It’s not so much that I wanted to spend my morning tending to school matters as that I needed to find something – anything – that would allow me to keep an eye on Zoe and Daphne without making it too obvious. The windows of the classroom provide the best possible option. I can watch the two girls sitting on the grass patch that connects the schoolyard to the open fields but they cannot see me.
“So, what are you thinking?” Finn’s voice makes me jump out of my skin.
I drop the book I’m holding and quickly squat down to recover it. “About what?” I say shoving the book between two random hardbacks.
“That book doesn’t belong there,” Finn says raising his eyebrows.
“Whatever.”
“Don’t play dumb with me,” he says. “What do you think about her?” He points out the window at Daphne.
Keeping silent about this unexpected turn of events all night and through the morning has deepened the shock for me. I’ve stayed away from this new Daphne hoping to calm down enough to be able to assess the situation.
“She hasn’t changed much,” I say.
Finn looks at me questioningly. “What does that mean?”
“Daphne,” I say. “You asked what I thought of her.”
“Okay,” he says. “Now, please hand that to me.”
I stare at my hands. I’ve been holding a geography book and trying to place it on shelf after shelf, never making up my mind. I hand it to Finn. “Actually, she has changed. She’s worse.”
“And you base that on what?”
“Come to me, Damian,” I say mockingly. “You’re safe, Damian.”
Finn chuckles. “Are you jealous?”
“Yeah, how perceptive of you. I’m jealous of a ghost.”
Finn stands by the window. We watch as Zoe puts a protective arm around Daphne who stays still under her former friend’s guard. “Let’s get serious for a moment,” Finn says.
“Okay, let’s do that.”
“We have no idea what’s going on, how this is even possible. We watched Daphne die and we buried her. But, you know what? When Daphne woke up early at dawn and asked to see the sunrise, there was nothing fake or strange about that. She always liked to get up before everyone and enjoy the sunrise by herself.”
I turn to glance at Finn. “If we are to be serious, we should consider all possibilities. The chance of her being a clone hasn’t entered your mind?”
“Yes, of course it has,” Finn says. “But even so, it’s still a great feeling to see Daphne again and hear her talk. We’ll get answers when we get her on Exodus. And you’ll have to talk to her, Freya. You can’t put it off forever.”
“I want this to be true, Finn. I really do. But I don’t see how it could even be possible.”
Finn sighs. “How many people have you brought back from the dead?”
I shake my head. “No, not back from the dead. Close to dying but still alive with a beating heart.”
“So maybe Daphne didn’t really die. Maybe we thought she did but there was still something alive in her. Something that the alien healing powers could work with. Or maybe they have more powers than we ever imagined.”
“So what? They just got her out of the ground, revived her and decided to return her to us? Seriously? She should be in a cell until we get answers, not allowed to enjoy the sunrise. Are you forgetting what happened with Ava?”
“Damian would not allow that.”
“Don’t I know it,” I say, suddenly feeling more worn out than troubled.
Outside, Theo shows up and after a short exchange of words, Zoe and Daphne follow him away from the schoolyard. Finn takes my hand. “Let’s go,” he says. “We have to get the meeting started.”
We bounce out of the room and head straight for the HQ where our scheduled meeting will take place. Of course, we had quite something else in mind when we scheduled it but seeing how things have shifted, it will serve as some sort of interrogation for this new Daphne.
She sits at the far end of the table staring into the space in front of her. She pays no particular attention to anyone or anything. Damian’s occupied with his touchpad and I imagine he punches in notes regarding the schedule of the meeting. This action is familiar enough to calm me down somewhat.
I push Zoe aside and gently press my hand against hers. “How did it go with Daphne? Any insights?”
Zoe shrugs. “She doesn’t say much. It’s like she’s awaken from a year-long coma.”
I guess that would make sense. If we ask the right questions, maybe we’ll get the right answers from her. For I want nothing more than Daphne to be alive and still have her mind and soul intact. That would be a dream come true. It would rescue both Damian and me from feelings of guilt as well as strengthen the sense of hope within the Saviors, needed now more than ever.
After the preliminary briefing, we’re all still standing around the table. No one knows how or where to sit. No one wants to make the first move and ask a question that might lead to an unwanted answer.
Damian takes charge. I watch him closely, trying to take in every little detail about the way he behaves, talks or even moves. His body is tense and his eyes still have that sort of dreaminess I saw in them when he carried Daphne to the medical facilities last night.
“Daphne, look at me,” he says taking the seat next to her. “Tell us again how you got here.”
Dead silence. Daphne stares into Damian’s eyes and then glances at Zoe. “I truly don’t know,” she says in the end. “The last memory I have before last night was being shot.”
“You don’t know how you landed outside the camp?” Finn asks.
She lowers her eyes and shakes her head.
That’s it then. There aren’t going to be any explanations or any facts revealed. I get this right away but Damian struggles to grasp the obvious.
He continues with more and more questions – “Are you hurt in any way, did you have any dreams last night, anything that might give us a clue as to what happened, are the rest of your memories intact, do you remember the battle when you got shot?” – he keeps asking those things and all he gets is a shake of her head and a few “I don’t know” or “It’s all black” in response.
It becomes painful to watch this meaningless back and forth.
“Damian,” Finn says, “she doesn’t remember anything. She needs time.”
Damian nods. Then an idea enters his head. “That could be it,” he says excitedly. “Pip needed time, remember? Wudak said he used hypnotizing methods to block Pip’s memories. That could be what’s happening.” He turns to me. “Could Kroll know how to reverse it the way Wudak did with Pip?”
“I can ask him,” I say. “It’s a long shot.”
For the first time Daphne’s eyes meet mine. “I’m sorry I’m not of much use, Freya.” she says. “Did I really die?”
Her vulnerability rattles my soul and alters my perspective like a snap of fingers. What good is suspicion? It’s not her fault that she has been dragged into an impossible state of limbo.
“We don’t know, Daphne. We’re searching for answers,” I tell her. “You’re not to blame for this mess. It’s good to have you back.”
My peace offering unlocks the emotions of all the saviors. It’s as if they were waiting for my approval.
Biscuit and Tilly put their hands on Daphne’s shoulders.
“Welcome back, Daphne,” Tilly says.
“Do you know who we are?” Biscuit says.
“Of course I remember you, Biscuit,” Daphne says with a smile. “My stomach remembers you, too.”
“She remembers everything about her life before…” Theo starts but stops when he realizes he doesn’t want to pronounce the next word.
“Yeah, well, we should probably give her some space,” Zoe cuts in.
Nya drags her feet to get to Daphne’s side. “Hey,” she says. “Can you still read minds?”
Daphne looks perplexed. “I don’t think I could ever do that.”
“T
oo bad,” Nya says. “If you did, you’d know I’m happy to see you.”
That remark puts a smile on Daphne’s face. This seems to be the best moment for some decisions to be made.
“Nya,” I say, “why don’t you and Tilly take Daphne to the training ring? I’m sure she’d like to check out our new equipment.”
Tilly is about to protest but Nya gets it. “Let’s go,” she says. “You’ll never believe what I’ve learned to do with a hunting arrow.”
As soon as they’re out, I reach for my touchpad to call the guard commander of Spring Town.
“Prisoner in training ring with two companions,” I say. “Put a guard on them. Discreetly.”
“What are you doing?” Damian says as soon as I’m done with my call.
“What do you think? Making sure everyone’s safe.”
“You think Daphne would do something to hurt Nya or Tilly?”
“I don’t know, Damian, and I don’t want to find out.”
His eyes are burning but he manages to control his temper long enough to take a deep breath in. “I would really appreciate it if you consulted with me before making any decisions,” he says. “I’m in charge of the Saviors.”
“And I’m in charge of Spring Town. I will make sure no one’s put in danger while in my camp. Including Daphne.”
He remains silent, probably going through options in his mind. “No harm done,” he says in the end but I know him well enough to realize he’s mad at me and will be for a while.
“Okay, let’s get down to what’s important,” I say. “What do we do next?”
“Somebody should escort Daphne to the station,” Finn says. “We don’t have the necessary equipment here for a thorough examination.”
“I can do that,” Zoe offers.
“I’ll go along,” Theo says.
“I guess that settles it then?” I say stealing a glance at Damian.
“Nothing’s settled,” he says. “If Daphne agrees to this exam, and only if, then I will be the one to go with her.”
8
I aim the huge electric beam I’ve just created at the corn stalks ahead of me. The sizzling sound of slowly burning corn flesh crosses the few yards that separate me from the fields with an amplified intensity. I carefully redirect the energy beam at the husks specifically, making sure the stalks and leaves are left intact.
Watching the little yellow corn seeds pop loudly like firecrackers is dangerously reminiscent of a simulation session when the virtual spacecrafts are pulverized in the dark skies of the universe.
After a while, I hear footsteps behind me. “What is the meaning of this?” Malzod says looking at the mutilated sea of corn seeds.
I am a bit embarrassed but also proud of my accuracy which in turn makes me feel like an idiot. Quite an accomplishment indeed. I can only hope Malzod doesn’t sense any of that arrogance.
“This new high-energy is hard to control,” I say. At the same time, I realize it’s the first time I’ve used my energy for so long without any noticeable side effects. I guess it’s true that every cloud can have a silver lining.
“Really? I could have sworn you were one hundred percent focused.”
I look at him wearily, as if it takes effort to keep my eyes open. “What is it you want, Malzod?”
He shifts his weight from the right leg to the left. “I have some news,” he says. “Well, not exactly news. Rumors would be more like it.”
I consider his words. “About?”
“My sources have told me they might know where you should start looking for your missing friends.”
I take a step closer to Malzod. “Your sources? I thought you didn’t have any left.”
“There are a few. Unfortunately, they’re not very high in the ranks and only get bits and pieces of information.”
“Okay. So, what did they say?”
Malzod seems hesitant. I give him a pleading look. “They said something about the breeding villages. They think there might be information regarding Rabbit and Scout there.”
“The breeding villages?” I repeat.
“Yes. Nothing has been confirmed but that’s where they’d start looking.”
“Which village, Malzod?”
“No idea, I’m afraid.”
“There are hundreds of them.”
“I’m well aware of that.”
Of course he is. The aliens didn’t want any one village to grow beyond a few hundred inhabitants. They figured long ago that strength and rebellion can be found in numbers.
“Do your sources think that Rabbit and Scout were actually transferred back to a breeding village? Or should we be looking for someone there who knows where they are?”
“I do not know, Freya. The message was short and rather vague. I cannot call them back to ask for further details as you know.”
“Well, that’s not much to go on. Not to mention it could be a trap.”
Malzod attempts a grin. “That’s what you always think: trap, trap, trap. My people are solid.”
I choose to ignore his first comment. “You trust them?”
“For whatever it’s worth, yes.”
Thirst creeps into my throat. I reach for my water bottle and drink long and fast. When I’m done, I wipe my mouth with the back of my sleeve.
“What should I do?” I say.
“Are you asking for my advice?”
“Yes, is that so strange? You saved all our lives back in Plantation-15 not too long ago. Your view on things is valuable.”
Malzod bows, pleased. “I would send the guards out to the villages like you wanted. Not too many. Two or three teams should do. It will take them a while to collect the information but it could be dangerous for your friends if suspicions were raised.”
I nod. It’s a relief not to have to make all the decisions. “I will discuss it with the Saviors,” I tell Malzod before he goes.
The idea of Rabbit and Scout being returned to the villages to be lobotomized and enter the breeding program is something that had never crossed my mind. What if it’s true? Then they’d be gone to us forever, as good as dead. Still, they’re too young. Maybe there’s hope for them.
The dining hall is pleasantly cool which means the air-conditioning system is running despite fears of an energy shortage. I’m not complaining, it feels good to get sweat blown off my skin on a hot day.
I head for the cooler in search of a drink when I spot Damian sitting with Daphne at the back of the hall. They must be deep in conversation because they don’t notice me.
I duck behind the cooler. My presence would probably interrupt their connection, plus I don’t feel like talking to them. I just don’t seem to be able to think straight today.
If they don’t leave soon, I’ll be left with two options: make my presence known or try to sneak out as quietly as possible. I opt for the latter, but as I start walking towards the door, I hear Daphne’s laughter as it fills the room with its crystal resonance. She’s laughing loud and uncontrollably until Damian raises his voice to ask her to stop.
I freeze on the spot almost fascinated by Daphne’s amusement and have no option but to smile as they become aware of my presence.
Damian’s expression isn’t a happy one. I don’t know if it’s because of Daphne’s reaction or because I’ve witnessed it.
Daphne seems unable to stop laughing although her mirth is nowhere near as loud anymore.
“I’m sorry,” she says as I get near them. “This is just too much.”
“What is?” I say feeling an itch along the palms of my hands.
“Damian was just telling me that you guys have made a child?” she says with eyes watery from laughter.
“Why would that be funny?” I say stealing a glance at Damian.
Daphne chuckles again. “It’s more than funny. It’s ridiculous. Family life for Damian? Are you kidding me? What happened to the Damian I know? The fearless, self-sufficient and commanding leader of all known Earth?”
Her words
are less shocking than her mocking tone and the arrogance of her facial expressions. Those things don’t fit well with yesterday’s display of humility and distress. It’s almost as if two different people reside in her body. Two so far. There might be more. I wonder if Damian senses this, too.
“That’s enough, Daphne,” Damian says, feeling uneasy under the scrutiny of my gaze.
“She has domesticated you,” Daphne goes on. “I warned you about it.”
“Right,” I say. “I’ll leave you so you catch up. I have to be somewhere.”
Damian licks his lips as if he’s about to say something important, but no words come out. He’s torn.
As soon as I’m outside, I curse under my breath realizing I forgot to get a drink after all. Daphne – if it is Daphne and not some elaborate, high-tech clone fed with her memories – has undergone multiple shocks and probably physical and emotional abuse at the hands of the alien lab technicians.
Her body and mind must have resisted like hell to hold on to some parts of the truth, organic or social or instinctive. The more I think about it, the more I come to the conclusion that the only solution would be to keep her on Exodus, restricted and supervised, until–
Until what exactly? Until she shows signs of stability? Until we determine whether she’s real or a magical recreation? Until the war is over and the aliens defeated? Will there ever be a good time to trust her?
When evening comes, I patiently wait for Damian to return to his room. Something tells me he’s not going to return to the room he has been sharing with me since we came back to Spring Town anytime soon. That would prevent him from spending every waking moment with the ghost of Daphne. My hunch proves right and he shows up a little after dinner.
Is he happy to see me? It’s hard to tell. He takes off his jacket and shoes before he decides to talk. “Why are you here?”
“I figured you weren’t going to come to me.”
He hates it when I talk to him like that, throwing his subconscious decisions back at him; when I bring up the obvious traits of his personality, the little odd telling signs of behavior that define him. It is the same every time.
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