the next night, but a few days later Aaron came back with Patty. A few from the bunker decided to visit the school and Leena and Luis are some of the ones that decided to stay here.
Ulises left a week later, we’d talked a few times since we shared those kisses, but I understood why he’d kept his distance and ultimately left. Momma left too. Momma comes to visit often but she says there are things she needs to work through, so I guess a little space won’t hurt us. But it’s hard taking care of Diego by myself, of course Trevor and Eli are here to help but when both Trevor and I are busy with our shifts, it’s hard for me to trust anyone to watch over him.
Being here has been good, though. It’s different from life from before but it’s stable. As stable as anything can be nowadays. I haven’t seen Van again, but I know from talk around the school that he’s still here. Georgie left two days ago once her shoulder was better. I was sad when she left because we’d become friends in the short time we’d spent together, I learned so much from her, there are things we will probably never know about this virus but now we now more than before, and that’s something.
“Do you think a dress will be nice or should I go practical and go for the shorts and tank top?” I turn to look at Diego as if he will actually answer my fashion questions. He just flails his arms and legs until he rolls over on his tummy.
I gasp and run over to him. “Good job, little guy! I’m so proud of you,” I lean down to kiss his sticky cheek. “Shorts and tank-top it is. You’re good at this little man.”
I quickly dress him in some shorts and a t-shirt and decide last minute to put a little hat on his head to protect him from the sun. I carry him in one arm as I pull the stroller behind me. The stairs are a bit tricky since Diego wiggles a lot, but we make it to the bottom of the stairs in one piece.