Exposed

by Maller, Andrea

  “I...I’ve missed you, too,...Charles.”

  Charles lifted his head, fixing his gaze on Samantha’s emerald green eyes.

  “You..you said my name. You’re...you’re okay. You can speak. You’re...back. You’re really back.”

  “I don’t understand, Charles. What happened? Where am I? Why am I hooked up to all these machines?”

  “It’s a long story. For right now, just rest. We’ll talk later about everything that’s happened. You need time to regain your strength. You just went through a bone marrow transplant and your body needs time to recover.”

  “I feel like I’ve been through so much more. My mind is practically a blank. What aren’t you telling me?”

  “In due time. Just close your eyes and rest. I promise I won’t leave your side. I’ll never leave your side.”

  “I am tired. Maybe just a short nap. But when I wake, I want you to tell me everything.”

  Charles brushed the hair from Samantha’s face, kissed her forehead and leaned back in his chair. He closed his eyes for a moment, then jumped up when he heard the door open.

  “How’s she doing, Charles?” Alex asked as he watched Samantha’s eyelids fluttering.

  “Shh. She’s almost asleep.”

  “Did it work? Was the transplant a success?”

  “She’s going to be okay. She’s going to be just fine. She spoke, Alex. She spoke to me. She said my name. Her beautiful melodious voice spoke my name. After so many years of waiting, she finally spoke my name.”

  “We did it, Charles. Thanks to our girls. We did it. We saved Samantha. Does she know what happened?”

  “Not yet. I haven’t told her anything except that she received the transplant. It’s too much to burden her with all at once.”

  “I’m sure she’s going to want to meet Alyson and Cassie. After all, they are responsible for her being here.”

  “And she for them. Everything has come full circle.”

  “It certainly has.”

  “They should meet. Not today, but soon. Give all our girls a chance to recuperate.”

  “I agree. We should wait. But not too long. Don’t forget, Jake’s father is still on the warpath. He’s not going to just leave Alyson and Cassie alone. He’ll try again. It’s not safe to keep them here too long.”

  “When they’re stronger, we’ll remove the tracking device he implanted in them. Then we’ll get them out of the country. I hate sending them away, but we really don’t have any alternative.”

  “Do you think he’ll give up once he can’t track them any longer?”

  “Knowing Howard the way I know Howard, he’ll never give up. As long as they’re alive, he will stop at nothing to get his hands on them again. The man is nothing if not relentless.”

  “He did eventually give up on Samantha.”

  “Not exactly. If you remember correctly, Samantha just disappeared. He wasn’t able to find her, but I don’t believe he ever gave up.”

  “Something you said gives me an idea.”

  “What? What did I say that could possibly give you an idea, Alex?”

  “You said as long as they’re alive.”

  “Yes, how does that help? We are obviously going to keep them alive. I wouldn’t let anything hurt Alyson ever again. What are you suggesting?”

  “What if Howard believed they weren’t alive? He would have no choice but to move on.”

  “How exactly are we going to do that? He’s not stupid. He would want proof of some sort.”

  “Ch...Charles? What are you...what are you talking about? Is that Alexander with you? I thought I heard his voice.”

  “You did,” Alex said, moving closer so Samantha could see his face. “It’s good to hear your voice again. Charles was right. You do look beautiful. You haven’t changed a bit. So glad to have you back in the land of the living.”

  “Charles, what is he talking about?”

  “You know Alex. He’s just being dramatic.”

  “I guess some people never change,” Samantha said.

  “How are you feeling?” Charles asked.

  “Still a bit groggy. Your voices woke me.”

  “Sorry about that. You get some more rest. We’ll be just outside your room if you need anything,” Charles said, gently caressing Samantha’s cheek.

  “I’ll be okay. You don’t have to stand guard. I will take you up on your offer of more sleep, though. I am still tired.”

  “Rest well. If you require anything, press this button. A nurse will be in to take care of your needs.”

  “Thank you, Charles. And Alexander...”

  “Yes, Samantha?”

  “It’s good to see you again.”

  “The pleasure is all mine. We’ll talk later when you’re feeling better. We have a lot of catching up to do. The place hasn’t been the same without you. Charles hasn’t been the same without you.”

  “You’re very sweet. We’ll talk soon.”

  “Rest well. Come, Charles.”

  Charles leaned in, kissed Samantha gently, then turned to leave as she let out a yawn. He took one more look before joining Alex in the hall.

  “She’s going to be just fine, Charles. I know you’re worried, but she’s strong.”

  “How did you...?”

  “I know you, Charles. Every time you’re worried or scared about something, your face tenses and your left eye twitches.”

  “You do know me. Then you must also know what else is on my mind.”

  “I do. And you are concerned needlessly. I can see by the way you look at her. It’s written all over your face. She can see it, too. She knows you love her. She loves you, too.”

  “It’s not that simple. It’s as if time stood still for her. She hasn’t changed a bit.”

  “You’re right. She’s as beautiful and youthful as the day you met. Time stood still for her.”

  “I know, but not for us. Eighteen years have passed. Eighteen long hard years. They’ve taken a toll. I don’t look like the man she fell in love with so long ago. What if she...?”

  “She still loves you. All she sees when she looks at you is the man she fell in love with -- not the grey hairs, what’s left of your hair, or the weathered lines on your face. She just sees you.”

  “I wish I could believe that.”

  “Trust your love. Trust her. It’s going to take time for you to get used to each other again. You’ll get there. Take a deep breath and relax.”

  “You’re a good friend, Alex. After everything we’ve just gone through, with Alyson and Cassie, with Samantha’s transplant, I’m not sure I know how to relax anymore.”

  “Take advantage of the time we have right now. Don’t forget, we still have Howard Parker to deal with. He’s not going to give up on our girls and before long, he’ll come looking for them again.”

  “He won’t come into our lab. As long as they stay here, they’ll be safe.”

  “You know that’s only a short term solution. We can’t keep the girls here forever. We need to come up with a plan to make him believe Alyson and Cassie are dead. Something that will leave no doubt in his mind.”

  “You’re right. We do need to come up with something, but can we do that tomorrow? Right now, my head is spinning and all I can think about is Samantha. She’s alive. She’s really alive again. No more existing in suspended animation. No more being separated from me. We can work on building a life together -- the one we should have had so many years ago.”

  “You’re very lucky, Charles. Most people don’t get a second chance.”

  “I know, Alex. And I want to revel in that good fortune for a while longer. I’m not ready to deal with crazy Howard Parker yet. I just want to...”

  Charles took a deep breath.

  “I just want to be for a while. Alyson’s safe. Samantha is on her way to a full recovery. Let’s just enjoy that for today. Tomorrow... Tomorrow we will deal with the outside world again.”

  “Okay, Charles. Just for today. You’ve ear
ned it. For today, we will just enjoy friends and family. We will stay in the cocoon of New View Biotech and shut out the world for just a little while.”

  “So, do you think it’s too soon for me to propose?”

  Charles and Alex laughed.

  “I realize it’s been eighteen years, but you might want to wait until she’s back home again. I’m assuming she’ll be going home with you and Alyson.”

  “Home? With Alyson?” Charles paused. “I suppose so,” Charles said wistfully.

  “You sound unsure. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted? To be a family with Samantha and Alyson? What’s the problem?”

  “The problem? I’m hoping none, but I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. I was so caught up in the excitement of her survival, I forgot about the day-to-day reality.”

  “Everything will work out. They are going to get along just fine. You worry too much, Charles.”

  “That may be, but Alyson hasn’t even met Samantha. Not yet anyway. How can I just bring her into our home when she’s a virtual stranger to Alyson? I realize they’re identical genetically, but they’re still individuals with their own unique ideas and experiences. What if Alyson doesn’t accept her? What do I do? I can’t lose her again. I only just got her back. I only just got both of them back.”

  “Charles, you’re getting ahead of yourself. Alyson just went through a very painful procedure to save Samantha’s life. She’s not going to object to the woman moving in with you. Alyson knows how important Samantha is to you.”

  “What if Alyson still resents her?”

  “I’m sure she’s moved past her anger and will welcome Samantha into your home. Then the three of you can live happily ever after.”

  “I know you’re mocking me, but you’re right. I’m being foolish. They’re going to love each other and I’m panicking for no good reason. Thank you. Thank you for being a friend.”

  “I’m always here for you -- you and Samantha. Whatever you need, I’m here.”

  “Maybe we should check on her. See how she’s doing. She might be awake.”

  “If she is, she needs to go back to sleep. She’s never going to make a full recovery without giving her body plenty of rest.”

  “I know you’re right.”

  “Come on. Let’s go to the cafeteria and grab some food. We’ll check on Cassie and Alyson on the way.”

  Charles took a quick peek into Samantha’s room, saw she was still asleep, and walked with Alex to Cassie and Alyson’s room. They were both awake and getting impatient to leave.

  “When are we getting sprung from this place?” Alyson asked, mindlessly flipping through the television channels.

  “I know you must be getting bored, probably a little restless, but you know it’s not safe for you to leave the facility yet. Not until we come up with a plan to keep you safe from Howard.”

  “I’m sick of staying in bed, Dad. I feel fine. Better than ever.”

  “I’m glad to hear it, Alyson, but you should rest for a few more days. That will give Alex and me a chance to come up with some ideas.”

  “I have some ideas,” Cassie said, feeling excluded from the conversation.

  “What ideas?” Alex asked, eager to hear what his daughter had to say.

  “Why don’t we just destroy the locator chip?”

  “That’s just a short term solution. It would give you a head start to get away, but he would always be looking for you. Howard will never stop trying to find you as long as he knows you’re alive,” Charles said.

  “So, that’s it. We just give up,” Alyson said, feeling a throbbing pain forming in her head.

  “Or keep running and hiding for the rest of our lives. Always looking over our shoulder. Always trying to stay one step ahead of a psycho obsessed scientist,” Cassie added.

  “That’s not what we’re suggesting,” Alex said, trying to speak calmly so as not to agitate the girls any further.

  “What we’re suggesting is to have Howard believe you’re dead. It’s the only way you’ll ever be free from him,” Charles said.

  “What do you mean dead? You mean...pretend we died. Are you crazy, Dad? I’m not going to pretend to be dead. It’s...bad luck or something. I’m not superstitious, but isn’t that tempting fate to do something horrible to us?”

  “Look, Alyson. We need to do something drastic. We’re talking about the man that kidnapped and tortured you and Cassie. The same man who implanted a locator chip in you just in case you did manage to escape. He never intended for you to be free of him.”

  “You don’t need to remind me. I haven’t forgotten. I’ll never get the images of him or that horrible place out of my mind.”

  “I’m sorry, Alyson. I didn’t mean to... I...I’m sorry. Please. Please forgive me.”

  “Come on, Charles. Don’t beat yourself up over this. Alyson knows you didn’t mean anything by what you said. We’re all still a little on edge.”

  “A little, Dad,” Cassie said, trying to lighten the mood, a half-smile on her face.

  Alyson’s jaw started to unclench as Cassie spoke. She lowered her shoulders and took a deep breath before slowly releasing it. She could feel a sharp pain forming in her temples as she took another breath.

  “How do you manage to stay positive with all this going on?” Alyson asked Cassie.

  “It’s simple. Right now, we’re in the calm before the storm. If we panic now, we have no chance of survival. Look what we’ve just come out of. We never thought we would get out of that room. We never thought we would see our home ever again. And look at us now. You’re with your dad. I’m with mine.”

  “In case you’ve forgotten, we’re not home at the moment. We’re just in a different research facility. We can’t come and go as we please. We still can’t see our friends. The only difference is we’re not tied down like animals anymore.”

  “It’s more than that. Much more. And once we’re a little stronger, we’ll be able to see our friends again.”

  “I’m sorry, Cassie, but that’s not going to happen.”

  “What do you mean? We’re free now. Howard Parker can’t do anything to us anymore. It’s not like we would be stupid enough to ever go back to his lab again. It’s over. We can go back to our lives now.”

  “You can’t just pick up where you left off. Alyson’s right. It’s not safe. I’m sorry, but life as you knew it will never be the same.”

  Alex saw the light go out in Cassie’s eyes. That glimmer of hope that she was holding on to was extinguished like a candle in the rain. He reached his hand out to comfort her while scrambling for what to say.

  “That doesn’t mean you can’t have your freedom back. It’s just not going to be here.”

  “What are you talking about, Dad? Where are we going to be?”

  “I don’t know yet, Cassie. All I do know is that it won’t be here. We can’t take any chances of Howard finding you.”

  “So, do we get banished to the other side of the world until it’s safe to come back?”

  “Cassie...”

  “Or maybe we can never come back. Is that it? That’s it, isn’t it? We can never come back and our lives will never be the same. All our friends. Everyone we know. We can never see them again, can we?”

  “I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, but I just can’t say those words. I can’t lie to you. Not anymore. Maybe if I had been honest with you from the beginning...”

  “Don’t. Don’t do that to yourself, Dad. I don’t blame you anymore. I know I did, but that’s in the past now,” Cassie said, trying to assuage her father’s guilt.

  “What you went through. What you and Alyson went through. It was all because of the secrets Charles and I kept from you. Secrets and lies. That’s what almost took you from me. That’s what almost...”

  “Don’t! We all played a part in what happened. The only one I blame is Howard Parker. He’s the reason we can’t be free. Why we’ll never be free. Why we can’t live a normal life. Why I can’t
close my eyes at night without screaming in my head and waking up shaking, my body dripping in sweat. I’ll never... I’ll never be okay again. He took everything. He..he...”

  “Cassie, calm down. You can’t let him do this to you. You’re the strong one. You’re the one who kept me from giving up when we were in that room. I’m here for you now,” Alyson said.

  She took a deep breath and with fluid-filled eyes, turned her gaze to Alyson.

  “It’s okay, Cassie. Focus on my voice. It’s going to be okay. We’re going to be okay.”

  “I..I can’t. I can’t, Alyson. I can’t do it anymore. It’s too hard.”

  Cassie collapsed into the chair beside her bed, her head falling forward like a rag doll as tears poured out. Alyson tried staying strong, but visions of being back in that place, back in Howard’s lab, was all too much. She put her arms around Cassie and they clung to each other, tears freely flowing. Charles and Alex stood helplessly watching as their daughters were devoured by agonizing flashbacks. The pain swallowing them whole.

  “We have to do something, Alex. They’re crumbling into little pieces right before our eyes. We have to help them.”

  “This is helping them, Charles. This is what they need. They need to let the pain out so they can let it go. It’s the only way they will ever be able to move forward.”

  “I can’t just watch my daughter fall apart and not do anything.”

  “They have each other now, Charles. Only they can know what it feels like to have gone through that trauma. They’ll get each other through the pain. They know we’re here for them.”

  “I suppose you’re right, but this is killing me inside. I wish I could fix everything for her like I did when she was a little girl. Remember when all it took was a kiss and a bandage and everything was all better. I miss those days.”

  “I do, too, Charles. We should give them some space and privacy. They’ll be okay. We’ll come back later and check on them. I don’t think they’ll even notice we’re leaving. They’re in their own world now. Come on.”

  Charles and Alex quietly crept out of the room, gently letting the door close behind them. They could hear the muffled cries grow softer as they walked further down the hall.