by V. L. Dreyer
"If you say so," Aaron said doubtfully. "Okay, so we've got me in case anyone gets hurt, Simon to guide us, Sandrine for smarts, Michael for muscle, and Gavin because he knows a little bit about everything. Do we need anyone else?"
"You don't need us, but we'd like to come if you'd have us," said a voice from the doorway. I glanced back over my shoulder and saw Mary Ferguson, her father, and several other members of their group standing in the doorway.
I raised a brow and gave her a curious look. "You're not still trying to earn my forgiveness, are you? Because I already forgive you. You guys can stop leaving flowers on my doorstep now."
Mary laughed and shook her head. "Sorry, that was entirely my doing. I do still feel bad, but that wasn't why I left the flowers. I try to do something nice for one person every day, and these rooms are so bland and boring. They need a little colour to bring them to life."
I smiled in spite of what had happened a week earlier. That was a sentiment I understood. "Well, thank you anyway. They certainly have livened up the place. But, why do you guys want to come?"
Daniel stepped forward and rested a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Word's gotten around about what you're going to look for, and one of these days I'm going to have grandkids to worry about. It's only right that we offer our assistance any way that we can."
Mary shot her father a dark look at the comment about grandkids, then she looked back at me and her expression relaxed again. "We also feel like it's our duty to help protect the Child Prophet. We were listening when she was here, and if she needs to go then we do, too. You've already forgiven us and we appreciate that, but we still feel like we have to earn God's forgiveness as well. Not just for what we almost did to you, but for… everything. Humanity's sins. We believe that the plague was His way of punishing us all for humanity's arrogance, but if there truly is a vaccine then we'll know that we've finally earned His forgiveness." She paused, and gave me a tiny smile. "It's important to us. Please let us come."
"Well, if it means that much to you…" I hesitated and glanced at the others. Michael nodded and smiled to me, while the others seemed fairly ambivalent on the matter. I looked back at Mary and Daniel, and nodded my approval. "Sure. Go get your travel clothes on and grab some rations from the kitchen. We'll be returning here by evening, so pack light. No need to bring overnight gear. If you need some wet weather gear, go see Skylar in the Quartermaster's office and she'll get you kitted out."
They nodded and departed. I turned back to the others, only to find Aaron obviously struggling to keep silent. I smiled at him and made a friendly gesture. "Out with it, then?"
He sighed and rolled his eyes heavenwards. "Look, I consider myself as open-minded as they come… but that bunch weird me out. Do we have to bring them with us, too?"
"Aren't you Irish Catholic?" I asked, equal parts amused and concerned by his protests.
"Officially, yeah," he said. "But you don't see me ambushing ladies in the women's room, now do you? There's something very peculiar about that lot, and I don't much care for it. I cannot fathom why you let them stay here after what they did."
"Everyone makes mistakes," I replied. "What they did was a genuine misunderstanding. They thought they were doing what was best for everyone by protecting you from a false prophet. There was no real malice or hatred behind it. It wouldn't be right for me to evict them for their beliefs."
Michael lay a hand on my shoulder, picking up the thought where I left off. "Tumanako was always supposed to be a place of acceptance, where everyone is welcome regardless of race or creed. That's what Sandy preached to us in the beginning, and that's what we want to live by now. We know it isn't always easy for different people to live in harmony – there have been enough wars to prove that – but there are so few of us now that we have to try."
"He's right," Gavin said. "You remember what it was like before the plague? All the fear and hatred directed towards anyone who had different bodies or beliefs? Catholics and Protestants, Muslims, Jews, atheists… it didn’t matter how innocent you were, there was always someone who hated you. Well, you’re Christian, I’m atheist, Michael’s a Buddhist, and guess what? We’re all good people. The Yousefi family are Muslim, and contrary to what pre-plague society would have believed, they aren’t terrorists. Hell, they're some of the best people I know. You heard the story about how they came to join us, right?"
"I haven't," Simon said, looking back and forth between us curiously. "What happened?"
"They gave Skye and Doc concussions and set our house on fire," Michael said, grinning. "We nearly lost everything!"
Aaron's eyes bulged, and Simon's jaw fell open. Before either of them could say anything, I jumped in to finish the story.
"But the point is, we gave them a chance to explain themselves," I said. "It turned out that they were starving, had four kids to feed, and there was a misunderstanding. Everything that happened was an accident."
Gavin nodded and picked up his thought where he'd left off. "If they'd chased the Yousefi family away, not only would there be six more dead people in the world, but we'd have missed out on the opportunity to learn what good friends they can be. My point being, we shouldn't judge people based on what we think we know about them without giving them a chance to show us the truth."
I gave Gavin a quizzical look and a grin. "You've been thinking about this a lot."
"I have," he admitted. "I've been spending a lot of time with the engineering crew, including Zain. He told me the story, and how guilty he felt about it in retrospect. It made me realise why you've been trying so hard to be forgiving, even when I know that your first instinct is to push people away to protect yourself from getting hurt. You're trying to lead by example."
I felt a rush of heat in my cheeks and glanced down, suddenly embarrassed. "Everyone deserves a second chance. That's the other thing Tumanako was meant to be: a second chance for all of us. I wish that I could say I lived without regrets, but that would be a lie. I've had to take lives, or have lives taken to protect my own, and I still think about them all the time. I don't want anyone else to have to live with that kind of darkness weighing on their soul."
Michael squeezed my hand, and everyone else fell silent around the table. Everyone except Simon, who looked at me.
"You know, you should write it down," he said.
"Write what down?" I asked, raising a brow. "The darkness weighing on my soul?"
"No, just… your story," he replied, shaking his head. "Everyone should, if they can. One day, people are going to look back on what we're doing here as history. Wouldn't it be better to tell them your story in your own words, rather than have it passed down by goodness knows however many generations of storytellers around the campfire?"
I had to stop and think about that, turning the idea over in my head until I could make sense of it. Suddenly, the pieces clicked into place, and I sat back in my chair.
"You're right," I said. "I mean, what if some kid is looking back on this day in a thousand years, and trying to write a report about us for school? Everyone’s voice is a thread in the tapestry that made this happen, and the best way for our voices to be remembered is through our own words. What better way for us to immortalize our families, and those who were lost to the plague? Simon, that's a brilliant idea. Why didn't I think of that?"
"Disseminating information is kind of my business," he answered dryly. "I'll do it if you do it."
"You're on," I agreed, then I looked at Michael and the others. "What about you guys? Michael? Gavin? Aaron?"
"Sure, why not?" Aaron said with a shrug. "If I can find the time, I'll write something."
Michael nodded thoughtfully. "Our stories are pretty closely intertwined since Hamilton, but it's always good to have two different perspectives on the same events."
"I'll… think about it," said Gavin. I glanced at Gavin, but he wouldn't meet my eye. "There are some parts I'd rather not remember."
"I know," I replied, reaching out to touch his
scarred hand. "I know better than anyone. Think about it, and take as much time as you need."
Gavin started to reply, but before he could we were interrupted by a commotion out in the hall. The door burst open and Skylar dashed inside, her face alight with excitement.
"Sandy!" she cried when she saw me. "Oh thank goodness, you haven't left yet. I was just talking to Mary and she had the best idea. You're going to love it!"
"Wait, back up," I replied, holding my hands up to stall her. "The best idea for what?"
"For a memorial to all the people who died in the plague," she replied. She grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my chair, dragging me over to the big, whitewashed wall that ran along one side of the room. "A photo mural, right here. There are photographs everywhere, right? You see them all the time. Magazines, newspapers, even albums in people's houses. So we gather them all up, and we cover this whole wall with them. The whole wall!"
"With pictures of random strangers?" I asked, bewildered. "What good would that do?"
"But they're not just random strangers," she said enthusiastically, struggling to illustrate the idea with broad gestures. "They're people. They're our history. Our ancestors. We collect and preserve the photographs, so that we can remember what the world looked like back then. Mary just told me that historians used to look back on Ancient Greece and make guesses about what things looked like based off their art, but if we collect photos then people in the future won't have to make any guesses because they'll just be able to look at the pictures."
"That… actually, that makes a lot of sense," I replied. "Clever. Okay, you're in charge of the project, so organise it as you see fit. We were also just talking about having people write down their personal stories for pretty much the same reason. Can you get hold of a bunch of notebooks and writing instruments?"
"Will do," she said. "There's a big stationery cupboard that we haven't even started to inventory yet, or failing that I'm sure there's a supply store nearby. I'll take care of everything." She paused and glanced around the table, then grinned. "You guys just focus on the vaccine."
"You got it," I replied. I glanced out the window, then looked back at my group. "We better go find Maddy and see what's going on. Looks like the rain's only going to get heavier the longer we wait."
The others nodded and rose. We gathered up our backpacks and left the cafeteria. Michael took the rest of the group downstairs to get our transport ready, while I went off in search of Doc. I found him in his office, a small room off the infirmary, hunched over a book. He didn't notice me at first, which gave me the chance to get close enough to spy on what he was reading.
"Herbal medicine, Doc?" I asked, surprised. "Are our medical supplies running that low?"
He almost jumped out of his skin, then shot a glare over his shoulder at me. "Yes, we are – as your current condition illustrates. I need to work out an alternative, and soon. I can make some things from scratch but not everything. Speaking of which – you need to tell Michael soon. You're beginning to show."
"I'm well aware, don't worry," I replied, glancing back over my shoulder. Tala and Franco were sleeping side by side in the infirmary, but none of the nurses were around. "Skye and Anahera cornered me last night and tried to give me 'the talk', so now they know. I'm planning to tell him tonight, once we get home."
"Not a moment too soon," he replied. "I'm getting tired of tiptoeing around the subject."
"You're getting tired of it?" I echoed, laughing. "How do you think I feel? I have to suck my tummy in whenever he's around. At this rate, my baby bump's going to pop out of my back!"
To my surprise, Doc laughed right along with me. "Now, that would be something I don't know how to fix, so you'd best stop sucking it in. However, I do think you made the right choice by not to telling him until you were past the danger zone. I'm surprised you've gotten this far, all things considered."
"What can I say?" I shrugged and grinned at him. "I'm stubborn. Michael's stubborn. Stubbornness is an inherited trait, apparently. I predict tantrums aplenty in this stubborn baby's future. Oh, and speaking of stubborn – did Maddy come and talk to you?"
"Yes, she did," he replied, his smile fading. "I expect you to take care of her, Ms McDermott. She's the only family I've got left."
I lifted my eyebrows, surprised. "You gave her permission to come along?"
"I did," he said quietly. "I don't like it, but… I've come to accept that Madeline's gift is outside my field of expertise. If she needs to go, then she needs to go. I know that I can trust you and Michael to protect her as if she were your own daughter. I sent her off to get her raincoat and boots. She should be back any minute."
Right on cue, the door opened and Maddy scampered in, all wrapped up in her favourite pink raincoat. She skidded to a stop and grinned up at me. "Hi! Granddaddy said I can go, so let's go."
"Did you go and get some lunch?" I asked.
She nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! I'm ready."
"One more thing," Doc said, reaching out to touch my arm. "Once you've told Michael, please bring him by to see me. I'd like to compile as much information on potential problems as possible. Plus, I need to weigh you again to make sure you're gaining enough weight. I'm somewhat concerned that you're still underweight, but we'll find out."
"Will do, Doc," I replied, sketching a salute. Then I offered my hand to Maddy, and led the little girl out into the hall.
"Mister Michael is going to be happy," she whispered as she skipped along beside me. "He wants a baby very much."
"I know," I replied. "Every time I see him cuddling Evelyn and casting furtive glances at me, I want to tell him. I can't hide it much longer."
"It's okay," Maddy said, suddenly turning solemn. "It's almost time to tell him. You'll know when." We rounded a corner into the little alley leading to the elevators, and her seriousness vanished in a flash of youthful exuberance. "Oh! Oh! Can I push the button? Please?"
I couldn't help but laugh at how swiftly she went from stone-faced adult to bouncy child. "Sure, hon. Push the button."
"Yay!" she cheered, and raced over to do just that.
A few minutes later, we headed out the door, and found the rest of the group waiting for us. I bundled Madeline into the back of the Hilux, then I took Boudicca's reins from Michael and vaulted up into the saddle.
"Everyone ready?" I asked, glancing at him.
He nodded and smiled. "We were just waiting on you two, now we're good to go whenever you are."
"Good," I said. I paused to do a quick mental headcount, then I nodded and led the way out into the gloomy streets.
Chapter Fifteen
We travelled east as far as we could go, then turned south and followed the old train tracks through the outer suburbs of Lower Hutt. Even after ten years, even in the middle of a spring rainstorm, it was beautiful country. The houses were run down and overgrown, but they still looked cosy and warm. I found myself looking at them with sadness and longing. Perhaps one day I could have a real home for my family. Maybe we'd be able to raise our baby there.
It was a pointless dream for the moment, though. Until we knew we were safe from the mutated infected, we couldn't leave the safety of Tumanako's walls. But at least now I could hope and dream, and there was a chance that the dream might come true.
A few kilometres before we would have reached the northern shoreline of Wellington Harbour we swung east again, into the industrial zone that lined the inside of the hills. Pretty houses and wild gardens gave way to huge, sprawling factories and the rusted hulks of cars and trucks.
Suddenly, the radio in my pocket crackled to life and I head Simon calling my name. I unbuttoned my coat and pulled the walkie-talkie out. "I'm here. Which way?"
"Left at this roundabout, then keep an eye out to your right," he replied. "You'll see a long driveway going up into the hills."
"Gotcha," I said. I clicked the radio off again and tucked it away.
"One of these days, we really need to teach him to ri
de," Michael commented dryly.
I laughed and nodded. "Sometimes I think he doesn't want to learn, so he doesn't have to get wet."
"Damn!" Michael swore. "Why didn't I think of that?"
"Because you knew I wouldn't let you get away with it," I replied. I was about to make another joke when we rounded a corner, and I spotted our destination. "There! That must be the driveway he was talking about."
"Huh. That's an awfully big fence," Michael said, studying the edge of the property. The fence line was hemmed by a thick layer of bushes and small trees, but beyond it we could see the moss-covered rooflines of a sprawling complex of buildings outlined against the darker green of the hills.
"Hm. No signs, just like he said," I commented. I pulled out my GPS and checked it, then glanced at him. "The maps say it was an industrial research facility, but it's also flagged as permanently closed. Which means it was closed before the plague."
"Suspicious and fascinating at the same time," he said.
I nodded my agreement and led the way up the driveway towards those distant buildings. The gate still hung open from Simon's previous visit, but there was no sign of life aside from the birds singing in the trees all around us. I ducked beneath a low-hanging branch and brought my horse to a stop outside the front door.
"This is pretty creepy," I admitted. "No wonder Simon ran off when he was here by himself. I would have, too."
"Says the lady who risked a mutant-infested hospital at midnight because her foot hurt," he said dryly.
I shot him a dark look. "I didn't have a choice. Besides, if I hadn't done that you wouldn't have a wife."
"Touché," he said, and let the topic drop.
We both dismounted and tied our horses to a rusted bike stand in front of the building, then waited while the other riders did likewise and Simon parked the Hilux. Once we were all assembled in front of the building, I took a long look around. "It really does look like a government facility, doesn’t it? I don't see a single sign except for that fire exit over there. Weird. Why would they build something way out here?"