The Valkyrie_Genesis

by LK Walker

  Her hand flicks in the air, manipulating a screen that has suddenly appeared.

  “There’s a Holiday Inn showing on the old aerial map. You could meet there.”

  “Perfect. I can book a room when I wake up. Cara, you head there as soon as you’re free. I’ll let them know to expect you.” JT’s eyes are wide with enthusiasm.

  “Sounds like a plan,” I smile. They’re all too excited to see how fake it is.

  “Oh, and Cara.”

  “Yeah, JT.”

  “You better be there.”

  JT lies down on his bed. “Come on, you lot. Let’s wake me up. I’ve got places to be.”

  Coby is smiling too and doesn’t waste any time scrambling to his console.

  “We have to make sure he remembers this whole conversation.” Indigo says, joining Coby at the computer.

  “Cara had perfect recall that time we did a wireless return—after the bomb went off at the base. Can you do something like that?” Zander asks.

  “I can create the same effect. From what they said, it hurt like hell. You okay with that JT?” Coby asks.

  “Least I won’t doze back off.”

  As Coby alters the calibrations on his computer, I stand next to JT. He wiggles over on the bed, so there’s enough room for me to take a seat.

  “I’ve missed you these last couple of weeks. Not talking to you has been a real drag,” JT says.

  “I’ve missed it too. Thank you for worrying about me.”

  “You’re one of the few people I’ve let get under my skin these last few years. For me, you’re the only good thing that came out of that earthquake.”

  “Yeah, for me too.”

  “So, you better be there waiting for me, Cara.”

  “I’ll be seeing you real soon.”

  “We’re ready,” Coby says. “Let’s get this boy moving.”

  “I need you to be there.” They are JT’s last words before the blonde’s body goes limp on the bed.

  “Now you.” Coby moves to the computer set up next to my bed. “Shall we get you hooked up and back so you can untie your ropes and get the hell out of there?”

  “About that.” I give them all a sheepish smile.

  “What have you done, Cara.” Zander pushes himself off the wall he’s leaning on and moves within arm’s length.

  “My restraints are tight and carefully tied. I tried getting out of them until my wrists were raw and bloody.”

  “You lied to us. How could you?” Zander is furious. I’m sending him on a real emotional roller coaster today, but I’m not going to feel guilty about it. It was my choice to make.

  “What? Being lied to doesn’t feel that good, does it?” At some stage, I’m going to have to get over the fact that Zander didn’t use complete truths to get me here. I understand why he did it, but that doesn’t change how it winds me up when I think about kissing him.

  “I would never consider lying if it meant you could die,” he says, aggrieved.

  “It’s my life, I have the choice. Anyway, I think Coby is right. The future needs to stay as it is.”

  “You’re not getting it. If you’re dead, the future is going to go all to hell.”

  “Let’s hope I don’t die then. That seems the best option, right?” Zander ignores me. “At least Coby agrees with me.”

  “I feel sick.” Coby has his head on the table in front of him.

  “You okay?” Indigo asks him as she strokes his back. These two are close friends. You can tell be how comfortable they are in each other’s company.

  “I should never have said anything about Eli. He’d flay me if he knew I used him to talk his sister into an early death.” Coby looks at me. “Even in the future you two are best mates.”

  “Coby…?”

  “It’s Ryan. Please call me Ryan.” Zander and Indigo are both protesting his divulgence. “I worked with Eli over a year ago. In your present time, I’ll come to work for Eli soon. I worked with you too. Perhaps when we meet for the first time, you could pretend you don’t know me. Although I’ll be a lot younger, so you might not recognize me.”

  “Deal.”

  “It’s just—I feel like I talked you into this. And now, with JT gone, we have no back-up plan.”

  “It’s my choice, Ryan. If something happens, it’s all on me.”

  “But I told you …”

  “You told me the truth. I needed to hear both sides. And then I decided. Only me. It is the best option.”

  “Only if you live,” he mumbles, before laying his head back down.

  “Right. What can we do to kill a couple of hours before I go back?” My voice is upbeat and excited. It’s not how I feel, but I have to stop these three wallowing over a decision I’ve already made. Zander’s face is stricken with fear. “Stop worrying. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

  “That’s why I’m worrying. Cara, don’t you get it.” But he doesn’t end his thought. I know he wants to say that Tony will kill me tomorrow. That my decision has meant I only have a few hours of life left. But that’s not a foregone conclusion. They haven’t met Tony. There’s a kindness in him. I’m not sure everyone is capable of killing. This man was chosen by chance, because the time and place fitted, not because he has murderous tendencies. That’s what I’m betting on.

  “Well then, if it’s my final night on earth, if you actually believe that, you need to entertain me. We have a few hours until I’m due back.”

  To my surprise, both Ryan and Indigo jump to their feet.

  “I’ll get the console,” Ryan says, fleeing the room.

  “I’ll get something to drink.” Indigo gives Zander a knowing look. “It might take a while to find the cups.”

  Zander and I are left in the room and he is standing a couple of feet from me. “Indigo’s not all that subtle,” Zander smiles a little. It is a huge change from the dread on his face only seconds before. Now I feel awkward. I’m not sure what to say.

  Zander slumps into a chair.

  “This might be the last time you’re here,” he says.

  “You can’t think like that.”

  “If it is, and you survive, you’ll forget about us. We’ll all drift into your dreams.”

  What can I say to that? He’s right. If I survive this and the media get hold of my story, I won’t be coming back. I’ll forget him, and Ryan and Indigo, no matter how much I try to keep them in my memory. That’s what the computer program is designed to do. They’ll pull the plug on it in the future and all my memories of this place will fade into fiction.

  Zander looks up at me. “You’ve saved me twice in your life.”

  I make the few strides so I can stand in front of his chair.

  “The older version of you saved me once. And now you. Cara, I owe you more than I can ever repay.”

  “I’ve done nothing, other than give you a hard time.”

  “Maybe one day I’ll get to tell you about it, if I get the chance.”

  “You will.”

  “I already lost the opportunity to show my gratitude to you once in this life. So perhaps it’s not wise to wait.” He stands up and hugs me. “Thank you.”

  We hold each other for a few minutes and I feel the kiss he lays on the top of my head. It feels like goodbye. I don’t want to forget Zander and I don’t want to die.

  “Promise me you’ll tell me both stories when I finally make it here.”

  “I will.” His grasp tightens, fleetingly.

  I catch sight of Ryan hovering in the doorway, waiting for an appropriate time to come back into the room. As soon as Zander and I break apart, he bounces in holding a small round unit. He clears some space and places it on a table, positioning four chairs around it.

  “Retro Games unit. I figured we should play something you know.” He depresses a button and a holographic charge lights the room. A list of board games hangs in the air. “You choose.”

  As I’m going through the options, Indigo reappears with something steaming i
n a cup. “You’re going to love this,” she says.

  “She hated the beer,” Zander mentions.

  “You may like this,” she rephrases.

  I can’t help but laugh. We play Settlers of Catan and the hours fly by, the same way they did when I played the game with my school friends. It takes the impending nightmare away for a while and I come close to forgetting. Every so often, one of my companions stifles a yawn. The small hours of the morning are ticking by.

  An alarm goes off on one of the computers next to the beds. Ryan looks me in the eye. “It’s almost seven. Do you want to go back yourself or wait to be woken?”

  I wander over to the window and flick the switch turning it from black to clear. Dawn has come here too. Its cold light brings back the weight of my decision. “I’ll go back now. It will be better if he doesn’t have to smack me conscious again.”

  The room is somber as Indigo hooks me back up. I lay patiently on the bed staring at the ceiling, too nervous to speak.

  “See you soon.” Zander smiles weakly. He looks like he might say something more but instead he leans in and kisses me with a fierce intensity that takes me by surprise. Without a second thought, I return the fervor. My heart aches for him. And, just as abruptly, he pulls away and strides out of the room without looking back.

  “Look after him,” I tell Ryan and Indigo.

  “We will.” There’s a tear sliding down Indigo’s face.

  “Get out of that shed, safe.” Ryan leans over and squeezes my shoulder. “Ciao.” He gives me one last smile.

  And as if my blink transported me, my eyes open to solitude.

  Chapter 29

  It’s a relief to find I’m alone in the shed. My head had slumped forward during my slumber and now my neck muscles scream in protest as I lift my head. At least JT is on his way. He’s not going to be of any help in my survival, but it’s comforting to know, nonetheless, that he will be close by and trying to find me.

  The wind has picked up, whistling around the shed, rustling overgrown vegetation and jostling the main doors against their frame. Dust swirls on the floor, gathering in darkened corners. All I can do is sit and wait. The longer I do, the more my nerves fray. Waiting has me second guessing my decision. It might have been smarter to get Eli involved, but it’s too late now to change my mind. Half an hour passes before I finally hear Tony’s footsteps outside. They are slow and laborious. The side door to the shed opens and the light behind him is too bright for me to see anything but his silhouette.

  “Tony,” I say by way of greeting. He doesn’t reply. He turns and closes the door behind him. The dim light makes it easier for me to see. He’s still facing the door, holding the handle and it’s unnerving. His shoulders are slumped and that shiny black gun hangs from his other hand as if it weighs a ton, dragging his whole body down.

  Finally, he turns to look at me. His complexion has a translucent pallor, like it was the first time I saw him. Beads of sweat are forming on his brow. He wipes them away with the back of his sleeve. He isn’t able to wipe away the tiny drops that hide in the creases of his frown.

  “What did they say?” I ask.

  “Cara.” Tony starts to talk. His voice is croaky and the corners of his lips are filled with gunk that becomes stringy when he speaks. “What have you done to make them so angry?” He’s trying not to cry. “What have you done?” He says it as if I am a child who has broken an expensive vase.

  “Nothing.” My heart is pounding in my chest. Every inch of my body is charged and ready to flee. If I wasn't tied down, I would do just that.

  “I haven’t done anything.” My voice is high pitched from my panic.

  Tony takes another step towards me. It’s more of a stumble, but he catches himself. A pain-induced cringe flashes over his face. He uses the gun in his right hand to rub his left arm and his features settle again.

  “Then why do they want you dead?” Disgust. That’s what his expression communicates as he stares into my eyes. I don’t dare look away in case he takes it as a sign of guilt. He breaks his intense stare and cries out in pain. This time, the gun goes to his chest. The fingers that aren’t needed to hold the gun, grope at his breast.

  “You need help, Tony,” I say trying to make my voice sound caring.

  “Shut up.” Tony’s crying now. Not sobbing, but tears are falling down his cheeks.

  “Let me help you.”

  “Tell me what you’ve done, please, I need to know.” He’s imploring me.

  “I’ve done nothing. You have to believe me.”

  “Then why do they want me to shoot you?” His words hit me like a freight train. The air rushes from my lungs. I’m trying to hold it together but, hell, it’s hard to not scream and beg. My body shakes, pinned to the chair.

  “I don’t know.” I join him in tears. “I can’t explain why they want me dead.” He sounds unstable and that’s petrifying. One moment of rash behavior could end it all for me.

  “Tony, you’re sick. Let me help you. The money is useless if you die here.”

  “But what about my family? What if they’re in danger?”

  “I promise you they’re not.” The taste of salt is strong in my mouth. My tears are relentless and stream down my face unobstructed, finding their way past my lips, as I try to coax Tony into letting me live.

  The gun clatters to the ground at my feet and he lands on his knees next to it, still clutching his chest.

  “Tony, listen to me. The medication is killing you. Untie me and I’ll drive you to the hospital.”

  He looks up at me, his face has changed to light gray, a shade skin should never be. His eyes are lost in his head as if they’re in sinking sand.

  “Let me help you.” It comes out as barely a whisper. “I can save you.”

  Tony lifts his eyes to mine and stares. His body wavers from side to side. “I’m so sorry.” He doesn’t say anything more, just stares. There is no indication what his next move might be.

  I jump in my seat when his body finally shifts. It’s away from the gun. On hands and knees, he disappears behind me and starts tugging on the rope that binds my hands. It drops to the ground and my arms are free. They fall limply to my sides and I clench and unclench my hands until I can feel some control return. I untie my legs and for the first time in an excruciatingly long time, I stand up. My muscles feel the relief. My legs are still adjusting and my first step is a stumble. My right foot collects the corner of the gun and it skids a little further away. The thought crosses my mind that I could end this now, tie up all the loose ends. I wouldn’t even have to use the gun. I could just get in the car and go. My feet are immobile for a second.

  I can’t bring myself to leave Tony here. He is making faint noises behind me. I don’t have time for indecision. My joints howl in pain, but I move as fast as I can, hoisting him up, slipping my body under his arm, propping him against me.

  “We need to get you to the hospital. Where are the keys?” He pushes his shaking hand into his pocket and pulls out a jangling set of keys, dropping them into my extended palm.

  Somehow, we make it out of the shed. Halfway to the car, my legs buckle under his weight and we’re a tangle of limbs on the grass. It takes all my effort to haul both of us back onto our feet.

  Finally making it to the car, I try to ease him onto the back seat, but my movements are no more dainty than if I had thrown him. At least he’s in there, lying on the suit jacket he was wearing when he took me. Giving up on being gentle, I force his legs further in to allow a little clearance so I can close the door. The car is the latest Toyota something, I didn’t catch the model on the way in. I still drive a car without a computer under the bonnet. It doesn’t have this many display elements to comprehend. I’m frantic and my eyes are combing the dashboard in front of me for a key slot. My mind is so focused on this one simple task—find the ignition slot for the key. My idiocy smacks me in the face when I finally see the push button with ‘Start’ written on it. The engine revs to
life. I shift the gears and depress the accelerator. We are finally moving.

  In my rearview mirror, I see the shed where I’ve been kept and I feel incredibly grateful to have left it under my own steam.

  As we reach the end of a long tree-lined driveway, I can see why Tony wasn’t worried about anyone hearing me yell. The nearest house and is all but a spot on the horizon. Vast fields and thickly planted trees fill the distance between them and us.

  “Which way do I go?”

  “Right.” Tony’s voice is feeble. I plant my foot on the accelerator and stone chips flick up violently into the surrounding foliage, as the car snakes its way out onto the sealed road.

  “Thank you,” his whispers from the back seat.

  “Don’t thank me yet.” The car is fast. Scarily so. I can’t bring myself to push the pedal flat. If I lose control I will have no idea how to regain it. As it is, the scenery is a blur. “We need to get something straight before we make it to the hospital, Tony.” My voice is severe. “You will never talk of this again—to anyone. We’ll pretend none of it ever happened. Is that understood?”

  “You’re not going to tell anyone…?” Even though his voice is strained, there’s a sense of incredulity to it.

  “I don’t ever want to think of this again. Promise me you won’t tell anyone. Not a soul. And you won’t ever come looking for me. Ever. Promise Tony?”

  “Yes, anything.”

  “And you’ll never touch those pills again.”

  “Of course.”

  “Promise?” My voice booms in the confines of the car.

  “I promise,” he replies, without hesitation.

  “Where are the pills?” I ask.

  “At the house.”

  “None in your pockets?”

  “No. They’re all at the house.”

  “Fine. When we get to the hospital, you’re going to tell them what you took. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  His breathing is labored.

  “You’ll tell them that you pulled over when you started getting chest pains. I found you there and drove you into town. You’ve never met me before. Are we clear?”