Darkside
Vol 3

based on the characters created by

Aaron K. Carter

DarksideVol 3

Copyright © 2019 by Aaron K. Carter. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any way by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author except as provided by USA copyright law.

This novel is a work of fiction. Names, descriptions, entities, and incidents included in the story are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, events, and entities is entirely coincidental.

Chapter 1

W hen I reach the door I’m mildly surprised to find I’m not the only one wanting it open. A little boy, probably eight years old or so, is knocking as well. he looks at me with big brown eyes.

“Sir, are you a pilot?” he asks.

“I’m training to be, what are you doing?” I ask.

“I’m looking for my friend,” he says. Right. They said Major Card had a daughter so this is her little friend.

“How long you been at it?” I ask.

“Seven minutes, sir, I’m sure she’s in there,” he says.

“Right,” I say, kneeling down. time for a new method.

“Put the wild waters in this roar allay them. The sky it seems---”

“Would pour down stinking pitch But that the sea---”

“Arg---mounting to the welkin’s cheek, Dashes the fire out—”

“I have suffered from those that I saw suffer: a brave vessel---shouldn’t we get the door?” Tess asks, grunting a little.

“No, I’m sure it’s someone important don’t you remember the next bit?” I ask, gritting my teeth to hide how my muscles ache.

“Who had no doubt some noble creature in her, your turn.”

“Dash’d all to pieces O the cry did knock against my very—”

“Heart poor souls they perished had I been any god of power I would—”

“Have sunk the sea within the earth or ere It should the good ship so have swallowed—”

“And the fraughting souls within her----next one,” she says, taking a deep breath.

“Be not afeard—” I begin, with a grin. She never gets tired of this. Just like me.

“Why do you make it easy on me---the isle is full of noises, Sounds and sweet airs that—”

“Give delight and hurt not sometimes thousands—”

“Twangling instruments will hum about mine ears and some time—”

“Voices that I then had waked after long sleep Will make me sleep again.”

“And then in dreaming The clouds methought would open and show riches Ready to drop upon me that—”

“When I waked—”

“I cried to dream again—”

Thankfully that’s just when the door opened and we got to finish that bit Tess likes that one.

“Good Afternoon, sir, Cadet Starr reports.”

“Tess! We’re going to be late to class!”

That would be my cadet and Tess’ little friend, Aiden. I dislike him in general. I didn’t like his father either. He’s the one I ransomed to the Isylgyns in exchange for my life.

“Report, Cadet,” I mutter.

“Sir, Commander Thorn requests your presence immediately.” I glance over to see if he’s still holding the salute. He is. I sigh. This is going to be a long six months.

Major Card and his daughter are both lying on the floor, doing planks. Their faces are red and tight, as though they’ve been at it for a while. The girl is little, with long dark hair, she’s swarthier than Major Card, and her eyes are a dark color, not blue.

“Are you having some sort of contest?” the little boy asks.

“Yes, I’m going to win,” Tess says.

“That conclusion has no credence,” Major Card says.

“Yes it does, you’ve got to go,” she says.

“I’m not going to,” he says.

“Sir, I have orders to have you report immediately,” I say, desperately.

“When we’re finished, she can’t last much longer,” he says.

“I’m fine,” Tess grunts.

“Tess, come on, just let him win,” the boy says.

“NEVER!!!”

“Sir, I’m assuming your reaction is going to be the same?” I sigh, finally dropping my salute.

“You would be right,” Major Card says. he looks tired.

“How long you been at it?” the boy asks.

“Thirteen minutes---”

“And twenty-seven seconds—”

“Not that we’ve been counting,” Major Card finishes.

“Nope, doing just fine,” Tess says.

“Can’t you resume later?” I ask.

“No, the first one to break has to buy the winner ice cream,” Tess says.

“This is of the utmost importance, Starr, I shall not yield,” Major Card says.

“But once one of you breaks, then you’ll come?” I ask. I had seriously hoped that Thorn had been joking about the handcuffs.

“After I walk her to class, yes,” Major Card says.

“Okay,” I say. I wonder how long they can keep it up. This doesn’t look like an unusual sort of dare for them. And I can do planks for twenty minutes, but surely the little girl will break? I can’t bet on that, though. Even if it goes five more minutes, that’s still making us later he will insist on walking her to class and I don’t feel right arguing with that.

“That was surprisingly quick, Starr, I didn’t take you to be so defeatist,” Major Card says.

“I’m not---I’m sorry sir,” I say, climbing on his back.

“Shit---Starr----I order you to get off,” he groans, his body shaking but not falling as I crawl upon him.

“Sir, as I said, I am sorry,” I say. I’m so getting court-martialed for this. But then Lt Col Ziegfeld said I had to treat him like he treated me. but I really hadn’t thought that sounded like a good idea.

“Oww---Aiden I’ll slaughter you,” the little girl grunts, as her little boyfriend follows my lead and crawls on her back.

“Sir, I have my orders,” I say, as Major Card tries to snap his head back and hit me in the face. I have my head far enough back, though. He’s very strong, he’d be stronger if he weren’t in space so much, but his body is still rock hard with muscles.

“You need to learn to ignore most of what Thorn says, that’ll be your lesson for the day, how to disobey Thorn and enjoy it---shit,” Major Card finally falls to his elbows, at almost the same time his daughter does the same, swearing profusely for such a small child. For the first time, I notice she looks like him. Her skin is a few shades darker, and her features delicate, her hair thicker, yet she has the same sharp manner of speaking and quick eyes.

“Come on, we’ll be late,” Aiden says, getting up.

“Damn,” Major Card sits up, painfully, as I roll away from him, a little afraid of retaliation.

“Sir, we should go,” I say, as boldly as possible when I’m certain he’s going to have me thrown out or court-martialed or reassigned.

“No, you both have to pay for that stunt,” Major Card says, climbing to his feet and helping the little girl up. “Cadet Starr, this is my daughter Tess---don’t sneak away, Aiden, you’re guilty as well for spoiling our athletic endeavors.”

“Sorry sir,” the little boy says, suitably frightened.

“You’re afraid of me, that is good,” he says, looking at the little boy, then he looks at me, “Not you, that may not serve you well.”

“Sir, I make it a habit of not being afraid of things,” I say.

“That may very well get you killed but then I may kill you someday anyway—come along,” he says, picking up his blouse and beginning to button it on, “Get your bag, Tess, you should get to class.”

Now here’s what I am thinking. You see, all my life, I’ve done what I think I should do. Like, go to school. Get good grades. Take care of my mum and my sister. Join the Space Forces. Make more money. Be able to send home to my mum and sister, do well by myself. Have a good career, meet somebody nice, have a good career, good kids.

Now, those last few things didn’t happen. You see doing all the things I thought I should do, got me here. with my legs cut off. with my sister dead. no career. Living off of ‘sorry you’re maimed for life’ pay in a shitty flat that isn’t actually worth robbing. So I’m coming to the realization that doing what I think I should do, doesn’t get me anywhere.

Let’s take, for a random example, the girl trying to rob my flat for whatever reason. normally when people flirt with me I stare at them blankly and make terse comments until they go away. normally, I would throw her out, physically if necessary, so she can take her little grifter ass somewhere else. But it’s a nice ass.

And that’s what I’d typically do. Be sensible, reasonable, turn this random stranger out and sit here alone thinking about how I can’t fuck up twenty-some years of sobriety just because I’m bored, eventually eat then put lotion on my stumps and go to bed with a cup of tea reading the news on a tablet.

That’s what I would do.

But as I said, that line of reasoning is what got me in this position. Without legs. Living off meager government funds. Without legs. In a miserable flat. Without legs. No future, no job, no career. Did I mention without legs? Unable to run or move or do anything I’m used to doing like a normal man. So fine. I’ll be a normal man. Just a typical man. I stare down at the tea things I was getting. We’ve just finished eating the food she ordered up. She paid for it as well. she’s a very strange thief.

“I’ll go find a hotel if you’re so sure, you’ve got all your stuff here, I’ll just come back and sort it out in the morning,” she says, still looking at her tablet.

“We could do that,” I say, moving to stand over where she sits at a window seat, “But as you said, you’re the lady.”

“I’m all right,” she says.

“No, you could become distressed,” I say, putting a hand on her shoulder, “Jo.”

“I liked ma’am better,” she says, a smile on her face. softer now, not the charming one she had on earlier. I like this one better. So I kiss it.

“Do you think I’m ready for the flight simulators?” Jordan asks, eagerly, following me.

“No, but we’re supposed to look after Major Card, and he tends to gravitate towards flight-related things,” I say, leading him into the room, “He’ll probably find us here eventually. You’re all right with that, eh?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he says.

“Are you friends with Cadet Starr?” I ask. They exchanged a glance or two earlier, I think.

“Yes, ma’am we got on in training,” he says, nodding.

“Good, we’ll take care of him as well, then,” I say, powering up one of the simulators, “Come on, fancy a try?”

“I suppose ma’am---ma’am, not really. I don’t see why they picked me. I’m not very good at it,” he says, hanging his head a little, “Cadet Starr is far better---in fact I’m not good I’m completely useless. I’m sorry you’re far too good a pilot to be training me.”

“That’s ridiculous. If you were brilliant at it, you wouldn’t need training, would you?” I ask, smiling, “You’re here because you need to learn---and as to why they picked you, we need honest men. You can’t be all talent and no honesty, that doesn’t get us anywhere. We have a few like that, and they’re living hell to deal with. give me good solid men of character over five of the clever talented ones any day.”

“Really, ma’am?” he asks, raising his head a little.

“Yes, really, now, come on, we’ll just work on the console together,” I say.

“I’ll do my best, I promise,” he says.

“I know you will,” I say.

“Now, why you made my father---who is no fool mind you---walk us all the way to class when we both know the class was canceled today?” I ask, folding my arms and glaring at Aiden accusingly. I say it quietly just in case my dad is still in earshot, but that Cadet of his was pretty eager to go so they left rather quickly. I’m sure my dad will find out, however. that’s why I want to be prepared to lie and have a good reason to lie.

“Billy’s being transferred to the hospital today,” he says.

“He’s always in and out of the hospital for treatments,” I say, frowning.

“No, like, they’re moving him out. He’s terminal, Tess,” he says, his face going very sad just then, “I want to go and see him and I can’t get into the West dorms by myself.”

We each have a unique passcode to our own dorm buildings the powers that be decided to make each dorm on access to its own residence in an effort to stop children from wandering about and getting into too much mischief in other people’s dorms. It has not worked at all so far as I am aware.

“Let’s go,” I say, nodding.

“I demand you have that cadet court-martialed---no wait, dragged out and shot, without a blind fold-out, now, I don’t want to look at you,” I say, walking into Thorn’s office and slamming the door in Starr’s face.

“Like I said before we really need to discuss how you enter a room, Major Card, the door slamming, the lack of a salute------I’m not your mum you can’t just walk in here and start eating my food and talking to me,” Thorn says, as I take a cookie from his desk.

“That one you gave me---he’s too clever for his own good and ridiculously insubordinate,” I say, past the cookie.

“So, you like him?” he asks.

“Love him, if I weren’t sterilized I’d be convinced he’s mine,” I say.

“I’m really glad---now, as to why I’ve summoned you it isn’t to eat my food and it’s not so you can thank me---”

“I wasn’t going to.”

“I thought not, so thing is---I have a favor to ask,” he says, as I sit on the edge of his desk.

“What makes you think I’d do it?” I ask.

“Nothing but it’s worth the try. You see, I’m going on leave for the evening, and I have one request to make of you while I’m gone,” he says.

“What is it?” I ask, suspiciously. I wonder why he’s telling me? Typically I would try to follow him to see where he was going and to destroy an aspect of his life, but since he’s telling me it can’t be all that interesting he’s stupid but not profoundly stupid he wouldn’t tell me if it was anything more interesting than going to a strip club which I can frame him for doing even if I don’t follow him so I don’t have to, good Tess and I can have the evening to ourselves.

“I am going to be off the base and I would like it to be standing when I get back---”

“I---”

“Don’t don’t, Titus I’m asking you nicely---I would like it to be standing, not on fire, not flooded, not overrun with raptors, not evacuated; when I get back---”

“What makes you think I---”

“Titus we both know the last time we were on a base together for an extended period of time it wound up blowing up---”

“Only bits of it blew up most just burned down and that wasn’t to do with me—” it was completely to do with me if you’ll recall.

“—and the last time we were on a ship together it flew into an asteroid---”

“that was to do with you not to do with me—” that also was completely to do with me. 

“---I’m not saying it was. I’m just asking you. very nicely. To ensure that this base is standing when I get back I’m not saying it’s your fault. I am begging you, please. I do not want to come back and have some weird explosion, fire, flooding, poison gas leakage attack thing to have happened that ostensibly has absolutely nothing to do with you or me but none the less consumes millions of government rubles and hundreds of lost man-hours due to injuries,” he says.

“Supposing I had any control over it---” I have complete control over it BUT I don’t see why I should rearrange my plans for the week just because of the odd whim of a man I despise. “why should I?”

“If you do this for me, this one simple thing---then I’ll try to arrange it so you and Tom can train your cadets and do launches from the Ulysses before your year is out---”

“Really?” I ask, immediately. He wouldn’t. he’s toying with me.

“I will TRY I can’t guarantee anything but that I will try my utmost to get you to flight certified based off of your eight-month return to duty physicals,” he says, “I will try. IF you do this one simple thing for me.”

“How do you expect me to be in control over what happens to the entire base?” I ask, realizing that somebody else could have had similar plans to mine and how am I to control that? Thorne will certainly still blame me.

“You’d better think of something, hadn’t you?” he asks, “Titus, I know very well you’re clever enough to foil any plot if you put your mind to it. So do it for me.”

“Not for you, for flying,” I say.

“For flying, then. Do we have a deal?” he asks.

“Deal,” I say, standing up and taking his other cookie, “Where are you going?”

“To a strip club, to get horribly drunk you’ll probably want to follow me and take pictures to send them to all of my superiors,” he says, standing up and picking up his blouse, “Now, go and collect your cadet from where you’ve left him.”

“Just outside trying to listen through the door,” I say, putting the last of the cookie in my mouth, “I’ll see what I can do.”

“See? Titus, I demand you ensure it—”

“Some things may be out of my control—”

“Nothing is out of your control you and I both know that!”

“What are you guys doing here?” Billy asks, sitting up in his bed coughing. Tess and I pile onto it, slamming the door to his room behind us.

“We wanted to see you before you go to the hospital,” I say.

“Yeah, it’ll be hard to visit you there we’d have to pretend to have passed, plus you might need help packing,” Tess says, looking around the room, “Have you got everything you want?”

“Yeah, my favorite clothes and stuff---I won’t be needing my uniforms,” he says, a little sadly. “I got my tablet and everything, but mostly I’m going to miss you guys and having fun. I have to stay in my room all the time and I don’t get to go anywhere.”

“You don’t usually feel up to going places anyway,” Tess says, frowning.

“I still like to try, even if I feel like rot,” he says, hanging his head.

“Come, let’s go someplace today,” I say, holding out my hand.

“Where?” he asks, frowning.

“Where’s your favorite place in the city?” Tess asks.

“The ice cream shop---and the Japan Cat tower,” he says, eagerly.

“Let’s go then,” Tess says.

“We can’t sneak off base again Tess, we’ll get in trouble and it’s exams coming up and your dad is looking for you this evening—” I begin.

“You forget, my dad, HELPS me do this sort of thing,” she says, “He won’t be cross or get me into trouble. and they’ll think we’re sleeping or studying for exams nobody will notice.”

“You say that, then somebody notices and we have to talk our way out of it,” I say. the only reason I’m not completely against it is that Billy does look hopeful but I don’t want all three of us in trouble.

“Please, Aiden? I’d like to,” Billy says, hopefully.

“You’ll get tired out,” I say, but I’m not as against it as I make out.

“I’ve got a chair you could push me,” he says.

“Come on Aiden, come with us. it’ll be fun, you know we’ll go anyway,” Tess says.

“Really?” Billy asks.

“Of course, you want to,” Tess says, immediately, going into his closet, “Here—they’ve not packed all your coats—and Aiden and I will fit into your things, about.”

“I’ve not got money on me,” I say, still holding out for sanity’s sake, “And if we get caught in the middle of the city just running about---”

“Come on, you’re usually up for an adventure,” Tess says.

“I’m up for going to the library or when we’d go and visit Billy in hospital, there was an excuse for that we could give. this is just running about,” I say, wearily, standing up, “I don’t want to get in actual trouble we could get demerits.”

“And what do demerits mean?” Tess asks, folding her arms.

“No privileges,” I mutter. I know where she’s going with this.

“And what do no privileges mean?” she asks.

“No free time passes to the library or club—”

“And how do we get in those usually—”

“By forging passes okay, fine,” I groan.

“Yay,” Billy says.

“But your dad has to get me and you out of trouble ‘cause it was your idea.”

“Done.”

Chapter 2

“W

hy do you always want to meet in such weird places?”

“Shhh, keep your voice down, act like we aren’t talking to each other.”

“I really can’t do that when we’re sitting at a table for two people.”

“Keep your head down, then.”

“Why are you so convinced you’re always followed?”

“Because I usually am followed,” I say, leaning my head to look around the bar. No sign of him. good.

“Back to the meeting in weird places, thing. I could take strip club, but a drag strip club? Really, I’m glad I did not know that was a thing before now,” she rolls her eyes.

“Shh, neither did I, the idea is that if somebody, at random, who wants to destroy my life is following me, then they would be content about seeing where I went in and not feel the urge to follow me in to see what I’m doing,” I say, taking a drink of my mineral water. I really want a drink. But I need to stay sober. “Just go on, it’s fine, it’s over, we’re here now. I’m very sorry, I owe you flowers and chocolates and whatever.”

“Yes, you truly do, though I’d settle for a bit of sanity. I was going to ask how you’ve been but there’s a very large dead spider pinned to your lapel so I’m going to assume your day isn’t going well,” she says.

“No,” I manage, after leaping like a suitably small girl over the dead spider which I threw to the floor with no masculinity whatsoever. “I’m not even going to think about how he did that.”

“Who? This person you think is the antichrist?” she asks. She doesn’t believe me. Few people do.

“Or our savior trying to trick us, there’s that---how drunk was I when I told you that?” I ask, realizing I don’t usually say those things when I’m not drunk.

“Extremely,” she says, tiredly, taking out her tablet.

“Okay good to know, don’t let me get that drunk again—”

“I won’t after that, it was disturbing,” she says, dryly.

“How are you doing? You look well?” I ask. I’m shit at talking to women. That should be obvious by now. “How are the kids?”

“I am thank you. They’re fine. Doing well in school,” she says, tapping on the tablet, to pull up pictures I assume. “I was going to send you these but you’d said no to---that was also when you were very drunk.”

“No, I meant that—any communication could be intercepted, this alone is dangerous,” I shouldn’t take these risks but I do. I can’t help it. I need to see him. “How is he?”

“Alexander is fine, looks more like you every day, he’s getting as tall as me,” she says, smiling at the mention of her son.

“Good, I suppose—that’s good,” I say, “Not looking like me but you know—whatever---what field is he doing in school?”

“Don’t be cross---”

“You didn’t let him go to the Academy,” I say, leaning across the table. She did I know she did.

“He got a full scholarship, he begged me for weeks---James doesn’t,” she says, as I slam the table with my fist.

“I asked you never to let him near that place,” I hiss, “One thing, I ask you one thing.”

“He’s made for it---you can’t be angry, it’s only because he’s like you, he wants to fly, go to space---I asked him not to, I don’t want it any more than you, believe me,” she says, “I couldn’t have anything happen to him.”

“No, you’ve got to pull him out---do something---he’ll die,” I say, shaking my head, my voice cracking.

“He could. He could die walking across the street---James it isn’t fair to hold him back just because we’re afraid for him,” she says.

“Yes, it is, it’s completely fair, I want him alive that’s all, he can do anything else in the world,” I groan, putting my head in my hands.

“You tell him that---meet him, tell him yourself,” she says.

“No,” I say, looking up quickly, “It’s too dangerous, this is dangerous enough.”

“You know I wanted the open donor because I wanted one of my children to have a relationship with their father,” she sighs. Her oldest is an anonymous donor, the youngest as well. I think after she met me she gave up on the open thing. Only the middle child, my son, has a father who cares about him. And I do. Deeply.

“No, it’s far too risky, I can’t have anything happen to him. I couldn’t live if something happened to him,” I say.

“Here,” she pushes the tablet across to me, showing my boy’s school picture. In his Academy uniform. She was right, he does look a bit like me. Gold hair, and soft, quiet smile, getting handsome though he’s still young his face not filled out yet.

“He’s handsome,” I say, quietly.

“Yeah, he is,” she says.

“Clever enough, if he got in,” I say.

“Persistent, more than anything, he doesn’t give up. He’s got the sweetest heart,” she says, smiling fondly.

“I’m sure,” I say, flipping through the pictures. A few of the others have her other kids in them. playing in the park, making stupid faces at the camera, generally being kids. I soak them in, staring down wordlessly.

“He’s asked me about you,” she says.

“What do you tell him?” I asked, sharply, looking up.

“Nothing, like you asked. I tell him I don’t know. they think I’m working late,” she says. “Please just meet him? You don’t have to tell him who you are---say we were old sweethearts, whatever, have lunch with us one day---”

“No, no, I could never, it’s too dangerous,” I say.

“I wish you’d give that up; it’s torturing you, I can see it, and it’s rotten for him as well,” she says.

“It’s better than the alternative,” I say.

“Which is?”

“Death.”

“You act like someone is always actively trying to ruin your life.”

“HE IS.”

“Titus! Quit stalking Commander Thorn!”

“Damn it, Major Tom, I had him tracked to the gentleman’s club district,” Major Card says, as she takes his tablet away from him, unplugging it from the main server.

“If all you’re here to do is spy I’d like you to leave,” Sgt. Kip says. he’s eating crisps and watching monitors, I’m crawling underneath the main server following his directions. Apparently, Major Card is stalking people.

“Sir, what’s a gentleman’s club?” I ask Kip because I like him.

“House of ill repute,” Major Card says.

“Brothel,” Kip and Tom say, in unison.

“Thank you ma’am, gentlemen,” I say, nodding.

“Literally only he calls them that,” Major Tom says, basically wrestling with Major Card to keep his tablet from him.

“If only I used those words they wouldn’t be in a dictionary,” Major Card says.

“You say that about a lot of words, one of these days we’re going to find out he’s been making words up to sound clever,” Kip says, “Do you have hold of that cord, Starr?”

“Yes, sir,” I say.

“Do stop saying ‘sir’, it’s getting tiresome,” Kip says, handing me a disc port, “Here, install that under terminal D will you?”

“Yes, sir---sir if I’m not to call you sir what do I call you?” I ask.

“Hmm...good question. You shall call me ‘my lord---him?” he looks at Major Card who Major Tom has in a headlock, “I’m thinking whoreson thug.”

“Yes, my lord,” I say, smiling.

“I like this one, may I have him, Card?” Kip asks, turning to see Major Card finally free himself and his tablet, which he clutches possessively.

“Yes, for ten bags of crisps and one small tablet XL with four thousand free gigabytes,” Major Card says immediately.

“Good, it’s a deal then, you are now my slave, Starr,” Kip says, handing me a bag of crisps instead of the piece of hardware I was waiting for.

“I think I shall like it, my lord, the food is better,” I say.

“I should say it is. I’ve seen how often he DOESN’T feed you,” Kip says.

“Now that took me hours don’t do it again, Major Tom,” Major Card says, petting his tablet protectively.

“Why are you so intent on stalking him anyway?” Major Tom asks, flicking the tablet out of his hands so he drops it.

“So I can find out where he’s going?” Major Card says, in an obvious voice, picking the thing up and petting it some more.

“No, why do you care?” Major Tom asks, pulling herself up on the table.

“It makes it easier to actively destroy his life?” Major Card says, still in an obvious voice.

“It’s stupid---he told you that’s where he was going,” Major Tom says.

“I know, that’s what makes it so strange----there must be some trick. He told me, thinking then I wouldn’t follow him, so I’ve tracked him thinking it was something more nefarious, and yet he told the truth, so there must be something else even more disquieting he does not want me to discover,” Major Card says.

“Leave him alone, do something else with your time, learn another language—” Major Tom begins.

“There isn’t another one,” Major Card sulks, glaring at her.

“What---Russian---Mandarin---Spanish---Mandarin--,” Major Tom begins.

“I said, there isn’t another one,” Major Card says, “And I don’t get to use the ones I know nor half the sobriquets in this one.”

“You’ve got Starr here to train,” she says.

“I’ve sold him to Kip,” he says.

“You can’t actually do that,” she says, with a sigh.

“Why are you----oh Thorn’s made you in charge of me again, hasn’t he? That’s why you’re so bent on my good behavior,” Major Card laughs.

“Yes, so will you behave? Why don’t you want to train Starr?” she asks.

“Because he ruined my contest earlier,” Major Card says.

“Did you? Good show, Starr,” Kip says.

“Yes, my lord,” I say.

“What contest?” Major Tom asks.

“One involving---”

“No, I want one-syllable words---Starr,” she says, nodding at me.

“Ma’am, a contest with his daughter to see how long they could do planks while reciting Shakespeare,” I say, “But I made up for it.”

“After I forced you to,” Major Card says, glaring at me.

“How did you make him make up for it?” Major Tom asks.

“The competition was that the winner had to buy the loser ice cream, so he was required to buy us both ice cream,” Major Card says.

“You seriously---how old are you?---don’t answer that I don’t feel like speaking to you---did you honestly buy him ice cream?” Major Tom asks me.

“Yes, ma’am, but only because I wanted to,” I say, nodding.

“And why did you want to?” Major Tom asks.

“They looked sweet,” I say, shrugging. How pathetically he’d demanded it of me had made me feel obliged to. If somebody grown up cared that much about ice cream then they must not gotten it enough as a child.

“Ah, ah, base language, define sweet?” Major Card says, waving a finger at me.

“Of or relating to eliciting emotions of empathy, goodwill, or desire,” I say, immediately.

“Are they actually fighting or do they get along?” Tom asks Kip.

“I was about to ask him the same thing about the two of you so I’m out,” Kip says.

“No, we get along fine,” Major Card says, “I gave him a lizard.”

“He did,” I say, taking the small thing out of my shirt. I mentioned I’d never been able to catch one, turned out he had a couple of them at his flat that he’d caught to amuse his daughter, who only really liked the one and was happy enough to let me have the other after I’d gotten them ice cream, of course. Yes, it did take a ridiculously long time to get them where they were both supposed to be.

“So you’re going to be nice to him?” Major Tom asks, suspiciously.

“Define nice.”

“Not actively attempting to brainwash or drive insane---don’t bother to deny it, it’s a waste of valuable oxygen,” Major Tom says, holding up a hand.

“All right, no,” he says.

“No isn’t going to be nice or no you are?” she asks.

“No I am,” he says, nodding, “That was a grammatical disaster, can we doing it?”

“No, we’re skipping that we know what I mean---Starr have you eaten? Oh yes, Kip feeds you I forget,” she says, as I hold up a crisp bag as evidence. The little lizard curls up on my neck, purring.

“Ma’am, may I ask where Cadet Jordan is?” I’m hesitant to show too much of interest but damn it Terrance always says I’m too shy it’s stupid we can be friends. We can be more than friends. I’m just so bloody embarrassed. No not that. I just hate people knowing things about me. it feels like they can hurt me with what they know.

“I sent him to bed, that’s what neurotypical people do at this time of night,” she says, still eyeing Major Card who is back to staring at his tablet.

“Yes, ma’am, thank you, ma’am,” I say.

“He little friend from OTS?” Kip asks.

“Sir, we were going to study together,” I lie, my face burning, as I look down at the crisp bag.

“Oh, right, these two were at OTS together or can’t you tell by the way they bicker like twins?” he asks, as Major Tom tries to take Major Card’s tablet away, again, then just settles for shoving his head with her foot.

“Sir, I didn’t know that,” I say.

“Yes, got up to all manner of things, they were a delight to watch on the monitors---oh quit looking at me like that you two,” Kip says, as they both stare at him in horror and anger, face going red at almost the exact same rate. “I was more thinking of the time the base blew up—calm down, will you? Titus picked a nice room without any cameras.” Kip chuckles as they both immediately attempt to pretend they were not as shocked and horrified as they just were. so they’ve been sleeping together for quite some time. On again off again? It seems like it, they both seem edgy for each other and yet something odd’s between them; I don’t know what.

“I thought I did,” Major Card mutters, looking back at his tablet face still burning.

“That’s it, I’m cutting you off---go home, tuck your little girl in bed, and let him go to bed and quit stalking Thorne,” Major Tom says, resuming her usual manner and shaking off the embarrassment. So she didn’t want Kip seeing them together, that’s interesting she’s almost acting ashamed, doesn’t take many lovers then. Just him? Just one another for both of them? That’s certainly how they’re acting or is it an on again off again thing? No, there’s a peculiar loyalty there, as Kip said, they bicker half like siblings half like an old married couple, but if they’ve known each other since they were basically children that would follow. Even so, it’s different from them, I think. In my few years in this universe, I’ve seen a good deal, not everything mind, but enough to have a sense of when things aren’t what they seem.

“Oh, Tess isn’t home yet,” Major Card says, leaning away from her as she tries to take the tablet again.

“What’s she doing?” she asks.

“Playing with her friends,” he says.

“At this time of night? Where?” she asks.

“Downtown,” he says.

“She’s---what---nine years old?”

“Not till fall, she’s eight now,” he says, completely proud.

“She’s too little to---never mind, forget it, I’m only supposed to micromanage half your life I’m done,” Major Tom says, going to the door.

“What? She’ll call if she needs me,” Major Card says.

“True, the child is related to him,” Kip points out.

“Oh, yeah, in that case, she is probably fine---no, she’s still eight and it’s dark out, he should be worried---skipping it, skipping it, okay, goodnight, Kip, Cadet Starr don’t let him be cruel to you,” Major Tom says.

“What I don’t get a good night---she’s overly cross with me,” Major Card says, looking upset at that.

“What have you done---lately?” Kip asks.

“Nothing, that’s the thing, other than Thorn making her responsible for me but she’s used to that, no she’s been off for ages,” he says, shaking his head.

“Not on your scale of doing things but----on the regular non-Titus scale of doing things, has anything occurred?” he asks.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Major Card says, looking back up.

“Like, we’ve talked about before the non-Titus litmus test, if somebody else did whatever you’ve done since she’s been cross with you, would it seem out of the ordinary?” he asks.

“Oh yes, I know what you mean no, I’ve not done anything remarkable, other than general being me and I don’t think she knows about half of that, except she was cross over how I treated Starr here when we first met---”

“Sir, that was yesterday---”

“You’ve laid on me since then---”

“Don’t either of you explain that.”

“There’s a connection now we’re fine -----she’s not cross about that---I don’t know, I’ll figure it out,” Major Card says.

“All right, tell me when you do,” Kip says.

“I probably won’t.”

“I’m glad we came out here,” Billy says, coughing. He’s sitting in the appropriated wheelchair, as a waiter brings us expensive ice cream in pretty glass dishes. We’re ten stories up, looking at the sparkling city.

“Me too,” Aiden says, licking ice cream off his spoon, staring up at the sky. I look up too. A million tiny beautiful stars. Not as many as when my dad took me out to the mountains, but still lots.

“I am as well,” I say, petting Cinder, my pet lizard. My dad had caught him for me when we were in the mountains. he chirps and purrs, sticking his little nose in the ice cream dish.

“You guys are good friends,” Billy says, poking at the dish, “I wish I weren’t going to stay at the hospital.”

“They’ll take better care of you there,” Aiden says.

“We all go to die at hospitals sometime, this is just yours,” I say.

“I never thought about it like that,” Billy says.

“Some people just die quick. Like my dad. I bet you’ll die quick,” Aiden says, looking at me.

“Why?” I ask.

“I don’t know, I just think so,” he says.

“Even if people do die quick, they still take their bodies to hospitals,” I reason. I’m trying to make Billy feel better about going to the hospital.

“Not my dad. They didn’t even get his body back,” Aiden says, “I hope he died quick. I don’t want to, though. I want to think about it beforehand.”

“I get to do that,” Billy says, “I guess that’s good. we get to have fun like this.”

“I want to decide when I die,” I say, “I don’t want to be killed.”

“We’re in a bad profession for that,” Aiden says.

“I wonder if my mum and dad are dead,” Billy says, suddenly. His parents don’t have any contact with him, “Or if they know I’m going to be.”

“I’m sure they don’t know,” I say, “They don’t let them have any news.”

“That’s not very fair, I mean, what will they tell them when I should be sixteen? ‘oh, yes, you had a son, he died?’,” Billy says, “I’ve always wanted to meet them.”

“You have?” I ask, surprised. I don’t think about my mum. Whoever she is. I’ve got my dad, he’s enough.

“Don’t you wonder about your mum?” Billy asks, he knows I don’t know her.

“No,” I say, shaking my head, “But that’s probably ‘cause I’ve got my dad.”

“I know I’d wonder about them,” Aiden says, both of his parents had contact before they died, his dad flew with mine and died when they got captured by the Isylgyns. My dad lived. His mum died just a few years ago, in an Isylgyn raid. “I do wonder about my dad, I was so little when he died. I don’t remember him much. I wonder if he’d be proud of me, or if what we’d talk about. or what sort of music he liked.”

“I wonder that, what they’d think of me, what they’d tell me sometimes,” Billy says.

“My mum wrote me letters, so I wouldn’t have to wonder. I thought that was nice. It doesn’t replace her being here, though,” Aiden says.

“I don’t think about my mum; I suppose I’ll meet her when I’m sixteen,” I say, frowning.

“Can’t your dad contact her?” Aiden asks.

“How?” I ask.

“Something my mum said, she’d not met my dad till they had me, but there was agreement, thing, willing to me meet another parent,” he says, “I don’t remember it much, except her saying she liked him when she met him, trying to tell me about him, all that.”

“Oh, I’ll ask him,” I say. maybe it would be nice to know who she is. They certainly seem to care who their parents are.

“I wish I could contact my parents now. Since I’m not going to make it to sixteen,” Billy says.

“There has to be some way we can do it,” I say.

“How? the files are sealed,” Billy says, “I’ve asked. they say it’s not in the agreement to meet me for any reason till I’m sixteen. Except it isn’t fair since I never will be.”

“There must be some way, like hacking in or resetting things so the computer thinks you’re sixteen---I don’t know how, but I’ll bet my dad would, he studied computers before Space Forces he knows loads about them,” I say.

“Really?” Billy asks.

“Sure, I’ll ask him,” I say, cheerfully. And while I’m at it I’ll ask him about my mum.

D is stirring in his flat. I can see a light on across the way. Not home till now, what’ve you been doing, then? Being naughty no doubt. The binoculars do little good when it’s so dark, he’s got a porch but there isn’t a light on it. Well, now we know he doesn’t go straight home so where’s he go? Case out more girls, or is he looking for a new place to keep them? Well, now I know I need to follow him. I hear a noise and sit up, pushing the binoculars behind me.

“Would this help?” Quentin holds up a black box-like thing---with a head strap. It’s night vision goggles.

“What---”

“I know you’re Vindicta, I know you’re spying on him. Why though?” he asks, wheeling closer in his chair. That’s the noise I heard. He looks so powerless in it.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say. People don’t know about us, not normal people. He’s ex-Space Forces, how the hell would he?

“Don’t bother,” he says, pointing at my wrist, “I saw the tattoo, then I figured you must have some reason for wanting in the flat, makes sense now, you wanted a view of somebody else’s.”

“How do you know about us?” I ask.

“My mother was a prostitute. Vindicta saved her once from a John, she told me and my brother and sister----we didn’t live in the greatest area, as you can imagine. She told us there were people, women, watching over us in the night, called the Vindicta. To be honest, I didn’t really believe her, or remember, till I got to thinking about that,” he says, nodding to the mark on my wrist.

“You figure all this out before or after you fucked me?” I ask, cocking my head. I would’ve slept with him anyway, to get in, but I’ll smack him if he knew that was why I was doing it.

“Oh, after, don’t credit me with that much sense,” he says, shrugging, “At that point I thought you were a really charming thief, you see when you get to the point I am in my life, I’ve realized that nothing is going to go okay for me, nor will it ever, despite my best attempts to do what is right what is wrong always happens to me. so a very lovely girl shows up in my flat and is willing to fuck me, I decided to go against all of my instincts and go for it--------So, you want the night vision goggles or not?”

“Sure,” I say, taking them from him. He could so easily call the police now and they could trace over a dozen murders back to me. But he isn’t going to. And he seemed so very miserable just then. How lonely can a person get, deciding to sleep with somebody probably intent on robbing or killing you?

“What’s he do?” he asks, easing out of the chair to sit on the floor next to me.

“Kills and rapes little girls,” I say, looking through the goggles. They are really cool, the entire world is this bright green. Now I can see him, standing out on his porch, smoking a cigarette. Just standing there.

“Shit,” he says, taking something off his wheelchair.

“Yeah, he’s done at least ten, that we know of,” I say, “We’re making sure there isn’t another.”

“How were you not gonna get caught? I mean if I were a normal person I’d have reported you wandering around,” he says.

“Oh, I’m not doing the job, I’m just scouting this one,” I say.

“What if one of you gets caught?” he asks, I glance over, he’s got a pair of night-vision goggles as well.

“No real names, no real locations, for the most part, even if one is caught, we’d never betray the other, and cops don’t care too much when bad guys end up dead,” I say, going back to looking, “It’s the middle of the night, why just stand out there smoking?”

“People smoke after sex,” he points out.

“Fuck, yeah, and his shift ended four hours ago, what’ve you been doing?” she asks.

“We need to follow him tomorrow,” he says, “See where he goes.”

“We?” I ask, putting down the goggles.

“I want to help,” he says, indignantly.

“You don’t get to help, I leave, in the morning, you never see me again, that’s what happens,” I say. but as I say it I realize how horrible it sounds and how much I don’t mean it.

I press my face into his bareback, my eyes closed. I didn’t realize till now how exhausted I am. I inhale the smell of him and let myself slowly start to sleep.

“How’s training with Major Card?” Terrance asks, moving a little and put his arm around my neck.

“Wearing,” I say, moving my face to be on his chest, pressed into it, so the outside world can’t find us.

“Would it kill you to use more than ten words together?” he asks, chuckling. He knows I don’t talk much. I never have.

“He’s different, I don’t know. he’s very clever,” he says.

“So are you. I’ll bet you’re cleverer than he is,” he says.

“I’m not, I don’t think anybody is,” I say.

“What’d you do all afternoon, once you got him back on base?” he asks, “Major Tom showed me the flight simulators, I feel better than I did before.”

“That’s good,” I say, “I’m glad.”

“What’d you do?” he asks, rubbing my shaved head, “Come on, wakes up a bit. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too but right now I want to die in your arms---okay, not much, he had me read a couple of books---” I say, raising my head wearily to look at him. We’re curled up in the safety of our conveniently shared barracks. Only one bed to make for inspection that my friend is what is known as a win-win situation. We are lying on top of his made bed, underneath a couple of thick blankets his mum sent him to keep warm.

“You do realize you’re like the only person who reads ‘a couple of books’, in one afternoon,” he laughs.

“Yeah, I do,” I say, resting my chin on my hand.

“Go on, I like your voice, you don’t use it enough,” he says, pushing my head, “Tell me what the books were about.”

“Isylgyns,” I say, “They had pictures of them. have you ever seen them?”

“No, just the blurry things they show in the news,” he says.

“No, these were like, scientific,” I say.

“What did they look like?” he asks.

“I don’t know, not what I expected, like, they didn’t look evil, or scary, just like things. Other things in this universe,” I say, “Now have I done enough talking and can I go to sleep?”

“Not just yet I’ve another joke for you,” he says.

“What is it?”

“You remind me of the man.”

“What man?” I ask.

“The man with the power,” he says,

“Power?” his jokes are rarely good or funny.

“The power of who do.”

“Who does?” I ask, realize where he’s going a second too late.

“You do---”

“I’m not playing this—”

“Remind me of the man---”

“Stop it. that’s annoying,” I laugh.

“I know, right? It’s hilarious,” he says, laughing.

“No, it really isn’t, I shall forget about it presently and sleep if you don’t mind,” I say, flopping my head back down into his chest.

“Oh, all right, go on and sleep.”

“What’re you going to do?” I ask.

“Watch you, I miss you,” he says.

“I miss you too,” I say, moving up to kiss him.

Chapter 3

“W

ell, how’d it go last night?” I ask, into my earpiece, as I walk towards the hospital. It’s early in the morning, and the shops are just waking up, my favorite time of day, the whole city still hungover and half asleep.

“Interesting, D smokes which is something new. It must be something he only does at home, goes to bed at two am, likes cooking given how much time he spent in his kitchen, drinks wine looked like red but that’s just a guess, and he didn’t get home till four hours after his shift ended, and he wasn’t wearing in his scrubs when he got home so he goes somewhere and changes,” Jo says.

“Huh, good to know, I was actually asking how getting into the flat went,” I say. Although I’m glad of the information, I was more concerned for her well being.

“Oh, that, that went terribly,” she says.

“Why who owned the flat?” I ask, worriedly.

“This ex-Space forces dude, I spent six hours of my life trying to seduce him then as soon as I give up the asshole seduces me,” she says, angrily.

“Huh, what’d he say when you left?” I ask.

“See you tonight.”

“He thinks---”

“Oh, he knows, I’m had, he knows about Vindicta,” she says.

“How---”

“Not only did he see me peering out the window, but he lent me night vision goggles,” she says.

“What kind of person is this?”

“A weird one, he wants to help, says I can come back for spying purposes or otherwise if I like and he’d like me to though he understands if he never sees me again,” she says.

“I didn’t think there was that sort of good men,” I say, dryly.

“He may not be, but I plan on finding out, I am going back tonight, we could use the reconnaissance, and you could use the backup,” she says.

“What if he’s some sort of creep who’s after you?” I ask.

“He’s not, I can tell he’s not,” she says, “It’s just---I don’t know, he’s not though. I’ve seen enough creeps to know he isn’t one.”

“All right, I trust your judgment—speaking of creeps, I think I see mine coming in, wish me luck,” I say.

“Break a leg, sis,” she says, then hangs up. I meant to tell her how Lizzie was, but oh well, she’ll find out for herself when she gets home. Not that there’s anything to find out, the little girl was fine. Didn’t want to talk much or do much, but as fine as she always is. I sigh, we need to get her out of the city and with somebody who understands mutants, but she refuses until we get this guy. Oh well.

“Shannon, good morning.” Shit shit shit shit why do ostensibly decent guys only come on to me when I’m actively trying to pick up creeps to murder them?

“Good morning, Dr. Darc,” I say. I’m new to the hospital, and of course, the handsome lead surgeon has to be smiling at me shyly.

“Please, call me Jacob,” he says, smiling his toothpaste-commercial smile.

“Jacob yes, hi,” I say smiling my please just think I’m a lesbian/married/not interested and let me go pick up the creep.

“Hi, I was wondering if you weren’t doing anything----which I’m sure you are---not that I think you go out every night like that I don’t think your like that not that it would be wrong if you were like that’d be fine but---if you weren’t doing anything---you know, anything normal like laundry or shopping or taking care of your kids if you have kids---or if you don’t which is perfectly fine, either is perfectly fine-----so if you weren’t doing anything at all which it totally respect and understand if you are----would you like to go out for a drink----or something, if you don’t drink then food but go out for a drink, is what you say so---would you like to with me? Only don’t say you’re doing something if you’re not doing something but just don’t want to—I don’t mind if you don’t want to that’s fine but I’d rather know so don’t say you’re doing something if you’re not or you just don’t want to---not that you can’t say you’re doing something if you are that’s fine I’m not asking you to lie to me---but I’d sooner know if you really didn’t want to so I’m not wondering and asking and going through this whole thing again---so if you aren’t doing anything or if you are and you’d rather not then just let me know but if you’re not doing anything or what you’re doing is more boring than being with me which I really can’t imagine but I suppose there must be something then---would you like to have a drink with me or---food and a drink, or just food---or something? Tonight? With me?” he asks. I actually wait for him to stop, trying not to smile.

“I am doing something, actually doing something---but I would like to, sometimes,” I say, with a smile, holding up a hand before he questions the actually doing something, “But if I can, I would like to have a drink, with you, sometime, because I’m sure it would be less boring than whatever I’d be doing which is typically very boring. But unfortunately tonight I simply cannot.”

“Okay,” he says, smiling a little, “you’re not just saying that? You don’t have to just say that I don’t---”

“No,” I say, shaking my head, “I’m not. I just have actually got something, with an old mate. And as for actually having a drink with you---it’s complicated. In this universe. But in a different universe, I would like to have a drink with you.”

“Are you saying no?” he asks, frowning.

“Not forever, just for---now,” I say, “Today, can we some other time, some other day?”

“Yeah, yeah I’d like that, so long as you aren’t doing anything,” he says, smiling again.

“I won’t be doing anything,” I say. Maybe Jo is right. Maybe there is that sort of good men.

“So, what sort of women do you like?” very smooth Titus, smooth. Why don’t you just ask him if he wants to have sex with her as much as you do? That would be slightly more subtle.

“What?” Ziggy chokes on his coffee, I sip my milk and look around for the cadets or the lovely Major Tom, who have yet to rise. Tess wound up needing rescuing with her little friends last night, I had to take the train all the way downtown to pick them up because police were asking where their parents were so she had to summon me and in my dress whites with all my stars on my shoulder I looked really responsible and effectively kidnapped three children none of whom I actually have guardianship over.

I took them back to my flat and let the boys sleep on the sofa, and put Tess to bed in her room then I went to mine. When I got up they were still asleep, so I got to change that with a bucket of water, so that was fun. Tess still isn’t speaking to me but that’s good for her. Teaches her to go into the city in the middle of the night for fancy ice cream and cookies and not invite me. Ice cream is my favorite thing after milk and cookies, it is milk which I adore and sugar which I also quite like.

“I’m making guy talk,” I say. Damn, I’m really bad at this. I should have spent more time attempting to communicate with my brothers in order to study the atypical male mind, instead of attempting to drive them to necrophilia and cannibalism.

“Is this what guys talk about?” he asks, staring at me blankly.

“So common psychological texts would have me believe who’s to say?” I say, shrugging.

“Okay I’d sooner not,” he says.

“Not what?” I ask.

“Talk about women,” he says.

“Why? You’re not homosexual are you?” I ask, finishing my milk and sorting in my backpack for the cookies I usually keep there.

“What---no, if I were I’d have said ‘I don’t like any type of woman’ and be done, but as I’m not I’d sooner not,” he says.

“Would you? Most homosexuals I know get along with women, they have something in common with them, I’ve assumed,” I say.

“Well yes but you weren’t asking about that,” he says.

“How are you to know I wasn’t?” I ask, “I didn’t say ‘what sort of women do you like to fuck’, if I had then you’d know my meaning but as I am a gentleman and did not, you don’t honestly know that’s what you assumed.”

“Isn’t that what you meant?” he asks, exasperated.

“Yes,” I say, nodding.

He looks away and doesn’t say anything.

“So you aren’t going to answer?” I ask.

“No, I’m not, it’s not decent,” he says.

“I’m not generally, I have to practice what I preach,” I say, shrugging.

“Whatever does that mean?” he asks.

“Nothing in general but a few things specifically which is why I said it,” I say, patting him on the shoulder. I really want to kill him so bad. He doesn’t deserve to live and I’m so bloody bored.

“I don’t want to continue this conversation can we start again?” he asks.

“I suppose, what sort of ships do you like to fly?” I ask.

“I don’t like to fly,” he says, looking down.

“What, you don’t like to fly, you don’t like sex---”

“I didn’t say I didn’t like sex! I said I didn’t want to talk about it. With you. Ever,” he cries.

“If you liked it enough you’d talk about it,” I reason though I don’t know it’s true.

“That’s not necessarily true it isn’t the sort of thing one randomly talks about---”

“Actually I’ve been in enough officer’s clubs to know it is---”

“I don’t go to clubs I like being alone---”

“I’m sure you wish you were right now but as I’m still here, moving on how is it you cannot like flying?” I ask.

“I like being a gunner, more,” he says, heavily.

“Why?” I ask.

“I like shooting, it’s neat, precise, final, and yet it makes me feel like a monster,” he says.

“And you aren’t over that last bit yet? You’ve been in the service, what, eight years now?” I ask, surprised.

“When did you get over it? Feeling like you’re terrible for enjoying cruelty?” he asks.

“About four years,” I say, finally finding the cookie packet.

“That’s fast,” he says.

“I suppose, got it over with,” I say.

“What---had you ever been in battle at four years?” he asks, frowning.

“No, not unless you count with my older brothers but we weren’t even to using knives then,” I say.

“YOU MEANT FOUR YEARS OLD???”

“Yes,” I say, slowly, opening the cookies, “What did you think I meant?”

“You’re a sick bastard, Card,” he says, staring at me.

“We’ve been through that, I got over it when I was four years old, I suggest you get over it in a timely manner as well,” I say.

“I never knew you were this----”

“Me?”

“Yes,” he says.

“Hmm, yes, few people do; they don’t think I mean the things I say,” I say, putting a cookie into my mouth, and instantly regretting it. It’s filled with cumin. “Well played, Tess,” I mutter, spitting it out into my hand.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“Nothing, somebody just got even with me, that’s all----- really healthy honestly,” I say, “Do go on.”

“With what?” he asks.

“Living,” I say, grudgingly.

“What?” he asks.

“Never mind,” I say, tearing open a milk packet with my teeth and drinking greedily to rid my mouth of the taste.

“You’re something I can’t describe---how is it, my mum said you loved flying, you were the first person she’d ever met to love it as much as her, how is that?” he asks, cocking his head.

“I do,” I say, flatly, finishing the milk and putting the spit out cookie into a napkin.

“Why?” he asks.

“It’s the opposite of everything you say about shooting, and everything else in this world for me---it isn’t neat, it isn’t precise, it isn’t final. It just goes on, with or without you, it takes all of your conscious and makes you one again with everything that’s ever lived in the universe, and you can’t explain it or grasp it yet you’re still there and best---most of all---it makes all of this,” I gesture to my uniform, then around me, “End. And I’m free.”

“Free from what?” he asks.

“Free from the monster,” I say.

“I am the monster,” he says, quietly.

“Oh, so am I,” I say.

“Hello, Darin, isn’t it?” I ask, D, matching step with him into the hospital. He smiles his charming smile you bastard. I can’t wait to rip the tongue from your mouth. This is bad I already want to do that and the tongue hasn’t been in my mouth yet.

“Yes, the lovely Dr. Lutz,” he says, slowing his pace so I can walk by him, “I missed seeing you last night.”

“I left early, had some shopping to do, I like to promise myself a good meal once a week,” I lie. Jo said he likes cooking, hopefully, we can go from there.

“I did the same last night, but I confess I indulge myself in my own cooking more than once a week,” he says, smiling again.

“Oh, really? I’ll have to steal one of your recipes,” I say, keeping my face charming.

“No need to steal, why not come over? I have a lovely recipe for roast lamb,” he says, “If you’re a connoisseur I’m sure you’d enjoy it.”

“That would be lovely,” I say. that was easy. Too easy hopefully he doesn’t want to murder me. we’d have to step things up and I don’t want to do that, the longer he’s alive the more time I have to find where he’s been keeping the girls if he’s got a new spot or worse a new girl.

“Why not tomorrow morning on our morning off? We could get the ingredients, then go back to my place, have a nice meal before work—unless you’d prefer yours?” he asks.

“No, yours is fine, I’d like to see you in your element,” I say.

“It’s a date, then.”

So that was her plans? Filtering with that obvious sociopath Darrin Steele? Now I want to eat him more than I already did. My cheeks burn. She has a tested IQ of over 280, how can she prefer him to me? I’m polite, I’m charming, yes I am also a sociopath but I’ve hidden most of the tendencies and I don’t want to kill her unlike him he’s got the scent up, saw him jerking off in the men’s room bloody indecent, and means he’s on the hunt for a fresh kill. I know I am.

“Dr. Darc?” somebody inconsequential is talking to me.

“What?” I ask.

“Are you going to come in or out?” the orderly manning the door is staring at me.

“In,” I say, standing watch. Why is she attracted to him? I’m polite I studied it I read books about this why can’t I get a bloody date what’re they talking about I can read lips---cooking I can cook. Better than him. More exotic choices. I laugh at my own jokes.

“Sir?” the orderly is still staring at me.

No this doesn’t compute she can’t see the sort of man he is----unless she’s interested in him the same reason I am---no that can’t be too much to hope, couldn’t possibly be---you’re alone in this world Jacob you always will be no---he just agreed what was that look in her eye arousal that’s there---oh fuck yes that was it. but not at accepting. Oh no. she looked at his neck. The vein in his neck that nice blue one that is what she looked at that was the arousal. If I’m not very much mistaken, she does want him for the same reason I do.

Dinner.

“Hello, Thief,” I start to see Quentin standing behind me, in front of me now that I spin around. He’s dressed, in a long sweater, fatigues, and he’s standing now, taller than me with his artificial legs on. Even with the yellow-tinted glasses in front of his bloodshot eyes, and the knowledge of the artificial legs, the scars on his stomach, the painful, raw, stumps where his legs ought to have been, he looks so powerful now, in the daylight. Like he ought to have without all the mess of the universe tearing him up. I love him more for it, I think. I’ve never fallen this hard in love before, it’s quite painful I find.

“You know my name,” I say, smiling anyway.

“Actually I don’t think I do, Jo’s not your real name, is it?” he asks, smiling his steady, calm smile that doesn’t look well used. It’s cold out, his cheeks are almost red. he’s not got a coat but the sweater’s awfully thick, it looks new. probably is new, his mum probably got it for him, here on the surface she knew he’d be cold and do something like walk out without a coat.

“No,” I admit, shrugging, “Do you want something to drink?”

“Yes, I suppose I have to since I’m here to see you and want to talk to you. Can you sell me mineral water or something?” he asks.

“Yeah---no this is a bar I’ve got orange juice or seltzer water,” I offer.

“Seltzer water, then,” he says, as I get a glass. He just watches me.

“How’d you find me here?” I ask.

“I’ve been wandering around the city for hours seeing you in everything beautiful but never finding you,” he says.

“Do you always talk like this?” I ask, smiling.

“No, never, I think like it but like I said everything I do in my life always turns out wrong so I’ve decided to try everything different I don’t do,” he says, spinning the glass in his hands but not drinking. My boss looks at us but doesn’t comment, Quentin’s our only new customer this time of the morning anyway. the other pathetic people are all already busy with their drinks. “So this is what you do by day, Thief?”

“I admit Jo’s not my real name but why call me Thief?” I ask, amused, “You know I was never actually going to rob you.”

“I beg to differ,” he says, finally taking a sip and still smiling at me.

“Why?” I ask.

“You stole my heart,” he says.

“You’re weird,” I say, wiping the bar, “Are you just here to use bad pick up lines?”

“I’m pretty sure we are past pick up lines this is bad keep your lines now,” he says, “And no I’m not, I’m actually looking for a job since I’m pretty sure you won’t take worshipping you to be a full time one---”

“I will not---”

“Right, so, careers for disabled Ex-Space Forces, I’m thinking Raptor Hunter, bootlegger, or lizard caretaker one, what do you think?” he asks, taking out a tablet.

“What---those aren’t real jobs?” I ask, leaning to look at it.

“All but bootlegger though that is a thing, I speak Russian so I could do that really well,” he says.

“You do?”

“It was one of those things they thought officers ought to know so they gave us leave days if we studied it and passed some blood test, I’m sure I’ve forgotten half of it,” he says.

“Interesting, say something in Russian,” I say.

“Naz, pa-triz,” he says.

“What’s that mean?”

“Goodwill or something? as I said I’ve forgotten most of it, when do you get off?” he asks, looking around.

“Not till late, and I’ve got to go home first,” I say.

“You’re still coming to see me?” he asks, hopefully.

“Yes, but I’m bringing a guest if you don’t mind,” I say. Lizzie doesn’t need more time alone than she already has, and since Quentin can have me arrested for life at this point anyway, him knowing about her doesn’t make a difference. Not that I’ll tell him she’s a mutant. He doesn’t need to know that. but it’ll be good practice for Lizzie to keep it a secret and meet a new person. she doesn’t get out enough. And he’s a decent sort, she needs to learn not all men are evil. So do I, apparently. Otherwise, this man wouldn’t be sitting in front of me, after wandering all over looking for me just to tell me how much I mean to him. After one night. He really is probably a serial killer.

“No, not at all,” he says.

“Do you not drink or something?” I ask, looking at his mineral water. Please. Just get more unbelievably sweet.

“No, I’m an alcoholic, so, not a good idea, I don’t do well on the stuff,” he says.

“When’d you quit drinking?” I ask.

“When I was fifteen---just turning sixteen,” he says, looking up from his tablet.

“Dare I ask when you started?” I ask.

“Twelve, I was tall for my age, idiots would sell me drinks---do you mind if I walk you home?” he asks.

“I suppose not,” I say. I’ve moved twice in the past month already, Lizzie and I can move again if necessary.

“Good, when do you get off? Only I’ve got dinner with my mum at seven,” he says.

“Nine,” I say.

“That’s a shame, I’d like you to meet her,” he says.

“You introduce women who you’ve had one night stands with to your mum?” I ask, amused.

“I told you what my mum did which is incidentally how she got me, she’s completely out of the position to judge and she knows it damn well. Moreover, she’s so bloody worried about me she’d be glad to know somebody was about making sure I don’t slit my wrists,” he says, very seriously.

“What?” I ask, almost laughing at how easily he admitted his own dubious bastardry. “Why would she think that?”

“My brother hung himself,” he says, his eyes darkening, then.

“I’m sorry---”

“It’s not at all okay, but, it’s taken years of self-therapy to be able to talk about it,” he says, shrugging, “She’s, understandably concerned, after that.”

“Poor thing,” I say. I can’t imagine losing a child like that. Losing a child is the most painful thing that can happen to a woman, like a part of your body and soul ripped out and destroyed before your very eyes. but to his own hand---I shudder at the thought. No wonder she’s concerned about Quentin. She must’ve died inside when they told her how he’d been injured. I wonder if they told her straight away or how long they before they knew if he’d live.

“You said you had a sister, have you seen her since you got released?”

“She was murdered, right after I joined Space Forces,” he says, looking down at the counter.

“I---”

“You don’t have to say you’re sorry again, it still isn’t okay,” he says, looking up and almost smiling, “She’d like you. My little sister. I loved her to bits, my little pal. It’s like she’s not dead, though. I can still hear her talking to me if I listen hard enough.”

“That’s good,” if insane but poor man he’s had a miserable life if all that’s true and I don’t think you can make things like that up.

“What about you? Any family?” he asks.

“Parents who don’t approve of my life choices; a sister who agrees with them, we see each other now and again,” I say.

“Life choices would be---?” he asks, cocking his head.

“Tattoos, piercings, bartending, sleeping with random guys I just meet,” I say.

“Hmm, like I said, my mum’s not one to judge, must be rough,” he says, shrugging.

“Enough. They only care, I just don’t always want to hear it, “ I say.

“Understood, the pep talks from my mum get tiresome but I understand she doesn’t want me to be dead,” he says, “I’d like you to come to dinner I think you’d like her as I said she’s not one to talk about life choices and she’s got tattoos as well.”

“Why don’t you?” I ask.

“I wasn’t allowed to in Space Forces---suppose I could now,” he says, “That’d be something to ask her about.”

“You’re going to go ask your mum about getting a tattoo?” I ask, almost laughing.

“Yeah, like I said she’s the poster child of poor life choices me being one of them,” he says, smiling.

“I’ll ask if I can get off,” I say.

“Don’t get in trouble we can do it another time if you don’t mind staying in my life as long as it may be,” he says.

“What?” I ask, laughing again.

“You heard me,” he says.

Chapter 4

“A

re we speaking again?” I ask, tapping my earpiece to answer Tess’ call.

“You’ve had your cookies?” she asks, oh so innocently dear god she is so completely my child.

“Yes, your revenge was bitter, now, what do you want?” I ask.

“A favor, for Billy,” she says.

“Did you go to classes today?” I ask.

“Yes,” she says.

“All right, go on,” I say, “Who’s Billy?”

“The bald little boy you dumped ice water on the this morning getting yourself a tainted cookie,” she says.

“Masculine debates should never be the subject of feminine revenge any more than masculine sins against the female should be the subject of masculine revenge,” I say.

“He’s dying, dad, water upon me is of little consequence compared to him, I was nearly late for class getting him warmed up again,” she says.

“You can’t actually die from catching cold,” I say.

“You can if you’re already dying,” she says.

“Have you done experiments in it---I think not---”

“I have read several scholarly articles but we digress—”

“Yes we do, what was the favor?”

“Billy’s a Project 10 like me, but thing is his parents don’t have any contact and he’d like to meet them before he dies,” she says, “Is there any way we could get special permission for him to get to contact them? Since he won’t live to be sixteen like me and the others.”

“I haven’t looked into the laws much, but I can ask,” I offer, checking my wrist pad, “Your next class starts soon, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, can you find out for me?” she asks.

“Yes, I’ll try, study hard, love you,” I say.

“Love you too, dad,” she says.

“Are you done?” Thorn asks, staring at me. I got Tess’s call right after stepping into his office.

“Yeah, we’re good, she had class,” I say, nodding, “How was your night last night?”

“Remarkably and refreshingly free of you---yours?” he asks.

“Good, I tortured the cadet and picked up Tess and her friends,” I say, nodding.

“Absolutely lovey and nobody died? Wasn’t that pleasant?” he asks.

“Not really now that you mention the lack of bloodshed---”

“I know, and no random explosions you must be out of your mind---”

“I am, and I talked to Ziggy this morning and you’re right I so can’t kill him it’s depressing---”

“So hard to be you Titus, now I assume you didn’t come to my office just to inquire about my health and answer phone calls?” he asks.

“No, I wanted to ask if you knew why Major Tom is upset with me?” I ask.

“No idea, have you done anything especially you, lately?” he asks.

“No, that’s the thing---it’s been for a while, though, just sort of bubbling, I’m hoping you can help me you’ve known her as long as I have, what would make a woman who is generally ambivalent to likely to make out with you completely disgusted/mistrustful of you?” I ask, desperately. Kip was no help. Modern psychology manuals were no help. Ziegfeld was no help. I’m running out of options.

“As completely not at all interested as I am in your sex life---”

“Go on, please?”

“Might have something to do with having to be made to be in charge of you because you’re a force of nature?” he asks, “Maybe, just an idea, could be wrong I usually am.”

“Yeah, you usually are, all right, any other ideas?” I ask.

“No, hard as this may be to believe I do other things than entertain, mange, talk to, and all around attempt to survive, you. Now can you go play with your cadet or child or eat crisps with Kip or try to seduce Major Tom or any of the non-violent things you do when you aren’t here?” he asks, hopefully.

“Oh, all right, then,” I say, “The cadets are with Major Tom, we’re going to put them on the flight simulators tonight.”

“Yes, you do that, goodbye,” he says, waving at me to leave.

“Right then----but before I go offhand do you know of anybody who would care more about my potential sex life than you do and would have more empirical information---”

“OUT!!!”

“Yes, sir, good afternoon sir.”

“Oh now you remember customs and courtesies, stupid bastard.”

“Love you too, Thorn.”

“Are you humming?”

“No,” I lie, turning around so Bridget can’t see the smile on my face.

“What---you are, Jacob,” she laughs, spinning me around. I have two hours off of surgeries today and she miraculously had a break from classes, so we met in the shops to pick up some things for dinner tonight. “How did it go with the new beauty and brains at the hospital? You talked to her this morning, didn’t you?”

“I did,” I admit, slapping her hands away playfully, “And it went horribly we affirmed once and for all I have at least one social functioning disorder---”

“We knew that already, go on,” she says.

“And she said maybe,” I say, shrugging.

“You do know maybe isn’t good?” she asks, her smile fading.

“My child, you fail to understand my track record. Maybe is great. Maybe is stupendous. Maybe is absolutely bloody exceptional, maybe is unprecedented,” I say, laughing.

“You married my mum,” she laughs.

“If you’ll recall hefty amounts of alcohol were involved in that and she found somebody better in a record two months,” I say, still laughing, mention of my ex will not spoil my mood today.

“What two—are you sure? I thought it was six before they left,” she says.

“No, pretty sure it was two—could’ve been sooner, actually,” I say. It was two before she found somebody more charming than me, and this fellow had more moral character and spine. A very excellent spine. And ribs. It was two months before she found him. Six months before I decided how to cook them. “Doesn’t matter. As I said, maybe is unprecedented, and she’s clever which means she’ll see that I’m a god among men.”

“She’ll know you’re crazy you mean,” Bridget laughs. I like her. That’s why she’s still alive. When she and her mum came to live with me five years ago, I had no idea that she would be the longer lasting, if less nutritious, part of the package.

“Well, thing is I’m hoping she’s crazy too,” I say, “Now come on, what do you want tonight? Roast eggplant with white sauce?” I hold up a plant.

“No, why are we suddenly vegan?” she laughs.

“Supply doesn’t always meet demand my dear, be patient,” I say. my romantic aspirations have been consuming time usually devoted to my culinary ones. “Come on, decide?”

“Okay, that’s fine—when’s your butcher going to get something in that’s up to your standards?” she asks, tiredly.

“Hopefully soon,” I say. Very soon.

“Welcome to what you never knew you’ve been waiting for.”

“For somebody so sullen about training a cadet you’re quite theatrical about this—” Tom says, leaning against the door.

“I prefer melodramatic----flying is like nothing you’ve ever felt or dreamed of feeling. It’s as close to dying as a living man can get,” I say, standing I front of the simulators.

“Sir, what do you mean?” Jordan asks, frowning a little.

“It is only in death that man can be truly free, free of pain, from thought, reason, the tries and the cares and tribulations of this universe, we go on to something else, the unknown freedom from all human shape and reason. Flight is as close as man can get to that vast, and wonderful, freedom,” I say.

“We’ve been on the simulators for OTS,” Starr says, flatly. He does not expect to be impressed.

“Not with me you haven’t,” I say, smiling. “Are you ready to go?”

“This is where you live?” I ask, staring at what looks like an abandoned warehouse as Jo fishes keys from the pocket of her coat and undoes several locks.

“Yeah,” she says.

“Brilliant, much more interesting than where I live,” I say, leaning against the wall. Walking is absurdly hard and it hurts. But I don’t care.

“If less legal, look, do you mind waiting outside for a second? I don’t want to startle Lizzie,” she says.

“Yeah, no, I’m good, I don’t like walking into girls’ rooms in general let alone unannounced,” I say, nodding. It’s generally a good policy, independent of the close proximity I’ve lived with women all my life, I still tend to be shy, and apparently my mother is the only women in the universe who thinks that’s cute. Well, Jo might think it’s cute but I don’t think she’s the sort of girl who uses words like cute. I don’t think I’d like her if she was.

“Right, just---see you in a minute,” I say. I’m no good at goodbyes, however short.

“Yeah, I’ll be right here,” he says, smiling quickly. He looks like doesn’t smile very often yet he does it often for me. I think about that as I go in.

“Hey,” I say, Lizzie is sitting at the table, our kitchen table, as it were, an old card table set up in the middle of the room. she’s not eating, instead looking blankly at the tablet I brought her. I don’t think she knows how to read very well. “I brought Quentin to meet you.”

“I don’t like men,” she says.

“Yeah, I know, nor do I, but this is a decent, one, I promise, and you need to learn to meet new people without freaking out and—” I don’t have a word for what she does.

“Mutant stuff,” she supplies.

“Yeah,” I say, nodding, “Do you want to meet him?”

“Okay,” she says, “You promise he’s okay?”

“I promise---and if he’s not, we can both take him, okay?” I ask, winking at her.

“Okay,” she says, nodding and turning around to face the door.

“I’ll go let him in, and then we’re gonna go back to his place with him, to help Shannon,” I say, going towards the door, “He wants to help her too.”

“Okay,” she says.

I open the door and let him in. He steps in slowly, ducking a bit in the low doorway. He looks immediately at Lizzie, curiously almost, studying her a bit too intently. She raises a hand and steps backward. He stumbles hitting the invisible wall she no doubt put up. for my part I move, I don’t know if to him or to her, but to one of them to stop it, but like a flash, Quentin steps backward and neatly around the wall, advancing on her quickly.

“I’m not---going---to—hurt you,” he says, stepping backward every few paces at each word, dodging her blocks and working his way smoothly to her. when he reaches her she’s crying, and he kneels down in front of her, putting her little outstretched hand on his head. She breaks down sobbing, but not tears of fear, now. She leans into him, sobbing and pressing her forehead against his.

“Shush, shush, I’m not here to hurt you, see?” he asks, picking her up and standing and letting her continue to lean into him, sobbing freely.

“What---do you know each other?” I ask, surprised, staring between them.

“No, my sister had telekinesis, like her, same exact eyes,” he says, rocking her a little.

“I saw him looking at me and he knew so I panicked,” Lizzie explains, taking a deep breath but still pressing her head against his.

“That’s why I had to get close to her, the telekensis works better when we’re close together, especially since we hadn’t met,” he explains, “All she could see was the recognition and I knew that, once we touched, she could see more. My sister and I used to practice with it, all the time, naturally. I adapted my mind to let her in. And I got pretty used to getting around the force fields.”

“I’ve always been trapped by them,” I admit.

“Yeah, nobody thinks of just backing out of it, and most mutants don’t think of putting up a back to the box---we’ll practice with that, yeah? That way bad people can’t get to you,” he says, brushing her matted hair out of her face.

“I like you,” she says, touching his head one more time before he sets her down.

“I like you too little one,” he says, “Now you know my name but I don’t know yours.”

“Lizzie is what they call me,” she says.

“She didn’t ever tell us her real name,” I say.

“I didn’t like it,” she says, hugging herself.

“Don’t cry baby, it’s okay,” I say, giving her a cloth to wipe her face, “I’m sorry you got so scared---we’ve not introduced her to anyone else.”

“Right---good thing as well, you know you’re lucky most people aren’t like me? They’re scared of what you can do,” he says, seriously.

“I know---you were right, he’s decent, he’s more than decent,” Lizzie says, still staring at him.

He smiles but says nothing. Lizzie grins.

“What?” I ask, looking between them.

“I know how to respond to her in my head---my sister and I had, literally, nothing better to do than get good at this,” Quentin explains quickly, “We’ll teach you as well, it isn’t so hard once you get used to it. we all, naturally I suppose, have a mental block against them, over the years I took mine down, to let Ginny in.”

Lizzie cries afresh.

“Yes, she died,” he says, nodding, “But we’re not going to let them get you, I promise.”

“That’s how your sister died?” I realize, “They took her because she was a mutant?”

“Yes, I don’t mention it, because it tends to be controversial but apparently neither of us need have worried, it would seem we’re all on the same side,” Quentin says.

“Yeah,” Lizzie says, taking my hand as well as Quentin’s. she smiles. I feel a heat inside my forehead, a warm glowing, heady feeling, like having a bit too much to drink but not so much you’re ill. Quentin nods, “That’s what it feels like.”

(I like him)

I smile. I like him too.

Chapter 5

“D

o you know about any caveats to the Project 10 program, when one of the children is dying? Tess was asking me for a friend,” I say, as Lt Col Ziegfeld and I stand in line in the officer’s mess. Major Tom is avoiding me and eating with the cadets, Ziggy is avoiding me because I scared him, and Thorn is trying to get superglue out of his mouth. Tess is eating at school or at least she should be. Everybody is entertained. Except me.

“That’s sad, one of her friends is dying?” she asks.

“Yes, I suppose so---I honestly didn’t research the program all that much, as I’ve full visitation to Tess it never mattered, but one of her friends doesn’t have contact with either of his parents and since he won’t be alive when it’s unlocked he wanted to know if there’s a way to access it now. I wasn’t sure if you knew of anything like that, by chance,” I ask, picking up packets of milk.

“My son’s been out of the program for years and like you I had visitation so I didn’t pay so much attention to that sort of thing---but I’m going to guess there isn’t, I’ve never heard of anybody getting contacted like that,” she says. “You could look it up easily enough, I’m sure.”

“Yes, I’m sure, just thought I’d ask before I went to the trouble,” I say.

“Poor little thing, only wants to meet parents and not having any,” she says, “Did you talk with him?”

“No, I didn’t know till Tess called me earlier to ask,” I say.

“Huh, well, let me know what you find out, but as I said, I’m pretty sure it isn’t a thing---you never know, though. There is the release for eligible parents to contact the co parent,” she says.

“What do you mean?” I ask, not understanding.

“If one parent has visitation rights, like you do and I did, we can contact the other parent who does not, sort of a loophole, but it’s intended so that the parent who didn’t have visitation is more likely to participate again, knowing the first child and other parent are well and all that,” she says, “It’s a newer opportunity through the program.”

“Oh yes---I remember now they told me about that when Tess was born,” I say nodding. I got a whole lecture and dozens of documents explaining my ‘free’ visitation rights with my own daughter, as well as a host of other procedures and things, from when and how I’d be contacted if she was ill, to my rights of guardianship if she became unfit for the program. I really didn’t listen and asked every 2 to 4 minutes if I could go meet her now and talk to her. they didn’t like me very much.

“They didn’t have it when I did it---did you use it to contact her mum?” she asks, “Or was she Space Forces?”

“No, she’s a civilian, I never contacted her,” I say, as we get our trays and go to sit down.

“Why not?” she asks.

“Never saw the need,” I say.

“What if she’d wanted to meet you? She only carried your child,” she says, a bit accusingly.

“I don’t care, she chose to enter the program,” I say, shrugging, “Her choice. She could’ve kept custody of her if she’d wanted.”

“Yeah, but she’d not have gotten any money which is probably why she did it,” she says.

“Then she got her money,” I say, “Why should I care? I have my daughter.”

“Hasn’t it occurred to you Tess might be interested in meeting her mum?” she asks.

“No,” I say, “She doesn’t ask.”

“That’s because she thinks you don’t know who she is. don’t you think it’s a little bit unfair to keep her from at least knowing who she is?” she asks.

“No, it’s perfectly fair,” I say, sharply with more than a hint of malice.

“Are you afraid that if Tess met her mum, she’d somehow love her more than you?” she realizes.

“No,” I lie, very badly.

“Titus, you do, don’t you?” she says, leaning to look in my eyes as I lean away. “Is that why? Because you’re afraid if you let Tess meet her mum, she’ll love her more than you?”

“Well, why wouldn’t she?” I ask, desperately.

“Because you’re her dad,” she says, “No mum is going to replace you---”

“No, not replace, but she’ll be better than me, Tess will rather spend time with her than me she’s my daughter I’m supposed to get her all the time, I don’t want to share her,” I say, flatly.

“Why do you think somebody else would be better than you?” she asks, “You haven’t even met this person, she might not even like kids, she might be perfectly miserable for all you know.”

“I do know! take any person---any random person you’ve ever met, think really hard about this now---aren’t they preferable in countenance and manner, to me?” I ask, cocking my head.

“Well---”

“Honestly now---”

“All right, yes, but not to Tess, you’re her dad, she loves you, nothing is going to change that,” she says, “You’re always going to be her strong, brave dad who carries her on your shoulders and shows her your medals and comes back from every distant asteroid to see her. That’s not going to change in her heart even if her mum absolutely perfect.”

“No, but it’ll be different,” I say, “She’ll see, she’ll start to see what other people are like—and she wouldn’t talk to her the way I do, wouldn’t teach her the things I do---it’d be all different, and I like things the way they are, for the first time---somebody cares about me, because I’m me, not in spite of me.”

“It would be different but---,” she takes a deep breath, “I understand how you feel, but---it’s important for Tess to have other people----”

“She doesn’t need other people she has me,” I say, firmly.

“I know but---all right, give me a second, to show you how to think about this-----” she says, taking a deep breath.

“What do you mean?” I ask, frowning.

“I mean I know there’s a way to get you to understand this, to help you understand how people feel----okay, I’ve got it,” she says, “Didn’t you tell me, back when Tess was born, we were still flying together---remember? You mentioned that you wanted more children?”

“Yes,” I say, nodding, “But the biological mother I was matched with never consented to more children, apparently, or they weren’t viable---and I was only ever matched with one woman, they do something with IQs apparently.”

“Big surprise, yes---”

“But I don’t see how that matters, meeting me wouldn’t make her more likely to carry my offspring I think we can both agree on that,” I say.

“Okay----okay yeah that’s true, I’m really sorry that’s true--- but no that wasn’t what I was going to say---”

“Oh, right, sorry, go on—”

“—what I was getting at was, you would like to have more children, wouldn’t you?” she asks.

“Yes, a couple, more people like me,” who love me. like Tess does, looks forward to seeing. Thinks I’m the best thing to happen to the universe. And no fear in her eyes, no hesitation when I speak, none of the cautiousness that haunts all others when they are with me.

“Right, but would that make you love Tess any less?” she asks.

“No, of course not, she’ll always be my precious little girl she----ah, I see what you mean,” I realize, “You’re saying that just like I wouldn’t love her any different or spend any less time with her if she had siblings. So she wouldn’t feel differently about me if she knew her mum.”

“Yes, exactly, you see? You’d still love her even if she had brothers or sisters, it would make both of your lives richer, and the same is true of letting her meet her mum,” she says.

“No it’s not---her mum will---odds are---be completely normal---I am not normal, my children would not be normal, I would not love Tess less because she is perfect, nobody else could make her less perfect---if she meets somebody else, another parent, she’ll see how I am----less---less than other people,” I say, my voice angry.

His voice is shaking, I feel bad for pressing the issue. He’s more sensitive than I realize, that’s the problem with him. He seems so terribly strong, so careless with people and emotions, yet his heart is tied so closely to that little girl. I know it would be best for the child to meet her mother, yet in reality, it’s for the very reason I’m telling him it’s not. the little girl does need to meet somebody----not him. not meet but---be loved by, parented by. He never had a father, nor mother much for that matter, so I know he’s doing his best with her but he’s so----I can’t stand to use his own word. Less. But it’s true and he knows it is and that’s what hurts.

“Okay, you’re probably right,” I say, because I can’t bring myself to say anymore.

“No, you don’t think that,” he says, looking down at his hands. I think there were tears in his eyes. I feel bad—it’s terrible. He knows all too well far too many things, including his own faults. Nobody should see themselves that clearly. It’s too painful. Yet he does, in his curse of seeing everything so well, it includes himself.

“No I do, you’re right, she could be perfectly miserable, and you and Tess have each other,” I lie.

“We do,” he says, “I’ll research it for her, for her friend. Tell her tonight, I was going to take her out.”

“That’ll be nice,” I say, gently. His voice is coming back to normal. “How’d the day go with your cadets?”

“That was fun, they’re over there with Tom now,” he says, nodding across the room.

“You still haven’t gotten her to forgive you?” she asks.

“No, working on that, thank you though. Thorn was no help by the way.”

“He wouldn’t be he’s the first one to admit he can’t manage his own love life let alone help with anyone else’s----what did you take them flying today?” I ask, looking at the cadet’s faces.

“Yes,” he says, smiling now at the mention of it, “How did you know? Did you see it in the logs?”

“No, I saw their expressions.”

“What’s that?” he asks, turning around.

“Something like shock and horror mixed with bliss.”

“Well, what’d you think?” I ask, amused. Jordan and Starr are sitting across from me, in a haze like state, barely touching their food.

“He was right, that was like dying,” Jordan says.

“I know.” I say.

“I didn’t think things could feel like that,” Starr says.

“I know,” I say, “Try flying with him when you’re actually in space and not safe on the ground.”

“Oh, ma’am, I’d sooner not, I was terrified and I knew it was a simulator,” Jordan says, “How does he do everything so quickly?”

“It’s his magic,” I say, forcing myself not to glance over at him, drinking his milk, either reading two books at once, or reading one book and sitting with Ziegfeld, asking her why I’m angry with him. Let him wonder. Eventually his little sociopathic mind will realize that I blame him in his bloody genius perfection, that he couldn’t save Leavitt. Not save him. He did save him. He is alive. barely, a voice in my head whispers.

“I didn’t like flying, before,” Starr says.

“You do now?” I ask.

“No, now I hate it. it fees like---being too real,” Starr says, looking down at his food. “I didn’t like it.”

“Ma’am, how is it that different? Flying with you didn’t feel like that---I mean of course you’re much, much better at flying than me or any of the cadets but---he just doesn’t fly like any of our instructors, like he flies how they told us not to,” Jordan says.

“That’s true, he does,” I say.

“Ma’am, why is that?” Jordan asks.

“Because only he can fly like that,” I say, “Anybody else who tries winds up dead pretty quickly. He should be dead by now. he just isn’t.”

“It’s like he doesn’t care,” Starr says, finally, “Like he doesn’t have any fear of dying.”

“He doesn’t,” I say.

“Ma’am, how can that be a good thing?” Starr asks.

“It’s not,” I say.

My evening turns out much better than I anticipated a few days ago. coming out of the hospital, I had assumed I’d spend my evenings not thinking about drinking, being legless, and watching myself drool. Granted when I flew that last mission with Card, I thought I’d come home with my legs. Odd, life.

Instead I’m sitting on the floor, all the lights off, watching the neighbor across the way’s house through night vision goggles, eating greasy take out food out of boxes, with a very beautiful woman who seems perfectly willing to have sex with me by my side, with an eight year old girl lying on my back with her head pressed against mine because apparently it’s interesting in there. I feel a bit bad about that, I’m pretty sure the majority of my life is an X rated horror film. But she’s enjoying herself and Jo says she hasn’t been this happy since she found her. So. whatever.

“When do you think they’ll get back?” I ask. I’m concerned for whoever is planning on offing the guy. I mean, this is war but this is war on enemy territory with back up of a crippled veteran and a telepathic kid and one probably really bad ass woman. The latter is probably the only marginally helpful back up but we are all still in enemy territory and telepathic kid and crippled veteran have no back up, people skills, lying abilities, or experience at this. So I’m generally nervous about the mission. Jo is more calm, she’s run this sort of mission before. I am disgusted at how nervous I am about this. I’m used to the luxury of millions of dollars of machinery beneath me and at the least a few dozen well paid killers at my side.

“She said they were shopping first, so it may be a while. She wants to do it here once dark falls, but if she has to sooner because he makes a move, that’s what she has to do,” Jo says. like I said she’s really used to this.

“With what?” I ask.

Jo glances at Lizzie who is mumbling and putting her face in my short hair.

“Yeah, what’s in there is much worse,” I say, tapping my head.

“I like you,” Lizzie says, for the eighteenth time tonight. not that I’m counting. What? People don’t generally like me or talk to me. mostly because I’m the guy who doesn’t go out drinking, and stands in corners avoiding looking or talking to people and giving one word answers.

“She has a knife and small gun, she’ll probably use the knife, don’t want to introduce a gun if we can’t help it, his MO is knife,” Jo says, shrugging.

“What about the body?” I ask, softly.

“Unless she wants to plead self defense; we wait till dark, dump it in the Lovecraft,” she says. the river that runs through the capital is known for having bodies turn up in it.

“Can I stay here with Quentin?” Lizzie asks.

“If she says she’s fine, we both will stay here,” Jo says, “No need for all of us to go wandering about after dark.”

“How do you get around after dark?” I ask. to save energy in the interests of not destroying this planet and all that shit, the lights New America wide go off between midnight and four am, leaving us in pitch darkness, on a moonless night like this. Of course, Space Forces doesn’t follow that rule because we ran 24 hour operations, so I’m not used to getting up in the middle of night only to realize I can’t turn on any lights.

“It’s not hard, didn’t you play in the dark when you were a boy?” she asks, surprised.

“No,” I say. my mother used to keep us in. first of course I was too little, then I was minding Ginny while my mum worked.

“You get used to relying on hearing things instead of seeing them, it’s especially useful if the person you’re fighting isn’t used to it,” she says, “Or if police are coming, they have the night vision goggles, so they aren’t used to chasing somebody who can get about.”

“Well, as the person with the night vision goggles, I’m not used getting about without them,” I say.

“Doesn’t matter, you are still the person with the night vision goggles,” she says. but I determine to learn how to function without them. I’ve only got two pairs and if it came down to it I’d rather Lizzie and Jo have the goggles for all their telepathy and general awesomeness, the girls should have those if the enemies move in. the enemies are the police if you hadn’t gotten that.

“Even so,” I say, “How’d you learn to get around? Muck about enough in the middle of the night?”

“That, and during the day I’d muck about as well---I was one of those weird kids who used to want to do all that spy stuff, practice crawling about, kidnap my sister that sort of thing, I’d blindfold myself, and practice finding my way around in the complete dark, sometimes I’d bounce a ball, or have my sister bounce a ball at me, and I’d try to catch it, just from hearing where the bouncing was coming from,” she says, sounding like she’s smiling at the memory.

“Huh, I’ll have to try that,” I say.

“No need really, like I said, just a thing I did,” she says.

“Ah, I don’t like being in a party not being able to do things the mission requires,” I say.

“You weren’t assigned to the party,” Jo says.

“No, I sorta volunteered,” I say.

Lizzie mumbles.

“You havin’ fun up there?” I ask, amused.

(who am I in your party?)

“You’re the spymaster,” I say.

“What’s that?” Jo asks.

“Who am I in the party?” Lizzie repeats.

“It’s a space Forces thing, when there were a bunch of us brass, we called it a party, and even though we were the same rank or about, we each had a specialty---this wasn’t an actual formal thing it was just a thing we did, made things simpler or whatever, ‘cause each of us had a job we were best at, screw rank and all that, if the person in charge of that job said to do it even if they were little lower rank, we did it---so for every party, there were a set number of positions, depended on if somebody died or not, then somebody else would take over the other’s position. The positions were: the spymaster, the scholar, the touchstone, the savoir, and the killer,” I say, “There were a few others if the party was bigger, but those five were the main ones---sometimes you’d have a radar and a mapmaker, stuff like that. in our party there were usually just the five.”

“How’d you get each job---like what would you do?” she asks.

“First mission we had, first mission off planet, we’d get together as a group, us officers, and assign jobs. The stripes never knew, they didn’t know the way we’d sort things---guess most people don’t know---but anyway, we’d sit around, and figure out what every one was good at. 

“So, Spymaster, they were the one who knew the most languages, good at sneaking places, that sort of thing. They had to go in first if there was an enemy base, they would infiltrate, typically, this person would have had the most encounters with the Isylgyns. 

“Scholar was the person who knew the most, had the biggest knowledge of facts and computers and repairing the ships and stuff, they were the one we turned to if anything broke, if we needed to know about the planet, they directed finding out about the planet, stuff like that. The 

“Touchstone was the person who was luckiest, they were the ones who, if it came to left or right or go or stay, they called it, ‘cause they were always right; don’t know why, but they were. usually they were the oldest, had flown the most missions, stuff like that. The Savior is basically in charge, they’re the ones who call the shots, make the final decisions when it comes down to it, and at the point of no return, they’re the last one—”

“What’s that mean?” Jo asks, sensing no doubt that I forget she doesn’t know all of the terms I’m using.

“Meaning, if we’re all gonna die, the Savior is the one who mercy kills everyone, then themselves,” I say.

“Right, go on? What was the fifth job?” she asks.

“The fifth job is the killer, they’re the ones who are the best shot, and the last one to freak out when everyone else is dying, they go into battle first, take the risks, do the heavy shooting, if it comes down to conserving ammo, that sort of thing, the killer gets the last ammo, the best gun,” I explain.

“So I’m the spymaster, ‘cause I can sort of read minds,” Lizzie says, happily.

“Yeah, you are, and you’re much better than my last one,” I say.

“Who was your last spymaster?” Jo asks.

“Major Card, the guy who was flying the ship when I lost my legs,” I say, a bad taste in my mouth at the mention of his name.

“Ah,” Jo says, “His name sounds familiar---”

“Yeah, he got captured by the Isylgyns before, stuff like that, they give him medals. He’s a creepy bastard,” I say.

“Right,” Jo says, again, “Did he get hurt when you did?”

“Yeah, but not in the crash,” I say.

“Oh,” Jo says.

“Were you the Savior?” Lizzie asks, going back to our previous discussion.

“No, Major Tom was always the Savior---she was good, she used to visit me when I was in hospital,” I say.

“Who were you, then, in the party?” Jo asks.

“I was the killer,” I say, looking away.

“Who’d I be?” Jo asks, stroking my cheek to make me smile again. yeah, okay, admitting to being the Killer is not such a big deal considering she’s killed---probably a whole lot of people. Still doesn’t make me feel good, though.

“Let’s see Thief----I’ll bet you’re a touchstone, ‘cause you’re probably always right,” I say.

“I’m not lucky,” she says, shaking her head.

“I used to say that. and that was before I lost half my body,” I say, making her smile again.

“Yeah, I’m here, that’s pretty lucky,” she admits.

Chapter 6

T ess has late classes. Major Tom isn’t talking to me more than necessary which isn’t very much at all. And the cadets are tired because I flew them too much the little redhead Starr is odyled with looked dizzy. And Starr needless to say would rather be with him canoodling and pretending to study. 

Bored bored bored.

Ziggy isn›t speaking to me either since this morning I scared him, and Ziegfeld I don›t want to talk to either because she was too hard on me at lunch and what annoys me is she was right. She is right. But so am I, and she saw it. and I didn’t think people could still get me that upset but she can she still saw how weak I am how vulnerable. And I hate that.

Bored bored bored. 

Nobody to entertain me. I can’t even fuck with Thorn, my insidious capes will only serve to irritate Tom more and I want her to love me and want to have sex with me which she does not want to do right now.

I’m bored. I’m lonely I want to do something but everyone is busy. I would be happy to go home and play games with Tess till bed. and I’m grounded and I won’t fly for ages and I’m bored. And I’ve got ALL evening, Tess isn’t out of class till nine thirty that is three hours from now. I want to-

I really want to kill somebody.

That would be excellent. A nice little murder. A body to hide. Lots of blood. and then I disappear. Tuck Tess in bed. we read from one of her favorite books then she goes to sleep and I can stand there looking out the window thinking about it.

That would do me so much good who’ve I wanted to kill lately----Ziegfeld’s boy---NO_--NO---NO, anyone else, except Tom and Tess---anyone else not him. she taught you to fly there is some grace---if there is some grace in this world there is for that, there is for that there must be---no not him. anybody else just pick anybody else.

Okay fine. But I really want to kill him he is SUCH a waste of oxygen—no, no no, not him pick somebody else---okay, picking, picking.

Thorn? No I’ve got such a nice decapitation planned for him later and I don’t want to spoil it. After all I’ve been waiting for a while, and I do want to do it but not just yet he’s so much fun to mess with on a regular basis.

No, not him I don’t feel like it yet---Kip? He feeds me no---Jordan? No Starr would be distracted for weeks. Who else who else---Ziggy---no damn it. We already said no to that one. No no no. Leavitt? Hunt him down and kill him AFTER chopping his legs off? I could but that might take a while and I want the murder to last a good long while and not spend time going back and forth.

I don’t know I can’t think of anyone this isn’t any fun---oh I could do something new. Up till now everyone I’ve murdered has been somebody I know. I could kill somebody I don’t know. a total stranger. That would be fun. Somebody I’ve never met before. Or better yet---a kid. I’ve never killed a child. I’ll do that, go off base or stay on? Oh what the hell, stay on and give Thorne a coronary.

It’s getting late and I’m bored. Bridget is doing her homework and I’m sitting sipping a glass of wine here to help her if she needs it. She needs it less and less these days. We had a nice dinner, the roast egg plant, but as she said, it was lacking a certain---protein. It is time I visited the butcher. Ha. Became the butcher. But when? I’m hoping for the date with the lovely Dr. Lutz. But she’s brushed me off. Not necessarily completely but she’s certainly not coming around anytime soon. And I need entertainment. I’m hungry. I miss the flesh. The cool, slick way the meat feels in my hands as I season it, pat, rub, caress before the final searing. The last death of the flesh.

“What do you think of ribs tomorrow night?” I ask. I’m leafing through my recipe book, sipping a good Chardonnay.

“Fine, I thought you hadn’t had time to go to the butcher?” Bridget says, not really glancing up from her work.

“I haven’t but I’m off early tomorrow, I could go, if you felt like it as well,” I say.

“Yeah, all right, you know I like anything you cook,” she says.

“All right then,” I say. I’ll have to do the murder tonight. that would be fun. I was planning on staying in but that would be a real pick me up. And my blood is up with the almost-date. I ‘d rather enjoy that.

Who, though? The lovely Dr. Lutz was already stalking our friend the oily Dr. Steele, and he was my next target. Hmm, who to murder who to murder? I don’t know, nobody at the hospital has been particularly consumption worthy lately. I don’t like choosing people at random that’s rather coarse, lacks all feeling, no method to that and absolutely no justification. And more than that, no knowledge of the quality of the meat.

Bridget will be in bed soon then I’ll go. Or I’ll do it tomorrow morning. But I do prefer to do it at night, it’s much better to move in the dark. But I do hate to leave Bridget alone here. I am not the only monster of the night.

“Who would I be in a party?”

“What are you talking about?” Terrance asks. He’s studying. I don’t have to study so I’m not. I’m tired. My eyes are burning, and I’m trying to get the memories of flying out of my head. I don’t like feeling that way. I don’t like feeling that real. I want to disappear.

“What Major Tom was telling us, about how the officers, on a Suicide Squad, always form a party. Who do you think I’d be?” I ask, snipping a thread on his SBUs, as I lay next to him on the bed. he’s studying on his tablet.

“The Scholar,” he says, “You’re always the one who knows everything.”

“Really?” I ask.

“Yeah, why?” he asks.

“I don’t want to be the Savior,” I say, “I don’t want to be the last person standing. The last one without you. the one who cleans up the mess. I don’t want to be him.”

“You won’t be,” he says, rubbing my hair, “I’ll be with you, I promise. We’ll get assigned to fly together, it’ll be easy, do our rotation them move to different jobs, planetside or off the Ulysses.”

“Yeah,” I say, laying my head down.

“What? You don’t believe it?” he asks.

“No, for some reason, when I look out at the stars, its like I’ll get lost out there in them, no amount of science or talk of the maps and logic and the teams and the methods, nothing allays the fear, that I’ll never come home,” I say.

“Hey, you want to come home to me, don’t you?” he asks.

“Always,” I say. and I mean it.

“Then come home,” he says.

“You make everything sound so simple.”

“It can be simple,” he says, rubbing my neck, “Just let it be simple. Just you, and me.”

“Okay,” I say, but I don’t believe it. I don’t want to fly. I don’t want to do anything, but lie here, next to him, warm and safe, no war no aliens no sailing through the stars.

“I’m going to go out, for a bit,” I say, rinsing my wine glass in the sink. “I feel like a walk.”

“Do you want company?” Bridget asks, she is just packing up her books, going to take a bath before bed. she typically does, plays music in there, then plays music in her room or watches videos. Such is the secret life of the teenage homo sapiens.

“No, I’m fine, thanks though. I shan’t be long,” I say, kissing her on the cheek, “Get cleaned up, ready for bed. I’ll let you know when I get back.”

“Okay,” she says, giving me a quick hug, “Be careful.”

“Oh, I always am,” I say.

Chapter 7

A knock on the door there’s a knife in my pocket. This won’t take long.

“Hello?” Aiden, Tess’ little friend, leans his head out. He recognizes me. So he’s not afraid to open the door.

“Is Tess here?” I ask, stepping in. The cameras in the corridor haven’t been on for weeks. Tess is in class and this little boy is supposed to be in bed.

“No, she’s got class,” he says, stepping back, a little surprised that I came in but he’s used to adults walking in his room really not a good thing, all monsters considered, but he’s been raised like that. Tess hasn’t I tell her not to let people in her room if those people are not me. Ironically that rule keeps her and only her safe.

“Shut the door,” I say, walking around his room, looking at the toys. Similar to Tess’, a few less books, a few more action figures and toys. Pictures of his dead parents.

“Why?” he asks, obeying anyway.

“So nobody can hear you scream,” I say, turning around, the knife in my hand.

Somebody in the street hits me in the shoulder. I stop and turn, prepared to apologize.

“Hey, dude, what’s your problem?” the man scoffs, turning around.

I study him, sizing him up. not too fat, lean, looks young no scent of smoke or alcohol, fit, with greasy hair means, the pelt will remain tender for a few days---

“Hey, I said what’s your problem?” he asks, walking up and shoving my shoulders.

“You have no idea,” I say, taking the knife from my pocket.

“Shh, don’t turn on the lights,” I say, closing the door behind me.

“Why not?” he asks. He’s holding grocery bags. It’s an admittedly odd request. It’s still hours till they turn the lights out.

“I like it better in the dark,” I whisper, latching the door don’t need him getting out. I put my hand into my pocket, feeling for the knife.

“Why?” he asks, he sets the bags down then steps closer to me. good.

“It’s easier to kill you,” I say, pulling the knife out.

“You father screamed when he died as well,” I say, letting the boy’s body fall to the floor. His cheeks are wet with tears from crying as I stabbed him. His shirt is wet and warm with blood. I leave the knife. It’s standard issue no need to take it. I tuck the cold blade into his hand. Let them think he did it to himself, that’ll trouble them. I sigh, looking at the blood on my hands. It’s a shame it’s over so fast. Always over so fast. It’s a shame the pleasure can’t last longer. I need to torture somebody sometime. That would be enjoyable.

Disposing of bodies is also enjoyable but it also would mean a longer night. and Tess will be out of class soon. No, best to leave him here. alibi myself, and get Tess home to bed.

Turns out, rude but well kept dude had three rude but well kept friends.

“If you don’t mind my asking, do any of you regularly smoke?” I ask, ducking as one aims a crow bar at my head.

“The fuck---what is with this dude?” the original says, trying to kick me. I dodge, waiting to go for a clean blow to the neck. I do dislike ruining more of the hide than is strictly necessary.

“You could be helpful about this---how often do you exercise?” I ask, twisting as I duck a blow from another one of them. I’ll eat well for weeks at this rate.

“What---I’m not gonna answer you,” the original guy says, running to ram me in the stomach. Now I manage to get my knife in his neck. Good. hot blood spills down us both. It’s a shame to waste so much of it, but he’s got two friends. I don’t have to give up on a nice black pudding.

It’s surprising how long they can bleed before they die. D comes at me again, blood is pouring now from his neck and wrist. He has a statue or something from the table and he’s trying to hit me with it as well as just punching me in general. But his strength is waning. He won’t be able to make it much longer not losing this much blood. I take one more swing at his neck, slicing again, but this time I feel myself hit the jugular. The hot blood sprays across my face and I relax, over now. he staggers, gurgling, before he finally falls.

Chapter 8

I wake up to the feeling of cold little fingers poking my cheek. I roll over a little, because I feel very heavy and dead with sleep and it does not compute in my brain who would be poking me awake. Then I feel a woman’s warm hand on my face and remember where I am. In my flat. Without legs. With this fabulous girl and strange little child.

“He’s still alive,” Jo assures Lizzie, as I sit up.

“Yes, I am,” I say, opening my eyes to see the little girl standing over me, looking concerned. She’s wearing a full winter coat, and her blonde hair is messy around her face. “You need to brush your hair, nutcase.”

“No,” she grunts, putting her hands over her head.

“You hungry?” Jo asks, sitting up, pulling up the sheets to wrap around her bare chest. I slide my hand over subtly to touch the smooth skin of her back. She smiles a little.

“I guess,” Lizzie keeps staring at us.

“I gotta get up and put my legs on, you want to go and see what my mum’s put in the kitchen that’s edible?” I ask.

“Okay,” Lizzie says, slowly backing out of the room.

“I thought she’d be less crazy by the light of day,” I comment, sitting up fully now, and moving to find our clothes which we discarded on the floor like adolescents, after having maturely put Lizzie to bed in the only actual bed. We were on the sofa in the living room.

“She’s pretty messed up, still hasn’t told us what happened to her before that dude got her,” Jo says, taking the clothes which I hand her.

“That’s sad,” I say, shaking my head, “She knows we’re here. she’ll say when she’s ready.”

“Yeah, I hope,” Jo says, standing up to get dressed. She notices me still sitting, of course, my legs aren’t on I can’t stand up and get dressed. The legs are lying on the floor by the bed. my stumps are still raw and a bit bloodied from wearing them all day yesterday.

“There’s a box of sweets,” Lizzie says, coming back in carrying said box. I, for my part, pull the blankets back over my half-dressed, scarred body.

“Good, go ahead and have one and get plates out, all right? I’ve got to put my legs on,” I say, as she sits down on the floor apparently going to eat.

“Okay,” she says, standing up slowly. She’s been especially quiet since last. I think she knows Jo’s badass friend killed the guy who hurt her.

(are you sure he’s dead)

(yes I’m very sure) she called and told Jo it was over and she would dispose of the body all right by herself.

(okay)

“If I have plates,” I mutter, picking up my shirt and putting it on.

“I’ll help, I’m sure your mum brought plates,” Jo says, picking up the box and handing Lizzie another pastry to eat as she stands up.

“She said she was terribly forgetful getting me stuff I told her ‘good ‘cause I didn’t want you to get me anything---ah—” I stop myself from saying fuck it. Lizzie has gone over to look out the window. I decided against ever trying to put my legs on, instead pulling on my shorts underneath the blankets. I’ll just use my wheelchair for a few hours I need to rest my legs anyway.

“You okay?” Jo asks, she was trying to steer Lizzie away from the window without upsetting her but she stops when she sees me pulling myself into my chair which I actually left close enough to the couch for me to get into.

“I’m fine, it hurts too much to put those things on,” I say, nodding to Lizzie, “Come on, let’s go in the kitchen and eat like civilized people, eh?”

“Morning, you hungry?” I ask, as Bridget comes into the kitchen.

“Starved---you went out and got bacon last night?” she laughs, as she comes over to see what I am cooking.

“Yes, my walk led me past the butcher’s,” I say, fending her off with a greasy spatula, “Go sit down, I’ll bring you a plate.”

“Thanks, smells great,” she says, obediently going to sit down, “I’m gonna go out with Jason, after school, okay?”

“That’s fine, when am I going to get meet him?” I ask, bringing over the plates, which I had warming in the stove. The bacon is still sizzling and greasy on our plates. I’m so hungry. I’ve been wanting this breakfast for ages.

“Eventually,” she laughs.

“You know, I can’t beat boyfriends away with a stick very well if you don’t bring them round,” I say, sitting down across from her. the moist, almost spicy smell is intoxicating.

“You wouldn’t actually be mean,” she says, knowingly.

“I would. If he hurts you. I’ll murder him. I’d chop him up, bake him into a pie, and his liver, that would make a very nice pate,” I say, thoughtfully, taking a bite of the bacon. Nice, slippery yet tough. The fibers of the flesh pulling nicely over my teeth.

“You never would,” she laughs.

“I would. I’m dead serious, I’d chop him up, and enjoy it as well. came with the job description: thou shalt cut up and consume any of Bridget’s awful boyfriends,” I say, making appropriate gestures with my knife and fork.

“You’re crazy,” she laughs. She has no idea how true that is.

“Dad, are you up?” Tess knocks then comes into my room with the delightful inhibitions of childhood.

“Just, are you ready for school?” I ask, putting on a black t-shirt. Sadly I will have to dress immediately in my SBUs in order to go back on base and collect Starr.

“Yeah, I messaged Aiden last night before bed and he hasn’t responded, can we go by his dorm?” she asks.

“We can if you like, it’s a bit late, we’d have to get breakfast on the way,” I say, “What did you message him about?”

“Something about an assignment,” she says, frowning, “It’s not like him not to answer.”

“What did you need with the assignment?” I ask. She knows she can come to me for help; my help is certainly superior to that of an eight year old.

“I just wanted to make sure he didn’t have any questions, I did it a week ago,” she says, sitting down on the edge of my bed.

“I’m glad you completed it, did you sleep well?” I ask, picking up my blouse from where I had it hung on a hanger over the closet door.

“Yes,” she says, looking down at her tablet.

“We’ll get breakfast on the way to the dorms. What game would you like to play?” I ask, buttoning my blouse. My pockets are already loaded for the day, I did that last night when I changed out of my bloodied SBUs and put them in the wash.

“We can do finish the quote---but first can I ask you something?’ she asks, turning off her tablet.

“Of course, you can always ask me anything,” I say, surprised by her hesitation. I have always invited her to be candid with me. she knows that.

“Do you know anything about my mom?” she asks.

“No, nothing, what brought this up?” I ask, frowning, my conversation with Zeigfeld replaying unsummoned on one of the planes of my mind.

“Talking to Billy, and him wanting to meet his parents. It got me thinking about my mum, since I don’t know her. I was wondering if you did,” she says.

“No, I never met her, you were conceived via IVF,” I remind her, “I’m infertile, they collected sperm samples from all of us prior to the operation.”

“I know, but I didn’t know if you ever got to meet her, when I was born, or anything,” she says, looking as though she regrets asking. I don’t want to push her away. She has every right to ask questions.

“No, I didn’t. I don’t even know her name. they simply informed me that a participant who was deemed a good genetic match had been successfully inseminated,” I explain, sitting down next to her, “Then, 248 days later, was the best day of my life---you were born. I had gotten leave, to come planet-side, and waited. They told me you’d been born, healthy. And I got to come and meet you. 

“They had you in a nursery, and we----parents who had visitation rights---could come and sit with you as long as we liked. until I had to return to duty, I sat with you everyday. Held you, talked to you, told you your name. Nobody else ever came. I did ask after your mother’s welfare, after the birth, but they said the medical information was private.” 

I had been concerned the woman might be unable to have our future children, or unwilling after the ordeal, but they had told me nothing. And apparently she was unable or unwilling because Tess remains an only child. I remember those days. So peaceful. I had been captured by the Isylgyns, only a month before she was born, and I’d made the first deal with them. 

Sitting there in that hospital, holding my infant daughter, I’d let my mind race with everything, every possibility for our lives. I’d told her we’d go to the stars together one day. It was the place I loved the most, and I would take her there. 

The nurses let me feed Tess few times, I had read manuals on the subject, however actual practice differed from method. The nurses were quite amused at my efforts, and presence in general. Most parents came and went. but I and a few mothers, camped out until our leave was up. Walking the babies around, talking to them. I would take Tess out every night, and show her the stars. I wanted her to know where I was, when we were apart. 

Then I had not seen hear again for eight months. She barely recognized me. I was planetside for six months after that, then back in space for a year. Again, she hardly recognized me. that pained me more than anything I’d ever felt before. My own flesh and blood, not knowing me when she looked upon me. I am so glad now she is old enough to read messages, talk to me when we are apart, as opposed to then, when I would beg and bribe nurses and nannies to show her pictures of me, give her my medals to hold, look her in the eyes and desperately tell her I loved her and I was coming back.

“Okay, thanks,” Tess says, “I was just wondering.”

“That’s only natural. I’m sorry I don’t have a better answer,” that’s the truth. now what?

“It’s okay. I’ll meet her when I’m sixteen, I guess. If she wants to meet me,” she says.

“Yes,” I say. So Zeigfeld was right. She does want to know her mum. That isn’t fair, why? Why aren’t I good enough? it’s not that. like she told you. It’s just wanting more people to love her, just like you want more children. She just wants a family. Everybody wants that. Clearly, even you.

“If she doesn’t, how will you feel?” I ask. There’s every possibility the mother will not want to, and I don’t want Tess emotionally scarred.

“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter,” she says. Ha she is my child. “I’m only curious, because, you know, I am half her.”

“I know, it’s only right to ask. I’ll do some research on genetics today, see what traits we typically inherit from each parent, you do the same, then we’ll compare notes. See how you’re like me and how you’re like her, eh?” I offer. I wish she were all mine. I wish that were possible, somehow, genetically, to actually make her my clone, no corrupting genes.

“All right,” she says, cheering a little, “Can we do it at dinner tonight?”

“Definitely, now, what do you want for breakfast?” I ask, standing up. We’d best be getting on to find out her little friend Aiden is no longer on the mortal coil so we can get her on to class.

I wake up late and groan when I see that it’s after 9. I’ll have to eat on my way to the hospital. I sigh, looking around the flat. After I got done with the police, I only got a few hours of sleep. That is why I sometimes try to cover it up, hide the body, stage a suicide, something of that nature to prevent having to deal with the law enforcement officials. But a nice bloody murder is more fun and sometimes I indulge myself.

I sigh, I’m paying for it now, though. it took me hours to sob my story out to the police. How he’d lured me back to the flat, then tried to murder me. I’d only just managed to kill him, see the bruises on my arms? It was all too easy, the crying damsel in distress they always believe me. I’m dog tired now, though. I want to sleep for another hour, but I have the dishes to put away, I should honestly do laundry as well. I’ll have something good for dinner tonight. I typically do after a job. A murder. Not a job it’s somebody’s life and I don’t get paid. Yes I do. some creep is no longer walking the same streets my daughter is. She’s safe from one more nutcase who wants to hurt my little girl. Not enough, it’s never enough. they’ll always be another one. But at least now, just for today. There’s one less.

Chapter 9

“S

o, about what we were talking about yesterday,” I say, getting in line behind Lt Col Ziegfeld, again. Tom has leave today, I just had the cadets do PT this morning, after flying with me yesterday they were quite pleased just to lift weights and do sit ups while I ran. Now I’ve released them to go and find nourishment at the mess of their choosing; they are to meet me in the library rooms later.

“What?” she asks, cautiously.

“Tess was---asking me about her mum, yesterday---do women have some sort of collective conscious knowing what to bother men with?” I ask, annoyed.

“No,” she laughs, “We don’t.”

“Hmm, you’d say that if you do, if Tom starts talking about it I’ll know all of you and your chromosomes are holding out on me,” I say, accusingly.

“Was Tess all right this morning? I saw there was a report of a murder or possible suicide of one of the cadets. Was it anyone she knew?” she asks, frowning.

“Yes, as it happens, it was a boy she knew. He’s in her morning class, we were going by his dorm so I could walk the both of them there, when we got there, the IA was there already,” I say, smoothly.

“That’s awful, how did she take it?” she asks.

“Like me,” I say, “She was fine.”

“You still might want to make sure she’s not in shock,” she says.

“No, this pretty much confirmed she’s as much of a sociopath as I am,” I say, picking up my packets of milk. “Now, back to my original question—about what we were talking about yesterday---”

“Yes, you’d never gotten to a question with that,” she points out.

“What do I tell her?” I ask.

“Whom? Tess or her mother?” she asks.

“Either one. Tess, what do I say, yes I could’ve contacted your mum but thing is, I’m a selfish bastard so I didn’t want to---or her mum, hello you carried my child don’t you feel honored?” I ask, annoyed she’s not being any help.

“Yes, okay, definitely neither of those things---so, um, to Tess, just say that since she asked you looked into it. And to her mum, well, you just say that since Tess asked you, you contacted her,” she says.

“Both of them are going to be angry with me for not before this,” I say. And then I lose them both. Mostly Tess. I cannot lose my Tess. Finally that little boy soon to be boyfriend when puberty bowls them over is out of my way and now this.

“You be honest, say you didn’t think of it because you wanted Tess to yourself because you didn’t want to lose her because she’s the only family you have,” she says.

“I wouldn’t forgive somebody that,” I say.

“Thankfully, Titus, everyone is not you,” she says, “Now, what are you going to do?”

“I’ve got her contact information, if it’s still good. I’m going to try to look her up a bit first, you know, see if she’s the sort of person I’d want Tess around, you never know,” I say, defensively. Yes, this is an extended excuse for me to back out.

“That’s a good idea,” she says, “Would you like someone to come with you, when you do meet her?”

“I wouldn’t ask you to do that,” I say.

“No, I’m not volunteering but I think Major Tom would be a nice buffer,” she says.

“How so?” I ask.

“If anyone can come close to understanding you that woman does,” she says.

“I don’t need somebody to explain me,” I say.

“Actually you do---go ask Kip if you don’t believe me,” she says.

“No---all right, having someone there might help, but she’ll be overly cross with me for not doing it in the first place, and she’s overly cross with me as it is,” I say.

“She’ll forgive that you’ve had a change of heart, for Tess’ sake, and for that reason she’ll agree to help—you want to make amends for whatever stupid thoughtless thing you’ve done---”

“We don’t know I did anything---”

“You are perpetually doing something but that’s beside the point---this is an excellent way to show her you understand what an ass you are sometimes,” she says.

“You just have all the answers, don’t you?” I mutter.

“Yes, as I matter of fact I do that’s why you came to talk to me,” she says, sitting down to eat. 

“Where’s Ziggy, anyway? Don’t you usually have lunch with him?” I ask, getting out my tablet to read.

“Yes, having lunch with my son is usually preferable to having an admittedly very intelligent conversation with the top of your head---but he has leave today,” she says.

“Really?” I ask. interesting so does Major Tom. No that is absolutely paranoid you’re getting ridiculous Titus. they are flight partners so their leave is always at the same time they are probably doing completely different, mundane things in completely different places.

“Hello,” Ziggy’s voice startles me. I stop in my run, panting a bit.

“Didn’t expect to see you out here,” I say, wiping sweat from my forehead. I went for a run in the public park surrounding Milton. It’s still mostly used by Space Forces, but at least it’s off base so it’s a step. I’m wearing my PT shorts and a PT shirt, I’m never that creative on my RDOs. Ziggy isn’t either, he’s wearing PT shorts as well, but his shirt is something else, has some design on it. his mum got it for him I suspect.

“I like getting off base,” he says, fiddling with his oxygen tank.

“So do I sometimes; I feel like I don’t often enough, then I do, and I don’t feel any different,” I say.

“Still a Spaceman?” he says.

“Yes, exactly,” I say.

“Sometimes I like to pretend I’m something else, but I’m not,” he says.

“No, you are,” I say, studying him, “It’s people like your mum, or Major Card, they were born to do that, us, we were just bred to.”

“I didn’t think about it like that,” he says.

“Doesn’t change the fact that it’s all we are,” I say, shrugging.

“I guess not,” he says, “But----never mind---I won’t keep you from your run.”

“Walk with me, I could do with the company, if you like,” I offer.

“I suppose---I don’t usually talk about things—like this,” he says, falling into step with me, “I hate to bring it up to my mother because I know she wouldn’t understand.”

“No, it’s different being Project 10,” I agree, “Makes you feel---”

“Incomplete?” he offers.

“Yes,” I say.

“Have you ever tried to do anything to be a—person? Ever thought of getting out, having a family, anything like people who aren’t this---do?” he asks.

“I have,” I say, looking away, “Something always stops me, like,----I feel like I wouldn’t know how, or it would be fake, somehow. And honestly, deep down, I don’t want it. I can’t see myself, coming home to some man every night, taking care of a house, and a dog, or kids---that just isn’t me either. I like training the cadets, they are my kids, you know?_---and I haven’t really had feelings, for people---who would be good for me—and I like flying, I enjoy Space Forces I just---”

“Would like to have had a choice?” he asks, “Not have your life completed for you, even if it’s what you want?”

“Yeah, a family wouldn’t be bad---it’s like, just because I don’t want to be married doesn’t mean I don’t want parents or brother or sister or anything,” I say.

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” he says, “I’m glad I know my mum. She’s fantastic just----”

“Didn’t get to come home every night for tea?” I ask.

“Yeah, exactly,” he says, smiling a little, “It feels good to talk about this most people don’t understand---”

“Or other Project 10s don’t want to admit it,” I say.

“That too,” he says, “Thank you---for admitting it. and not being---I don’t know, weird.”

“You don’t have to thank me for not being weird---oh you’ve been talking to Titus lately, haven’t you?” he has that effect on people. 

“Only by accident! He walked up and started talking to me,” he laughs, “I don’t talk to people voluntarily let alone him.”

“No, he’s the sort of thing that just happens to a person,” I say.

“That’s a good way to describe him,” he says, dryly, “No, I try not to let him get to me.”

“You can’t, he’s like an infection,” I say, “Or a pandemic or something, you just have to try to pretend he doesn’t exist, like at all—in order to lead a normal existence.”

“Yeah, nothing against flying with you, but I can’t wait till this rotation is over,” he says.

“Nor can I honestly, I’m not flying the squadrons again, I’m done, I’m sick of seeing my friends die,” I say.

“Yeah, I like being planetside,” he says.

“You didn’t say if you wanted a family, ever,” I say.

“I think so---I’m not doing the Project 10 thing so----oh my fucking god---” he sort of grabs my shoulder and staggers, and I look where he is pointing.

There is something hanging from the trees, cut in the crude shape of letters. It takes me a moment to realize that that something is human skin.

The letters spell out

Bon appetite

I take a step backward as well. I have seen plenty of carnage in my life, but battle is far different from the raw violence and psychopathy that resulted in this. I feel bile in my throat and blindly tap my wrist pad.

“Please---please tell me that’s not what I think it is,” Ziggy says.

“I think it’s human flesh,” I say.

“God that’s what I thought it was,” he moans, leaning against me, “oh god, oh god.”

“Let’s just---let’s just call the police,” I say, tapping the emergency code into my wrist pad.

“The fuck---who----what---” Ziggy is still not okay, “What is that?”

“It looks like writing,” I say, as the wrist pad activates the distress signal.

“Who would do something like that?” he asks.

“I don’t know,” I say, trying to forget the fact that the first thing I wondered was where Titus was. That was stupid and wrong. He wouldn’t hurt people intentionally he didn’t. He is sociopathic but so am I. He’s also a good father and he’s been generally kind to me and he’s a great Spaceman. But why when I saw human skin drapped snarkily in the trees did I immediately think of him?

Do it. Have a good decent relationship where nobody gets stabbed. It would be good for you. it would NOT betray your daughter who doesn’t know who you are she would be glad to have a step parent she doesn’t know you anyway and enjoying this nice piece of humanity would be a good distraction in your weird little monastic life.

“Dr. Darc, good morning,” I say, matching step with him as he walks in.

“Good morning,” he says, looking extremely surprised I’m actually speaking to him voluntarily. Poor thing, he seems sweet. And very conventionally handsome.

“I was wondering if the offer of a drink if I drink or meal and a drink or just meal, with you, was still open,” I say, smiling at the memory of his offer.

“Yes, yes---it was---definitely----if you want to--,” he begins, stutteringly.

“I want to,” I say, nodding.

“Okay,” he says.

“Okay,” I say, biting my lip to keep from smiling at his awkwardness.

“When like today---if today is too soon that’s fine you probably already have plans today but another day would---”

“I don’t. have plans, today,” I say, holding up a hand to stop him from talking, “Today, after work, would be fine.”

“Okay---you may have to stop me from talking, now and again I tend to say whatever’s in my head,” he says, brushing a stray lock of dark hair out of his face.

“Okay,” I say, “I can handle that.”

“Okay----you really want to—have dinner, with me if dinner is good—”

“Yes, I really want to, with you, dinner or a drink is fine,” I say, smiling again. I like the way he talks, so halting and awkward. It’s a nice change from the usual self centered sick bastards I try to seduce in order to murder.

“Okay---I’ll think of a good place, and let you know, all right?” he asks.

“Sure,” I say, as we walk in the doors, “Just let me know, my number is 667, through the hospital directory.”

“Oh, right---okay,” he says, as I turn to clock in to go to my assigned shift.

“See you tonight, I’m looking forward to it,” I say.

“Me too,” he says, smiling that shy smile again.

Jo has taken Lizzie back home and gone to work herself. She warns me that she’ll have dinner with me tonight, her place this time, provided I don’t stalk her at work. I concede, not wanting her to get into trouble. All things considered, neither of us feel right leaving Lizzie home alone all evening, she’s alone enough while Jo is at work. Jo assures me she has a tablet she’s supposed to read, but I still feel bad for the little girl locked up with her own thoughts for that long. Goodness knows it isn’t good for me. I want to try running, going to the park, doing anything I’d do with legs. But as it is my stumps are too sore to walk much, let alone run, and the doctors warned me I would do well to take care of the fragile skin down there.

It takes me about two hours to be bored. I clean up from the night before, make up the sofa properly and my bed properly, in case Lizzie and Jo agree to come back. I really don’t see why we’d be here when we have a perfectly good warehouse at our disposal, but my mum might come over to make sure I’m still alive so you know, it’s worth it.

Once I’m sufficiently bored doing adult things like dishes and cleaning, and I’ve talked myself out of going for a run because of the state of my not-legs, I think back to what Jo said. being in the dark. Now I’m on the side of the law without night vision goggles.

So before I know it, I’m standing in my bedroom, door closed, lights off, curtain drawn, with a blindfold on. the blindfold is fashioned out of an old PT shirt. I managed to find a bouncy ball, turns out one of the ostensibly useless things my mum brought to entertain me in the hospital is useful. I will thank her again without ever telling her what it’s for. I toss the ball, as hard as I can, in a random direction, listening for the bounce.

It hits me in the head and bounces again, six times before it falls. I don’t catch it, and wind up having to take the blindfold off and crawl around on the floor until I find it. on the eighth time, I can hear the bounce well enough to catch it. on the hundred and twentieth time, the only thing stopping me from catching the ball is my own physical limitations.

(what’re you doing)

I smile. Lizzie’s bored as well. Learning about the dark.

(can you help me)

Do what? I ask, bouncing the ball and twisting to catch it with ease. I’m getting better at this.

(like, you said, help me figure out how to do this so bad people can’t hurt me)

“Right,” I say, taking off the blindfold and holding up the ball, “Do you know there’s a ball in my hand?”

(yeah)

“Okay, try to lift it up---if you start bleeding stop,” I say, remember how Ginny used to bleed from the mouth, eyes, nose, and sometimes ears if she did the telekinesis for too long.

(will I die if I bleed too much?)

“I don’t know let’s not find out though,” I say, as the ball drifts into the air. I reach out and pick it up, as easily as though it were on a plate. She jerks it away from me. I laugh. “Support all sides of it, you’re picking it up as though you would in a hand, close your fist around it.” the ball raises again, this time, when I try to take it, it stays firmly in place.

“Good, do the same when you try to block a person, not everyone will think to step back like I did, but it’s certainly not worth the chance,” I say, as she moves the ball up to bop my nose.

(this is harder)

“Yeah, just get used to it,” I say, poking the ball from underneath, trying to grip it on all sides. She has it firmly in her grasp, though. There’s an invisible force field around the ball.

(thanks)

“Sure thing, if you’re not bleeding, try something bigger,” I say, picking up a pillow. She jerks it from me. I try to grab it back. she shoves me with it, playfully. I fall to the bed, trying to wrestle it out of the air. “You better not be bleedin’, nutcase.”

(a little)

“Okay quit,” I say, letting go and she lets the pillow fall to the bed. “You’ll get stronger.”

(promise you’ll practice with me again?)

“I promise,” I say, staring up at the ceiling, aching too much to get up.

(promise you’re gonna be here if I talk to you?)

“Always,” I say.

Chapter 10

“G

ood evening, mum, I’m going to go and throw up now for at least six hours,” Ziggy says, giving his mother a quick hug before walking towards the barracks probably to do just that.

“He said I’d have to explain that statement,” I say, apologetically.

“Is he all right?” Lt Col Ziegfeld looks after her son worriedly.

“Yeah, no, we found, ah—human remains, out in the woods---we weren’t together we sort of ran into each other out on the trails and then we saw them and spent a really nice afternoon talking to the police about it,” I say, wincing at myself explaining how I wasn’t intentionally spending the day with him. Even though I have every right to he’s a mate I can have mates I can have friends I can have boyfriends I can do anything I want. Titus’ feelings don’t matter that much anyway he would be nicer to me if he actually loved me. He does actually love you he doesn’t know how to be nice, a voice whispers. Of course that’s true but I can choose to ignore it.

“That’s horrible, one of our cadets died last night as well,” she says.

“Really?” I ask, “That’s awful, one of the Project 10s?”

“Yes, it was terrible, they think he did it to himself,” she says, shaking her head.

“The remains we found the police think are linked to a serial killer they’ve been tracking for sometime, first time it’s happened this close to the base, though,” I say, sighing, “Well, I should be going to change, and do laundry, I didn’t end up doing anything today after that.”

“Then you really aren’t going to like this---I had a quick favor to ask you,” she says.

“What’s Titus done?” I ask.

“Nothing yet---I was talking to him this morning, and his daughter has been asking about her mother,” she says, “He’s thinking of contacting the woman, for his little girl’s sake.”

“That’s remarkably selfless of him,” I say, frowning, “I’d think he’d want to keep her all to himself; he’s so possessive of her.”

“He does, he really doesn’t want to go through with it, but I tried to tell him it’s for his daughter’s good,” Ziegfeld says.

“That’s good of you, I’ve not been keeping up on his ‘how to be human’ lessons lately,” I say.

“On which note---he’s going to ask you to go with him to meet her, before he introduces her to their daughter—and before you say no because I don’t blame you I don’t recommend most people have prolonged exposure to him---”

“---and I appreciate that---”

“---I’m not recommending you even consider it for his sake, but for the little girl’s sake, and the poor woman’s, she probably would like to meet her daughter and Titus can be---”

“Impossible, callous, rude, and downright evil when he wants to be?” I suggest, folding my arms. My instinct is to say no I’m not in the mood for him as it is. Talking with Ziggy today was good. It was nice it was normal just as mates---but why not, not as mates? Who gives a damn if he’s a bit younger than me? It would be fun. It would be good for me. Above all else, it would be somebody who isn’t Titus.

“Yes, all those things, and just think of having to meet him and knowing he’s the father of your child,” she says.

“Oh my god, we can’t let him do that,” I realize, “We tolerate him---”

“Because we know him and he’s actually a lonely, sad person deep down but on first impression he’s---”

“A monster, yeah, no we can’t let somebody do that, as a woman I can’t let some other woman just meet him, like that,” I say, wincing at the thought. It’s bad enough on a daily basis knowing I consensually slept with him, let alone not knowing what a wonderful, gentle, sensitive---- asshole. Complete asshole. He can be sometimes. When he wants to be. Which is really rare but when he doesn’t; he’s not like anyone else. I sigh. That’s my problem.

“I know. I’ll do it if you don’t want to but he said he would ask you,” she says.

“No, I’ll go,” I say, “He’s been wanting me to meet his daughter anyway.”

“You haven’t?” she asks.

“No, hearing him talk about her is bad enough---I mean--,” I say, stopping myself as I realize it isn’t making sense. “I mean, it’s hard enough to know he can be---”

“Kind?” she offers.

“Yeah,” I say, taking a deep breath.

“He says he hurt you,” she says.

“Did he tell you how?” I ask, looking away.

“No, he won’t talk about it, he just said he did,” she says.

“What did he say?” I ask, looking at the ground.

“He said he didn’t know what love was until he laid eyes on you, and that he didn’t know what it felt like to be loved until you let him kiss you, and that because he is—the way he is---he’s afraid he’ll never feel it again,” she says.

“You see that---that is completely typical of that sick bastard,” I say, angrily, “That is exactly typical of the sort of pathetic thing he says that makes me fall in love with him and---and I can’t do that.”

“I’m sorry,” she says, “He’s not an easy person to like.”

“He’s a completely impossible person to love,” I say, realizing my voice is cracking.

“He told me this a long time ago, though. when I was first training him---”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve known he’s an asshole for years,” I say, wiping my face with the back of my arm. I’m crying. I don’t cry. “I’m not actually upset about that, right now. I’ve sort of forgiven him for that.”

“Do you want me to talk to him?” she asks.

“No, no, I will, eventually it’s just---something I can’t get my head around,” I say. He could’ve landed that ship. He could’ve saved Leavitt. I know he could’ve landed that ship. He’s the best pilot in the Force why didn’t he? And more than that, why can’t I believe he just made a mistake? Ziegfeld’s already talked to me about it and she’s right. He’s human. He made a mistake, that’s it. a costly one but a mistake. He doesn’t make mistakes, the voice whispers. Yes he does he’s human he’s not a god as much as he likes to think he is.

“Don’t worry too much about it, he doesn’t deserve it,” she says.

“You’re right there,” I say, taking a deep breath, “I should be getting back to change before Titus does show up to ask me.”

“Don’t say yes quickly,” she says.

“Oh I won’t,” I say, smiling conspiratorially.

“Ladies, could I ask you something---that has absolutely nothing to do with the TWO murders that took place within a mile radius of here-----can either of you account for Major Card’s movements last night?” Thorn asks, walking up to us from the direction of the barracks.

“I didn’t see him after dinner,” Ziegfeld says.

“Sir, he went home, changed, then walked his daughter home from class, they got dinner,” I say, tiredly.

“Excellent you were with him?” Thorn asks, hopefully.

“No, sir, he randomly calls me to tell me what he’s doing and ask me what I am doing, I usually hang up on him or make sarcastic comments but the transcripts will be there,” I say, shrugging.

“Right, thanks, like I said, purely random thought, carry on,” he says, walking on.

“Sir, can’t you get him flight cleared?” I call after him.

“Save us all a lot of time and energy?” Ziegfeld asks. 

“Believe me I’m trying.”

“Nah, you look too nice, you need to go and change I’m not having you go out looking like that; you’ll out shine me,” I say. I’m sitting with my feet up waiting for Bridget to change her clothes for the eighth time. I can only be cocky because I stopped on the sixth.

“In theory she’s heterosexual,” Bridget says, ignoring me and looking at herself in the mirror.

“Yeah well, I’m not having you turn her lesbian, put on a coat at least,” I say, tossing her her leather coat from where it lay next to me on a chair.

“Are you sure you want to go out with me and Jason?” she asks, “It’s not very cool, double dating with your step-daughter.”

“On the contrary double dating with one’s step daughter is the definition of cool---look up cool in any search engine and you will find---”

“Shut up—are you sure your Shannon’s okay with it?” she asks.

“Yeah, in all seriousness she is. She suggested it, actually, all I said was if she didn’t mind we would stalk you guys as a nice walk after our restaurant,” I say, “she said why not cut out the stalking and go together?” that was a message conversation I would be amused by for years to come. I like this girl. She killed that slime Steele I’m sure of it. Yesterday she’s flirting with him. today he’s dead in his flat. Tonight she’s going out with me. I hope she doesn’t want to try to kill me. That would be fun, but, come on, I’m pretty sure we’re going to have plenty of fun together once our mutual taste in recreational activities are realized. ‘I know you’re a murder, and you like cutting people up, and thing is I’ve got something really funny to tell you about that—’ is an awkward conversation to have, however.

“Great just don’t scare her off in one date,” she says, as we go out the door.

“I won’t. I always tell women I’m a sociopathic cannibal on the third date, fourth if they’re jumpy,” I say.

“Did you pull that with my mum?” she laughs.

“Yeah, she didn’t believe me, wouldn’t you know,” I say, laughing at the memory. Oh how the stupid fall.

“Yeah---odd, maybe don’t joke about murdering people all together,” she laughs.

“I won’t,” I say, honestly.

“Major Tom?”

“Why do you knock on my door when you know I’m in here and you’ll spend the whole time looking at your bloody tablet and you’ve seen me naked as it is?” I ask, opening the door to let him in. The seen me naked it bit is not only because I’ve had sex with him but we trained together and cadets eat sleep and bathe coed, as we do on missions.

“Because I thought it would be endearing clearly not---right, so I’ve a favor to ask you,” he says, leaning in the doorway and reading off his tablet and not watching as I finish getting dressed. I answered the door in my bra and SBU pants, and I appreciated he did not look appreciatively at me.

“Lt Col Ziegfeld said you were thinking of meeting Tess’s mum,” I say.

“Would you come? Just help me get a look at her?” he asks, glancing up, “I’d like somebody to be there.”

“Why?” I ask, tiredly.

“Because I’d sooner be with you anytime than being alone, especially doing something like this,” he says.

“Fine,” I say, “I can’t stay out too late though we’ve got the cadets to train in the morning.”

“I haven’t forgotten about them,” he says, cheering up that I’ve said yes, “And go ahead and change, we don’t need to be in uniform, that might look odd.”

“Oh, yeah, right, I haven’t got many civvies,” I say, pausing in buttoning the blouse. I notice he’s not in SBUs, he usually isn’t when not on duty. Something I don’t bother with but he does. He’s wearing a black collared shirt, black, fatigue like pants, and a neat black cloth jacket. He looks nice out of his SBUs, not like him, but nice.

“Here you are,” he says, taking off the jacket, “Put that over a black t-shirt, it’ll look all right.”

“Yeah, close enough,” I say, stepping out of my pants and going to get a civilian pair from the closet, “I don’t suppose it matters what I look like.”

“You always look fine,” he says, glancing up then back down, now his face does get red, but not from looking at me. I should say something. but I don’t.

“Okay, let’s go, where are we meeting her?” I ask.

“I’ll explain,” he says.

“Do you really hate it here?” I ask Terrance. We are sitting in the library, ostensibly studying. Major Card has decided I need to learn Russian. I didn’t tell him I already knew Russian because then he’d think of something else for me to do and I’d sooner do as I please.

“When did I say that?” he asks.

“The first day I met you,” I say, surprised he doesn’t remember. It was our first day at OTS, and of course I’m not University so I stood out like a sore thumb.

“I was just cross ‘cause that MTI what’s his name—”

“Flanders—”

“Ripped me up and down, that’s all,” he says, shrugging.

“Yeah but you didn’t sign up for this,” I say. he’s a project 10, so he’s required to serve, which I always thought was pretty rotten, but more so now that I know him.

“No, well---I don’t know,” he says, shrugging, “You make the best of it. I’m glad you’re here. and Major Tom is great I’m really glad she’s not---”

“Major Card?” I ask, dryly.

“Oh my god, going on the simulators with him about killed me, and we were on the ground,” he says, “I don’t know how I’d feel up in space.”

“I’m not looking forward to it,” I admit, “I’ve been trying to figure out what it is about the flying I didn’t like and then I realized---he’s so calculated with everything and that, it feels so random, so sudden, every move like that of a lunatic---except he’s doing that intentionally. That’s why they can’t shoot him down, because they can’t anticipate his next move.”

“Good, then you won’t get shot down either,” he says, looking back down at his tablet.

“No, come on, we’ve gotten off topic----you have seemed depressed lately---and you’ve been spending so much time trying to keep me---”

“Sane?”

“I was going to say cheerful---”

“You’re never cheerful I just go for ‘less morose’ with you---”

“Fair enough---sane what with trying to keep up with Major Card, that I feel like I’ve been neglecting making sure you’re okay,” I say, “I wanted to become a Spaceman, you’re just---fulfilling it.”

“You only wanted to become a Spaceman to get away,” he says.

“Yeah, well,” I sigh, looking around. This place is beautiful still to me. To Terrance it is the cruel institution that bred him, to me, a poor boy from a poor family, used to living in one room flats without heat in the winter, cold cans of food we were lucky to have, out on the street if I didn’t like that or if we didn’t pay the rent which we never did, this place was heaven. I was actually loved, got several square meals a day, and had my fill of videos and books. Terrance had grown up with as much. I didn’t blame him for wanting more. “That’s true but---I see how you must be tired of this.”

“Yeah, well, I’m used to it, and we get to be together, imagine if we’d had different SFSC’s,” he points out.

“Come on, tell me how you are, really,” I say, leaning across the table to him.

“Okay it’s just---it doesn’t make sense when I say it---”

“Doesn’t matter, I’m crazy remember?” I ask, smiling.

“Okay it’s just---I’m sick of all of our free time being this, counseling each other, to be okay with the world around us, not being I don’t know---”

“Amazing?” I ask.

“Yeah,” he says, shaking his head, “I don’t know. How do you do it?”

“Do what?” I ask.

“Live and go on, like, before you got here before you got commissioned,” he says.

“Lots of people aren’t here,” I say, confused.

“Lots of people aren’t you---you’re brilliant, ridiculously cleverer than absolutely everybody else, and you’re just a kid like me and you’re twice as clever as everybody above you. how on earth do you stay this okay?” he asks. “I’m stupid and regular and it takes me hours and hours to get over the stupidity and the monotony of it so----and I know it’s not easy for you but it must be even worse since you’re so much more than everyone, so—tell me how you do it.”

“I don’t know,” I say, “I’d sooner think of a way to cheer you up than think about how to explain my brain.”

“I want to know though,” he says.

“Fair enough, I’ll think about it, still, I’m going to think of something to brighten your days,” I say.

“You brighten my days,” he says, squeezing my hand quickly before pulling his hand back. I smile at him. I’m used to hiding my sexuality for the fear of being harassed; he has been harassed. His own mother said she wouldn’t speak to him if he brought it up again so she hadn’t. He flippantly said he wondered what she’d say when he kept bringing me around but we didn’t talk about it. And I knew he was hurt. The benefit of not having anybody responsible for me is that I can’t be disowned. I still don’t want Major Card knowing, on principle. I have examined if it was because he was a father figure to me, and I truly wish that was true. More the truth was he would ask rude/annoying/graphic questions and in general bother me about it when I really don’t like talking to people other than Terrance to begin with.

Chapter 11

“W

hen you said ‘get a look at her’, I thought you were being figurative,” I moan, I’m sitting on a rooftop with my head in my hands, next to my-----lunatic?----ex? Friend? Person I unfortunately know? Yeah, kind of that last one.

“I’m rarely figurative---what you didn’t expect me to go and meet this person without doing research?” the person I unfortunately know asks; he’s still looking through his night vision goggles at the street below. I’m sure of it.

“No, I expected you to research, by yourself, on your tablet,” I moan, “Not stalk her.”

“I’m not stalking her---”

“Standing on a rooftop dressed in black looking through binoculars is literally the definition of stalking---”

“It’s not stalking, we have a child together,” he reasons.

“That is what makes it that much creepier,” I sigh. I knew it. I knew better than agreeing to do something with him however ostensibly nice and decent.

“It is for Tess’s own good, I’m making sure that this person is decent enough for her to meet,” he says.

“Well, what have you found out?” I ask.

“I thought you weren’t interested.”

“I’ll want to know our trip was productive when the police are questioning us and this poor woman is pressing charges,” I say.

“Nothing poor about her, she has a functioning IQ of 280,” he says.

“Oh, is that good?” I ask. I genuinely don’t know I don’t care about those things if I need somebody fantastically clever I just go to Titus.

“Good? It’s off the charts,” he says, disgustedly, “They match prospective parents by IQ scores, she was the only female in the program with a score matching mine.”

“Then I’m sure you’ll get along, so why don’t we meet her instead of stalking her?” I ask.

“Because I want to make sure it isn’t some sort of mistake in the test,” he says, “Which it certainly looks like---”

“First off: would you really not let Tess meet her if she wasn’t as clever as you---”

“Yes.”

“Okay that’s really wrong, so---secondly: how do you plan on finding out if she isn’t clever by staring at her from a rooftop?” I growl, finally taking my head out of my hands to argue with him properly.

“Because she is going on a date with a high-functioning sociopath who I’m 78 percent sure is a cannibal,” he says, calmly.

“Okay that isn’t very smart---wait how on Kepler can you possibly tell---from way up here, she is dating a sociopathic cannibal?” I ask.

“Oh that’s easy, he’s my older brother,” he says.

“What!?” I ask, “I thought your brothers were blithering idiots or dead or something.”

“They are the former, the latter-----I wish,” he sighs.

“I recognize you would know he’s sociopathic but what makes you think he’s a cannibal?” I ask.

“I tried to brain wash him into becoming one----don’t look at me like that Major Tom I was six, that sort of thing sounds like a good idea when you’re six----I don’t know if it worked,” he says, looking away from the binoculars to see me glaring at him.

“No, that sort of thing does not sound like a good idea when you’re six or ever,” I cry. 

“It did, I wanted him and my other horrible brothers to eat each other in a massive murder suicide feast,” he says, with a little sigh.

“Didn’t it occur to you they might try to eat you?” I ask.

“No, I told them I didn’t taste good---well I was only six,” he says, defensively.

“That’s horrible, Titus, what is wrong with you?” I ask, shoving his arm to make him look at me again.

“One has to make this life livable, Major Tom,” he says, looking at me.

“Yes, one does,” I say, kissing him before standing up.

“Where are you going?” he asks, closing his mouth like he’s savoring the taste of me. I know I am of him.

“To make this life livable,” I call.

“Tess, how do you feel losing your friend?” my dad calls the psychiatrist ‘the quack’, everyone really does. I don’t think he lacks education or moral stamina. I also don’t think he’ll help me. because I don’t need help.

“I don’t care,” I say.

“Do you think about him?” he asks.

“No,” I say, “Not now that he’s gone. Why would I? he isn’t here.”

“He used to be.”

“But now he’s not. so it doesn’t matter,” I say, cocking my head. It doesn’t make sense to me. Why I would think about Aiden when there isn’t an Aiden anymore?

“Okay,” the quack sighs, “Do you think you’d miss your dad if he were to die?”

“He’s not going to die he always comes back,” I say.

“Supposing he did.”

“Supposing he did I wouldn’t think about him. because he’d be gone,” I say.

“Okay, we’re not getting anywhere.”

“No, you’re right. We’re not.”

“Close your eyes,” I whisper, holding my hands over Terrance’s’ eyes because I don’t trust him.

“What’re you doing?” he laughs.

“You asked me, last night, how I do it, what I do with my mind when I’m not busy---to keep me from going mad---and I realized I didn’t have the words to explain it,” I say, standing behind him, my hands still over his eyes, “So, I decided to show you.”

“What---what is it?” he asks, as I take my hands off of his eyes. he looks around the room, to see spinning images of dozens of pictures, all emanating from a small projector I set in the middle of the floor of our dorm room. he smiles, walking up to the wall, the images reflecting on the back of his head as he stares, reaching out to touch the wall.

“It’s what’s inside my head, when I close my eyes,” I say.

He laughs, spinning around. He’s smiling. That’s what I wanted.

“What---everything?” he asks. There are pictures of space ships and trees and houses and him and children laughing and pet lizards and the stars and books and mountains and---everything.

“Yes, everything I want to see or do in the universe. Somehow, I’ll figure out how to do it, and I’m home,” I say, “When I was a boy, dreaming of somehow getting away, becoming something else, something greater, I would lie in bed, squeezing my eyes shut, imagining over and over how I’d make it happen.”

“Thank you,” he says, turning around to me.

“For what?” I ask.

“For letting me into your world,” he says, putting his arms around me.

I slump down on the roof. It won’t do any good to keep looking I know what I need to about her and---and I don’t bloody care. The only woman I care about just walked away from me. This doesn’t matter. Being here doesn’t matter. It won’t bring her back. you’re cleverer than anyone else alive. and all you want is for her to come back and kiss you again. so go figure it out, you bloody genius, Titus. Figure out how to make her happy with you again.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask, moving my curls out of my face. I can’t stand my hair down but I know I look better with it. 

“Sorry,” Jacob says, averting his eyes, a smile on his face.

“No—what is it? I want to know what you’re thinking,” I say, moving to walk backwards in front of him.

“I was enjoying being surprised you agreed to come with me tonight,” he admits, shrugging a little.

“Still?” I ask, laughing.

“Yes, still. It doesn’t happen very often to me,” he says, holding his hands up, innocently.

“Okay,” I say. It doesn’t happen very often to me either. Going out with someone just because I want to. But I plan on enjoying it while it lasts.

“They aren’t so nervous,” he nods ahead to his step daughter and her boyfriend, who are giggling and holding hands happily.

“No, it was easy back then, wasn’t it?” I ask.

“I suppose----no that’s a lie not really,” he says, making me laugh.

“Why, what were you doing back then?” I ask.

“Living at home, trying to help my mum support me and my brothers and sister because our dead beat father left after my youngest brother was born,” I say, with a sigh. Coming home every morning exhausted from working the night shift at the hospital, falling into bed as the younger ones were getting out. Only to discover my bed had been sabotaged in an insidious prank by the five year old who I swear to god was trying to brainwash me as I slept.

“That’s rotten of him,” she says.

“Yeah, well, if you’d met my youngest brother you wouldn’t blame him. none of us did really,” I say, shrugging, “What about you?”

“Oh, going to medical school, that was fun, and that was before my mum got sick, so we worried less about money than we did after she got sick,” I say. those blissful days before I had my daughter. Before every waking minute I was reminded of how I should be with her. when I was young and I thought I’d fall in love and get married and have this wonderful house and gorgeous husband and six healthy little children and we would go to our sweet little enriching jobs and make love every night once the kids were in bed. Stupid the way life is.

“Yeah, med school was fun---I was working as a nurse since I only had a scholarship through trade school, so I wound up sleeping four hours a day in the library before classes, then to work, then sleep and back to classes, I told my mum I’d rented a flat so she wouldn’t expect me home,” he says, smiling dryly, “I appreciate these days, coming home, cooking dinner for about three hours, sipping wine and reading for another hour while Bridget does her homework. Going for a quiet walk in the evenings.”

“Yeah,” I say. I do not. I try to. but all I can think of is how my daughter should be here. in my decent flat with my decent food. I sigh. But this evening is fun. I won’t do anything for her now I know that. Just talk to him. enjoy tonight. “You had a big family, do you still see much of them?”

“Lord no. They’re mostly gone,” he says, with relief.

“Gone?” I ask, “What do you mean?”

“Well all my brothers are in prison but one, my sister was murdered when she was close to Bridget’s age, and I’ve not spoken to my mum in years,” he says.

“What happened to the one who isn’t in prison?” I ask, “Are you two close?”

“No, he joined Space Forces, did quite well last I heard, very good at shooting aliens or something. I haven’t spoken to him since he enlisted, but I heard he got captured,” he explains.

“That’s terrible---he survived?” I ask. Only once or twice, I think, I’ve ever heard of them escaping from the aliens.

“Oh yes, the Isylgyns didn’t want him either, apparently---that makes complete sense if you ever meet him which I hope you never have the misfortune of doing,” he says, laughing a little.

“Okay,” I say.

“What about you? Any family?” he asks.

“No, my mum died six years ago, it was only ever just us,” I say, shaking my head.

“How sad, and decently normal, I hated my family,” he says.

“That’s too bad,” I say, “You said you don’t talk to your mother?”

“No, mostly because she’s directly responsible for my youngest brother being alive,” he says, shrugging.

“That’s awful,” I say, trying not to laugh.

“Yes, I suppose, I’m much better off,” he says, tentatively walking closer to me as though to take my hand. “I’ve got my family now, that one up there, and the life I want. Not many people can say the same.”

“No, they can’t,” I say. I know I can’t.

Chapter 12

“H

i,” I say, stupidly.

“Hi,” Ziggy says, standing in the doorway.

“I just----I really don’t know I’m sorry, I’m just going to go,” I say, stepping back and turning to go.

“No—don’t. I’m glad you came. I was sort of upset our talk in the woods got interrupted,” he says, smiling a little.

“Me too, that’s why I came-- then I---”

“Felt like you shouldn’t be here?” he asks.

“Yeah------But I should let you go---and---sleep and---throw up or---whatever you were going to do tonight I really don’t want to impose,” I say, stepping back again.

“No it’s fine---it’s just fine I’ve thrown up it’s good---I wasn’t doing anything,” he says.

“But, we do have to get up early,” I say.

“Yeah, yeah we do,” he says.

“And I’ve got the cadets to watch and---I should keep an eye on them. Titus is really mean to them,” I say.

“Yeah and that would follow.”

“So I should go.”

“Yeah.”

We both stand there looking at each other. Then he leans forward and kisses me.

“I’m sorry I---” he says, “I didn’t mean---”

“No really the only reason I came was so you could do that,” I say.

“Okay, good that was why I was hoping you’d come.”

“Yeah okay.”

“Okay,” he says, smiling.

“Goodnight,” I say, backing away, for good this time.

“Goodnight,” he says, smiling.

“Ooo, got to love a woman with an axe.”

“Shut up it’s not like I live in the Ritz,” Jo says, locking the door behind me and setting down a large axe.

“No I just love that that’s how you answer the door---hello nutcase,” I say, cocking my head at Lizzie who is sitting upside down on a chair trying to levitate the sofa. She’s getting it up in bits but not evenly.

“I brought dinner,” I say, holding up a greasy paper bag.

“Cool, thanks,” Jo says, kissing my cheeks and taking it, “Better than what we typically eat, eh Liz?”

“Yeah,” the little girl says.

“What were you up to all day?” Jo asks, going to get plates out.

“Mucking about in the flat, mostly,” I say, “Also, I decided on my next career.”

“Stalking me?” Jo asks.

“Tempting but no, I’m going to try to get a job with mechanics, that’s what I was always good at and my university studies have to count for something,” I say.

“You didn’t want to be a pilot?” she asks.

“No, never. Hated the idea, I didn’t mind being a gunner, it was all angles, precision, plus you know, getting to shoot the bad guys, but I was always good at machines and things,” I say, wheeling my chair over to the table. Lizzie army crawls over to examine it. She hasn’t seen me in it as much.

“That’s rotten. I’d always assumed they let you pick,” she says.

“No, needs of the Space Force. I think my mum is glad I’m well out of it, in a way. I mean obviously she doesn’t want me injured but she never liked me being in Space, even though she knew it was the best career I could have,” I say, taking out my tablet.

“That’d make sense, my parents were glad when I started tending bar because it was better than selling drugs which is what I used to do,” Jo says, making me laugh, “They still let me know what a vast disappointment I am to humanity, though.”

“Hmm, that’s rotten,” I say, “I don’t suppose I’m meeting them, then?”

“No, I shouldn’t think so, even though you are an upstanding individual they’d honestly probably think I was paying you to pretend to be with me,” Jo says, nudging Lizzie, “Come on, time to eat.”

“Okay,” Lizzie says, crawling into a chair.

“I was going to try going running in the park today, but my stumps were too sore and when I went by on my way here, I saw the police had it closed off for a murder,” I say.

“Oh, I heard about that,” Jo says, “That’s a fun guy actually.”

“What, you know who’s doing it?” I ask, amused.

“Not personally, no, but I’ve seen the articles, the fellow’s been doing it for years, leaving his victims skins hanging places, makes no bones about leaving obvious evidence that he’s a cannibal,” Jo says.

“What makes you think it’s a man?” I ask.

“A woman would never be so messy,” she says.

“Fair enough, what makes him fun?” I ask, “I would’ve thought he’d end up your guys’ target before anything else.”

“No, he always murders really rotten people----actually beat us to a couple of hits, so we sort of leave him be,” Jo says, “We call him ‘Cannibal dude’, like once or twice he got to a mark RIGHT before we did, and he’d leave these obnoxious little notes with dirty acrostics in them, saying things like, ‘you may be decent, but I am well fed’ things like that. but he generally picks rotten people, so you know, we never bother much about him, nor do the police as I understand.”

“That’s nice I suppose,” I say, shrugging.

“I wish he’d killed Darrin,” Lizzie says, startling us by speaking.

“He’s dead now, he’s not going to hurt you ever again,” Jo says, quickly.

“Still,” Lizzie says, “It was too late for some people.”

“Not you though,” I say, taking her hand which is shaking.

“Yeah,” she says, taking a deep breath.

“We’re not going to let anyone hurt you again, I promise,” Jo says, taking her other hand, “That’s what we’re here for, to make the world a better place.”

“Yes, we are, and a safe one, for you,” I say.

“It feels selfish but I get scared. I don’t want it to be too late for me someday,” she says.

“It won’t be. we’re always going to be here,” Jo says.

“Yes, we are,” I say, taking Jo’s other hand with my free one. She squeezes my fingers too. She was talking about Vindicta. And then she knows I was talking about the three of us.

“I had a nice night,” I say, as Jacob stands outside my door overtly acting like he doesn’t want to come in he’s so sweet there must be something deeply wrong with him.”So did I,” he says, “We could do it again---sometime---if you wanted to unless you had a nice time but like a nice time as in ‘sky diving was nice but I shan’t do that again’ which is fine because I appreciated you doing it so if you didn’t want to I’d live with that although I’d really really rather you did not that you should feel guilty like you should or---”

“I want to,” I say, holding up a hand to stop him, “Do something with you. again.”

“Okay,” he says, smiling.”Okay,” I say.”Goodnight, then,” he says.”Goodnight, then,” I say, slowly closing the door. I think about kissing his cheek. But like I said he’s so wonderful there’s bound to be something deeply wrong with him.

“And how is learning Russian coming?” Starr and his boyfriend are out wandering around being happy in the moonlight, they start a little at my approach. It’s after curfew so only critical persons should be out. I think I’m a critical person therefore I get to be. They don’t but I don’t care.

“Ne ochen’ khorosho, ya ne dumayu, chto ya voobshche razbirayus’ v kontseptsiyakh,” Starr responds, immediately, in perfect accent and dialect. “ya, veroyatno, dolzhen prosto otkazat’sya. Ya khochu, chtoby vy znali, chto ya chuvstvuyu sebya neudachey dlya vas I Kosmicheskikh voysk v tselom, I ya obeshchayu ----””Yes, you’re very clever, shut up and start on Mandarin,” I say, bothering to take a hand from my head to wave it at him dismissively. “Ty uveren? Yest’ nekotoryye nyuansy, kotoryye ya v svoyem slabom I slabom ume, vozmozhno, propustil,” Starr says, cheeky devil.”No, you’re fine,” I say, walking backwards for a minute to keep on arguing with him while I go where I want to.”Yes, sir,” Starr says, cockily, before turning and going his direction. The other salutes me loyally. Thorn just sees me flipping the two of them off.”Really, Major Card? I know you’re attempting to destroy this institution as we know it but you could be subtler---”

“Thorn not now, I’m busy—”

“It’s past the curfew I know you think you get to walk about but you’re not actually critical function and thinking what you are doing is critical does not actually count,” he sighs.”I’ve got to go and proclaim my undying love to Major Tom,” I say, desperately.”Again? Can’t it wait until morning she and half of the Space Forces are well aware of your undying love for her---”

“No, it can’t, it has to be tonight,” I say.”What am I saying? If he’s doing that he’s not setting things on fire---yeah you know what, go for it, good luck to you,” Thorne says.

“Yes, sir,” I say, happily, turning to jog away. **”Hey, you still dating the guy whose flat you sneaked into?” I ask. I’m emptying my dish cleaner and calling Jo. I feel like her family doesn’t check in on her enough. Or anybody checks in on her enough, really, so I try to.”Yeah, he’s a little crazy but I like him, so does Lizzie which says something,” she says.”Well that’s good,” I say.”Yeah, she hates men; so do I usually, maybe he isn’t a man---speaking of men, how did your date go?” she asks.”He’s awkward, sweet, and I’m almost positive he’s also Cannibal Dude,” I say.”What? Seriously?” Jo asks.”Talks about cooking all the time, but has micro expressions of disgust when I mention animal meat, oh and is very good at haiku and acrostics, sends them to me in messages,” I say.”Oh shit, what are you going to do?” Jo asks.”Um---” I wince.”You are not going to continue seeing him,” she says.”Remember the awkward sweet charming part of the description? I don’t get that that, much---like at all, and hey, I already know his biggest fault---”

“Yes, that he eats people,” Jo says.”I kill people,” I say, weakly.”Bad people, he does it to just people---”

“He picks his victims too---”

“And eats them! That is the definition of crazy and evil---”

“You say all men are crazy and evil---”

“This is proof that they are---”

“You found a sweet one,” I say.”Like I said, I’m pretty sure there’s something wrong with him, or he’s not actually human he could be a robot. Or a dog,” she says, resolutely.”I just want to be happy for a while, I want to do something normal I want to have fun, like people do. He’s a nice guy,” I sigh.”A nice guy who eats people.”

“Two things can be true.”

“Just don’t get eaten?””Okay.”**”Major Tom,” I call, across the field, we are walking between barracks buildings, on the edge of the Academy compound.”Yes, Major Card?” she asks, turning around to see me.”I must speak with you,” I say, jogging across to see her.”Major Card it’s late---what is it?” she asks stopping when she sees my face. I reach up to touch it, there’s something hot on my forehead. Blood, I’ve been rubbing my hands into my forehead again. Too much apparently. She reaches up to touch it as well, then thinks better of it.”That----that is what it is----,” I say, pointing at her hand that she just moved away, “Why are you so cross with me?”

“It’s nothing---”

“It’s not to do with stalking that woman lately, I know that, you’ve been cross with me for months---”

“No, I’ve not Titus---”

“Yes, yes you have I know you have, now tell me, what’ve I done?” I ask. “Nothing, it’s nothing---Titus just---”

“No, not just, not anything, there is something and I need to know,” I say, desperately, “I can’t live with you thinking this way---being this angry with me---”

“I’m not angry with you, Titus,” she says, shaking her head, “It’s nothing, I’m fine---we’re fine---”

“No we are not---there is a ‘we’ you just admitted there’s a ‘we’ but the ‘we’ is not okay, there’s been me and there’s been you but there hasn’t been a ‘we’ lately, please,” I beg her.

“There’s always been a ‘we’, Titus,” she sighs.”Please just tell me, I’ll move the stars to make it right,” I beg.”No, it’s nothing there is nothing---”

“There’s something I can tell, something’s been bothering, you ever since we got back from the last mission---was that what it was? That we got pressurization sickness? I had to bring us back to Kepler, Leavitt was dying he would’ve never survived if I’d taken us to the Ulysses---”

“Yes, Titus, he was dying, because you, the best pilot in the Force, crashed your ship and cut his legs off,” she cries, tears in her eyes, then she almost looks like she didn’t mean to say it.”What?” I ask, staring at her.”You are the cleverest, best pilot I’ve ever seen you always find a way out. I’ve seen you land in terrible conditions---why didn’t you then?” she asks, “Why then---why did you do that to him why couldn’t you do exactly what you do best?”

“You think that I would do something like that to him on purpose? How could you think I would do that?” that is exactly what I did.”I don’t I didn’t I just----I can’t help that I know—that I feel---that if anybody could’ve landed that ship, it was you----is you,” she says, helplessly.”How could you think that of me? You know me you know I would never, ever, betray my fellow Spaceman,” I lie, tears in my eyes.”You’re callous and you’re weird and----and I don’t think you would do that but---not on purpose---”

“Not even subconsciously, no, I would never, ever do that, I swear on Tess’ life, I never fly less than my best,” I say, raising my right hand, tears are flowing freely down both of our faces, now. I cannot lose her over this. How could I be so stupid? She knows my flying she knows what I’m capable of of COURSE she would suspect me before anyone else and it’s her, it has to be her that I treasure most in the world.”I’m sorry,” she hangs her head, “Of course you wouldn’t I’m sorry---that’s why I need to quit flying. Because I can’t get these things out of my head. I’ve lost too many friends, seen too many people die---I’m second guessing myself and worse than that, I’m second guessing you. When I know you and I do know if there’s one thing you’re true to, it’s flying.”

“I would never betray flying, or you,” I say, my voice cracking. I did. I betrayed both of them. the only things I love except Tess---and I haven’t betrayed her. at least I’ve kept that. “I know,” she says, stepping forward, “I’m sorry, Titus, like I said. it isn’t you, it’s me, and the way I look it at you---you’re so clever and confident and right all the time, it’s like you could move the stars if you wanted----so when that happened when something out of your control a mistake whatever you call it—happened, then I couldn’t believe it. and that’s on me. it’s not on you it’s me and the way I see things and that’s wrong. But that’s why I can’t fly the missions anymore. And it’s why I can’t be with you.”

“No,” I say, putting a hand to my head then jerking it away, “Just no---you can’t say that you’re all I want---I’ll do anything—change anything----be anything---so this can be all right---”

“Want something else,” she says, and then she walks away from me. I want to follow her. chase, run after her do anything to stop her from walking away from me anything. but I can’t. I just stand there hugging myself and crying. 

Chapter 13

“H

ow can you just sit idly by and do nothing, you are commander of this ship doesn’t that mean anything to you?” I ask, slamming the door to Thorn’s office and holding onto the ceiling so I’m directly in front of him.

“Major Card, we’ve been over and over this you need to seriously focus on how you enter a room---”

“It’s been over a year, we cannot just let this go on, Jesus, how can you sit idly by content to wallow in a pit of your apathy while your men are suffering?” I ask.

“The only person suffering is you,” Thorn says, giving up on doing whatever he was trying to do before I walked in.

“And I am the most important person---he loves her, I can see it in his eyes, he wants her---I’m sixty five percent sure he’s trying to convince her to have sex with him---”

“You see I seriously don’t want or need to know that---”

“---worse than that---worse than that I think she’s starting to love him, and I can’t have that, I just can’t,” I say.

“I’m sorry, Card, if I could fix your love life I would---”

“I would too but she won’t let me she says there isn’t anything I can do---”

“And crawling on the floor kissing her feet and vowing your undying devotion to her didn’t do it so I don’t think---”

“You saw that?” I ask. One of my less dignified moments a few months ago. Don’t judge me, I’m desperate and what help are you?

“Kip did and has since told everybody he’s ever met---point being you have tried your hardest, you’re the smartest person here, Titus, if you can’t figure it out, nobody can,” he says.

“That’s not true, I refuse to admit defeat---I will not fail,” I say, “I’ve tried everything, even getting her drunk---”

“How wasted did you get?” he asks, amused.

“Why do you automatically assume she out drank me?” I ask, irritated.

“She’s bigger than you are and she’s Academy those bastards can drink, go on how wasted?” he asks.

“I was----quite inebriated---my various plans beside the point, none of them have worked and it’s absurd, there has to be some way to win her back,” I say.

“Sometimes, you just have to let people go,” he says, unbuckling from his chair and pushing up to talk to me at eye level, “I’m sorry. I know how hard it is for you. But people can’t be controlled.”

“Yes they can,” I say.

“Not their emotions, they can’t. We have a free will, Titus, and I’m sorry she doesn’t love you I truly am---but you have to let her go,” he says.

“I can’t do that,” I say, looking away from hm.

“You’re going to have to learn how,” he says, “I know it isn’t easy when---somebody doesn’t feel about you the same way you do about them.”

“What if I kidnap her?” I ask, lifting my head up.

“Okay, no, as your commander I cannot let you do that---”

“Stockholm syndrome is well documented plus I’ve already had sex with her---”

“Again, something I didn’t need to know and no, Titus, you can’t do that. You and I both know you don’t want her to love you like that. You want her to love you for who you are. How you are,” he says.

“Nobody ever will,” I say.

“That’s not true,” he says.

“Neither of us believe that,” I say.

“I know but----stranger things have happened----it’s not impossible---”

“Yes it is! Look at me---you’ve met, known me longer and better than my own mother did---”

“You’re right--- oh my god I’m so upset about my life right now---”

“See what I mean? There is no reason she will love me and I know it but she----almost does and I can’t stand it I want her even if there were somebody else I don’t want somebody else I want her,” I say, my voice breaking.

“I know you do. and I’m sorry. If I could make things better for you believe me I would. But take it from someone, who, if I’m an expert on anything it is disappointment and in general inability to maintain a relationship with a woman---so take it from me, that it is best, for you both, to let her go. To move on, to the other things in your life,” he says, taking me by the shoulders.

“She is my life,” I say.

“And these lines don’t work on her---?”

“No they truly don’t it’s remarkable I’ve told her she’s more beautiful than starlight---”

“Oh that’s good I’m going to use that one—”

“Go ahead---”

“But back on topic, there are other things in your life, you have your daughter, call her talk to her, you have that,” he points out.

“I’m not supposed to make plantside calls,” I sulk.

“Has that ever----even once---stopped you?”

“Okay, no.”

“Right, so you have your little girl, you can call and talk to her---you have your old cadet, you like him I got him assigned as your flight partner pulled fifty strings to do that I thought that’d make you happy---”

“Oh that does I like him he’s not as stupid as the rest of humanity---”

“I thought as much---and you have me, I haven’t found plastic or food coloring or intestinal irritants in my food in weeks, you haven’t been yourself,” he says.

“Oh, that’s true I haven’t actively been making your life miserable lately,” I say.

“Yes, exactly torture me---why am I saying this to you?---make illegal phone calls to your little girl, and go on,” he says, clapping me on the shoulders.

“All right, you’re right,” I say, taking a deep breath, “Thank you, for the talk. I can always count on you for a mind numbingly simplistic solution that will never work. “

“So you aren’t going to try to do what I said?” he asks, tiredly.

“No, I am, everything I’ve thought of that really should work hasn’t, so I might as well try the completely unlikely,” I say, going out the door.

“Why did you accept the post flying with him?” Terrance isn’t leaving me alone about something I shouldn’t be left alone about. I sigh. I should date somebody who isn’t so good for me and my life would be easier.

“When Commander Thorn says ‘your assignment is flying with Major Card’, who happens to be a living legend in the Space Forces and in fact Kepler wide, when you’re seventeen and mr. peasant nobody from no where with no family background nothing---nothing but a couple of good test scores showing by some miracle of genetics you actually have more brain matter than the average simpleton--- you don’t just say ‘I’d sooner not if it’s all the same to you’,” I say, folding my arms. I’m hoping that pulling the ‘I’m poor and born of inbreeding of stupid poor people’ card will make him feel sorry for me and leave me alone. how wrong I am.

“That’s not what I mean and you know it,” he says, blocking the door so I can’t leave, which was my next move, “You bid the Ulyssess---”

“We both bid here, to be together---”

“You chose it, though, you could’ve chosen any---any job you wanted and put pilot as secondary like I did you didn’t,” he says, folding his arms too, “Why?”

“Why are you so angry? I told you I wanted to why can’t you accept that?” I ask.

“Because I’ve flown with him too on bloody simulators---dear god, he said himself it’s as close to dying as you’ll ever come in life----that’s not a good thing, Quinn---you hated it, you said it yourself. You said it made you feel too real. What’s changed?” he asks.

“Maybe I need to learn how to feel more real,” I say, evasively.

“I thought you said I’m here to teach you that,” he says, hurt.

“You are,” I say, reaching out to touch his face but he moves away. I sigh.

“Fine don’t tell me if you don’t want to---”

“There’s nothing to tell---”

“There is you know there is and why don’t you want me to know?”

“Why do you care?” I ask, “It’s a job, like any other. I’m not more likely to die. He’s the best pilot in the force---”

“And you’re still flying missions they call them Suicide Squads for a reason, Quinn, it’s because taking the assignment is suicide,” he says.

“It’s not I’m not---you say you think I’m the cleverest person you’ve met can’t you trust me to come home to you?” I ask, it’s my turn to be angry. 

“Oh my god, that’s it---you can’t stand that he’s---I’m going to go with the only---person in the universe as clever as if not the least bit cleverer than you, and you can’t stand it. You want to learn from him so you can be better than him, because you have to be the best at everything,” he says, accusingly.

“Is that the worst thing in the universe?” I ask, annoyed, because of course he’s right.

“It is when it gets you killed,” he says.

“It’s not going to---”

“It takes two of you twenty minutes to get one CanDrive?” Major Tom, who we were supposed to be getting a drive for, comes in.

“We were---”

“We had to---”

“It was very---”

“I actually have no excuse.” That was me of course. 

“Whatever, just meet me in the control room whenever you find the solution to Kepler Peace or whatever you’re doing,” she says, taking the item herself from a box and going back out. we sigh simultaneously.

I wake up, six wonderful minutes before I actually have to get up. I slide lower under the sheets, pressing my face into Jo’s warm chest and wrapping my arms around her. she’s still asleep, mostly but she does wake enough to sort of try to shove me away.

“I get to hold you for five more minutes,” I say, kissing the small of her neck.

“Shut up, you’ll wake up the baby,” she mutters, her head still in the pillow.

“Good,” I say, stroking her belly, to my relief, to feel the gentle movement of our unborn child. I should be more relaxed than I am, but I could not believe it was even real until I felt the child moving inside her. until then I was too dismal to hope it could live, my own paranoia was too great, after my previous attempts to father a child. It didn’t help that HER paranoia led her to refuse to see a doctor. That was a point of contention after she’d admitted the pregnancy. I, after several failed pregnancies with my previous partner, was solidly paranoid that I could not father a living child, and wanted the confirmation of a heartbeat in order to have anything like hope . Jo, still, however flatly refuses to see any sort of medical professional. I yield to her, of course because it is actually in her body, and she gets upset at the mention of it. I just yield and don’t make her tell me why. I’m not good at talking about things that upset me either. However, I would think she would want checks to make sure this child is healthy. But no, she refuses. And I do suppose people had babies for thousands of years before we had scans and things. It doesn’t make me feel much better though.

“You can say that, he’s not kicking you,” she says, shifting a little and getting up for good.

“What makes you think it’s a he?” I ask, contentedly, closing my eyes, my hand still resting on her stomach, which is still moving ever so slightly with my child’s kicks, or punches.

“I don’t know, that just feels better than saying ‘it’ it might be a girl,” she says, “Why what do you want?”

“It to be okay,” I say, honestly, “I’d say I don’t know how to care for a girl, but we’ve already got a girl so that’s a moot point.”

“I was going to say that I don’t know how to care for a girl either, but fair enough, I suppose we have got one,” Jo says, stroking my hair, “It’s time to get up.”

“Yes, if I don’t soon—”

“You’re going to miss your train,” Lizzie informs us, coming in and crawling onto the bed to stare at us with her big blue eyes.

“Yeah, thanks,” I say, sitting up, “Hand me my legs then scoot, you’ve got to get ready as well.”

“I’ll make you something to eat on the train,” Jo says, getting up as well, now that I’m off of her.

“You don’t have to,” I say, as Lizzie hands me my legs one at a time.

“I’m not going to lie here while you two get ready,” she scoffs.

“As you like,” I say, shrugging, sliding to the edge of the bed to put on my legs. “Lizzie, grab your toys, I need to stop at the environmental office before we catch the train.”

“Okay,” Lizzie says, crawling off the bed and running through the curtains. Yes of course we are in their warehouse. I like it better than the flat and it has more space for the electronics and machines I fix and then resell, the semi-legal trade I’ve picked up since leaving Space Forces.

“You don’t have to do this you know,” Jo says, picking up one of my shirts from the chair and examining it for stains before putting it on. She has only been able to fit into my clothes for past month or so, since just stealing my stuff makes much more than sense than wearing real maternity clothes. When I brought up that we could actually get her stuff that fit, she asked if I could imagine her wearing maternity clothes. Or a dress. Or anything remotely matronly. I admitted I couldn’t.

“I don’t mind,” I say. I’m going to see her parents this afternoon, to tell them about the baby. Yes, that’s a bit late but it’s not delivery room late. in our defense, we waited to tell anyone, until after the first trimester, or what we thought was the first trimester, after the risk of miscarriage. Then we had the delaying/getting up courage/how do we do it aspect of telling people which took admittedly another month and a half. Then arranging for me to go see her parents two weeks ago. I say ‘what we thought was the first trimester’ because Jo looks and weighs much more than the five months we estimate. She’s gained about thirty pounds already, all around her middle into a very recognizable lump, which leads me to suspect our timing was off and she’s more like seven or eight months. Or our timing wasn’t off and she just didn’t tell me as soon as says she did that’s really possible. Either way, before the baby decides to come out and meet us, we are going to have to tell our respective parents. And we decided I would tell her parents and she would tell my mum.

“I got the easier end of the deal,” she says. My mum needless to say, will only be upset I’m not telling her which I’m not doing because she and I will only get emotional about Ginny----the last baby either of us ever interacted with, and I hate it but I don’t want to think about people I’ve lost right now. I’d rather talk to her later when she’s over it and just excited. That’s selfish I know but whatever.

“As it should be,” I say. My mum really likes Jo, of course, and she’ll only be happy about the baby. Jo’s parents are a different matter. “You don’t need a scene with them, it isn’t good for you what with the baby.”

“It wasn’t good for me before I was pregnant,” she says, a hand on her stomach protectively, as she stands and watches me finish putting on my legs.

“Right, so you don’t need them now,” I say, wth a sigh, finally sanding up. I shake off the thought that this will take way too damn long when there’s an infant crying to be fed or a toddler running around needing attention.

Jo must notice my expression because she says, “You know, we should get the crib or something set up soon—right here by the bed would work so we can get to this little needy thing without getting up.”

“Yeah,” I say, knowing she’s trying to make me feel better about my inadequacy as a prospective parent. It’s okay. I know it will be it just irks me. I won’t even be able to get out of bed and run to my child when it cries in the night.

“Come on,” she says, tugging my arm, “Smile, it’ll be okay.”

“Yeah, it will,” I say, kissing her. I wish I could believe it.

“Your child is as nervous as you are, it only moves like this when you’re around and talking,” she says, almost wincing, putting both hands on her round belly again.

“We just want to meet each other, don’t we eh little one?” I say rubbing her gently, feeling the steady shifting inside her.

“I’ve got my stuff, you take forever,” Lizzie says, coming back in, fully dressed, wearing her backpack and ready to go.

“Well when you’re grown up and in love, you’ll take forever too,” I inform her, keeping my arm around Jo as we follow Lizzie out to the main room which is really just the rest of the warehouse.

“Ugh,” she says, wrinkling her nose, “I hope not.”

“Wait till you’re having a baby and are fat and can’t fit through doors, then you’ll really take forever,” Jo teases her. admittedly she is quite large with the baby, but she was rather small to begin with so it’s more noticeable, I think.

“You took forever before you were having a baby,” Lizzie says, sitting down at the table.

“We’re coming, we’re coming,” I say, glad she’s actually so eager to go out for once. She’s come a long way since we first met and she was quaking in fear of me. Now she just has to tell us what her real name is and where her real family is so we can give her back. No, I don’t want to give her back, but I would like to know where she’s from or who her biological family is. Clearly it’s nothing good or she wouldn’t be here but even so.

Chapter 14

“Y

our move,” I sit at the foot of Billy’s hospital bed, playing chess with him. He’s dying so I let him win. I don’t think he can tell I’m letting him win, but if he can then he’ll know it’s out of affection.

“I’m kinda tired,” Billy says, yawning and leaning back. He has oxygen running into his nose and an IV to his arm. He can’t eat anymore so they have a g-tube in his stomach. He’s shown it to me. it’s nice and gross.

“Okay,” I say, leaning back a little, “Do you wanna watch something on the tablet?”

“No,” he says, slumping down, “I’d like to sleep a little if that’s okay.”

“Yeah, I’ll go get ice cream from the cafeteria,” I say, agreeably, picking up the chess board.

“You don’t have to spend the whole day with me,” he says.

“I want to,” I say. Nobody else is. And that doesn’t feel right. I know he doesn’t like being alone. so I’m with him and he’s not alone.

“It’s a nice day out, I know you like going to the park,” he says, but his eyes are drifting closed.

“I’ll go outside while you nap, then we’ll play some more,” I say, hopping up and going to the door, “Just go ahead and sleep.”

“Okay,” he says.

His nurse walks in past me as I go out. she smiles a little. She thinks I’m a good friend. I smile too because I’m little and look sweet. As soon as I round the corner, I tap my wrist pad and turn on my earbud.

“We have to do something,” I say, a soon as I hear the buzz that it’s been answered.

“I’m assuming you are referring to your dying little friend Billy?” my dad asks, “Or something to do with your exams or is it far too hope, my love life?”

“Major Tom still isn’t talking to you?” I confirm, sympathetically since he’s been concerned about that since before I could walk.

“No, thank you for your not at all heart-felt concern,” he says, “Now, since our combined intellect cannot do anything about that situation, what is your current problem?”

“Billy’s still all alone. He doesn’t mention it anymore, but I know he wishes his parents even cared,” I say, sadly.

“I tried, Tess, neither of them left information on the website,” he says, sympathetically, “Their information was old, the addresses were no longer valid, at this point any attempt to track them down would end in rejection anyway.”

“We still have to do something. Since Aiden died I’m the only person who’s here for him---”

“Aren’t there like, teachers or somebody who is supposed to provide empathy to you---?” he asks.

“Yes, they come sometimes, but it’s their job and he knows it. And I’m as emotionally supportive as a bag of rocks,” I sigh, coming to the end of the hall and looking out the windows.

“Poor analogy, pick a better one,” he says.

“Sack of small lumps of ingenious substrate?” I offer.

“Better, moving on, I understand your concern however it is well known that simply a familiar presence can be comforting and in fact create a bond---”

“He’s manifested a familial attachment and little else will do he’s dying---”

“So it’s going to be over soon---”

“So he should get at least one wish; he wants a family. What would you want somebody to do if you and I didn’t have each other----like if you died or something, and I was alone?” I ask.

“I wouldn’t want them to contact your mum,” he says, “She didn’t leave information either, Tess.”

I typically feel no remorse for lying but with Tess it’s more fear that one day she’ll find out that I’ve been lying and quit speaking to me. I’m probably ruining me and her as well. But there’s nothing I can do. I told her, and Major Tom for that matter, that Tess’ mother had not left updated information. That got really tricky because Major Tom helped me stalk the woman, but I managed to convince her I’d gotten the wrong woman because the address wasn’t good. That took some doing but really she’d not wanted to talk to me as it was so I got out of it all right.

“I know, but if I was dying and I wanted someone there, wouldn’t you want someone there for me?” she asks.

“I would be dead I’m sure I’d be thinking about many, many other important things---but yes in theoretical sense that if you required emotional support at that time I would wish it for you,” I admit.

“Well, then, we have to do something to help him,” she says, “You could try looking again---”

“Tess, people don’t change,” I say, “His parents don’t care.”

“He shouldn’t have to have that when he wants them,” she says.

“Life isn’t fair, Tess, things don’t go the way we want,” I say.

“But they should. You make things go the way you want,” she points out.

“I try,” I say, thinking of Major Tom. “Look, I’ll think; you do too. I should go now, I’ll call you back.”

“Okay,” she says, with a sigh.

“Love you,” I say.

“Love you too, Dad,” she says, “Thanks for the help.”

“Always, you know that,” I say.

“Let me know how it goes with Major Tom,” she says.

“I will but it won’t-----bye now,” I say, hanging up.

“You were saying?” I ask Starr, who has been floating in front of me patiently the whole time.

“Sir, we’re meant to be flight partners, we need to be on the same frequency, what’s your code?” he asks, holding up his wrist pad as a visual aid.

“Doesn’t matter, if Isylgyns attack, I’ll meet you at the ship,” I say. I’m on Major Tom’s frequency and I’m staying that way.

“Sir, Commander Thorn specifically told me---”

“You, Quinn, need to learn to stop doing---about eighty nine percent of what Thorn and I tell you---and your life will be easier,” I say, pulling myself down the hall away from him. My ear piece buzzes.

“Ziggy do you----Titus get off this line, damn it,” Major Tom says, she recognizes my unique breathing pattern, no doubt.

“I’ll tell Kip he’s got it programmed wrong again how are you---”

“I know for a fact you’re messing with it stop, if this is another prank on Thorn I want none of it, goodbye, Titus,” she says, hanging up with fantastically satisfied zeal, which is crushed when Quinn and I round the corner and run into her.

“Quit following me,” she says, to me, “Don’t you have other things to do with your time----Starr are they paying you extra to put up with him?”

“No, ma’am though I’ve put through a memorandum on why they should,” he says, insolent fiend.

“I’ll sign it or something---Major Card put your hand down what is it you want?” she asks, folding her arms and bopping against the wall. I was raising my hand innocently.

“A word in private?” I ask, politely.

“Is it urgent? I’m supposed to be helping get the training videos ready for the new cadets,” she says.

“Slightly, Starr can help you he’s not doing anything,” I say.

“Starr is already helping her.”

“Starr is already helping me.”

“Right---I’ll help as well---”

“Don’t want your help you’d get bored and start screwing it up---okay I’ll have the word with you now, yes in private, if it means you’ll do something productive the rest of the day and let me work,” she sighs.

“Okay,” I say, nodding at Quinn.

“Right,” Quinn says, taking a box of whatever thing she was carrying away from her. she looks nice her SBUs, and black t-shirt she’s got her blouse off as she’s working, the shirt is tucked in which makes it a bit tight which I like.

“What’s it about?” she asks, Quinn is still in earshot.

“Girl thing for Tess,” I say, because she looks like she’s wanting to blow me off.

“Right,” she says, the annoyance fading and looking almost guilty.

“Come on,” I say, nodding for her to come back in the supply closet she came out of. almost reluctantly, she does.

“What is it? Is she okay?” she asks.

“Yeah she’s fine; one of her little friends is dying---”

“That’s really terrible---”

“Okay she’s not okay---whatever, and anyway the boy wants to meet his parents but he’s Project 10 and they never signed up to meet him like Tess’ mum, all old addresses, when I looked in the file---”

“Please stop admitting the crimes you commit to me,” she sighs, covering her ears.

“I’ve also made a deal with the Islgyns to sell them the human race and I’m totally going to decapitate Thorn the guillotine’s on order---oh inane things I say always make you laugh, stop it,” I say, as she continues to cover her ears and glare at me.

“I’m not in the mood,” she says, sighing, “Go on about Tess?”

“Right, so there’s no reliable way of finding the parents and under the circumstances the meeting isn’t likely to go well,” I say, “So, to appease Tess to appease the boy I’m thinking of an alternative solution---”

“Please tell me you’re not going where I think you are---”

“---I don’t know where you think I am going where I’m going is: we have a bit of a charade ---”

“That’s what I thought you were going to say---it’s lying---Titus,” she sighs, “And no I’m not doing it with you.”

“You were Project 10 you know better than anyone else how it feels to have someone abandon you,” I say, “It’s not forever, a few months, a couple letters, meet him once give the kid a hug. it’s more than my father ever did for me and he spent----I’m going with five minutes maximum—conceiving me for which I’m sure he shall burn eternally if there is any sort of deity.”

“That went really dark and creepy but---okay no maybe, um---you make a good point,” she sighs. She knows I’m right.

He knows damn well I can’t ignore him when he’s going against his nature and doing something genuinely kind. He knows damn well I feel bad for the kid already. I’d have done anything to meet my parents for one day.

“Do we even look like this kid---?” I ask, with another sigh. I can’t believe I’m doing this. I told myself I would not agree to do things with this person. But when I’m the only thing approximating a friend he has it’s a little hard. This pathetic excuse for a human being doesn’t have friends and everybody needs one sometime. Damn he’s trying to do his best with his little girl and he’s the only family that poor child has.

“Close enough, for government work,” he says, shrugging, “I’ll get Tess to send a picture to be sure---oh not we he’s already seen me it’ll have to be you and somebody else who will do me a favor—I’m thinking Kip.”

“I don’t know—”

“Just think about it. it’s an idea, if you get a better one I’m open, but we both have planetside leave in a week,” he points out.

“Oh my god, you booked leave the same week I did----?” I ask, annoyed with him again, “Why, Titus?”

“I’ll admit to stalking you but this was coincidental Tess has exams,” I say, innocently. There are no exams I’m totally stalking her.

“Fine, okay, I’ll think about it,” she sighs.

“It’s not for me,” I say. I wish it was for me.

“I know I just---okay fine, you’re right it’s nothing to do with you so I can handle it---I’ve got to get going,” she says, “Is that it?”

“Yeah, that’s it,” I say, resisting the urge to make something up to keep her with. Like I told Thorn, I’ve tried everything else. Maybe the most unlikely, asinine solution will work. It’s worth the try, anyway.

“Okay, I’m gonna go,” she says, by way of saying goodbye.

Forget it Thorn’s an idiot.

“I could help, with whatever it is you’re doing, I’m not doing anything today whatever Thorn assigned me to was boring so I delegated it,” I offer.

“You’re supposed to be helping me, you delegated it to Starr who is helping me because you thought it was boring,” she says, flatly.

“Right, well, I can redact if you actually need the help,” I say. Idiot idiot idiot. Clearly I don’t need opponents I’m my own worst one.

“No, we’re fine, Starr is great---I’d better get back,” she says. Then she does go. I push against the ceiling and grind my hands into my head.

“Morning,” Jacob says, kissing my cheek as he comes into the kitchen. “What’re you doing up?”

“I wanted to see you off,” I say, “Figured I might as well, then go do the shopping.”

“Right, Bridget up yet?” he asks, going the refrigerator possessively.

“No, it’s Saturday I’m sure she’s still sleeping in,” I say, picking up the tea kettle and pouring myself a cup of tea.

“Black tea? You could’ve slept in,” he says, frowning, as he gets out milk and things for his breakfast. I’ve told him I’m a vegan which clears my conscience. “Bridget said you went to bed early as well.”

“I did, don’t know, just bad dreams,” I lie. I was out following him and watching him murder people. It’s a hobby. Not. I just feel obligated to keep tabs on just who he is killing. So far he’s very particular, mostly people who offend him or cut corners at work, which usually means they are endangering patients lives so I have decided I can live with him eating them. Once or twice he’s come upon random muggers or drug dealers, who I also can live with him eating. Jo says I’m insane. I just ask her if she’s told her man her real name, and until the answer is yes I get to keep Jacob. That’s gotten to be an even better argument considering she’s expecting a child by her man. Which I’m really glad for her about by the way, and her man does seem like an actual puppy. 

“Aww, I don’t like it when you’re sad,” he says, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my cheek. I lean into his strong embrace for a moment, enjoying his thick arms around me. he always smells nice, and he’s always neat and clean, his lips soft on my cheek. “I’m all right. Long week’s all.”

“Okay,” he says, kissing my cheek again, “Try to rest today, we don’t need much in the way of groceries, I’ll pick stuff up for me and Bridge later in the week, you don’t eat much of it so you don’t have to.”

“I don’t mind,” I say. I occasionally, okay frequently, attempt to prevent Bridget’s---I’m almost completely positive---unwilling cannibalism, by supplementing her favorite foods with actual animal products. It annoys Jacob to no end but he completely cannot make a valid argument against it and he knows it damn well.

“I know, but I want you to enjoy your day off, I’ll be done by the time you’re getting up, why don’t we take a walk to the library, you always love looking at the old books----bacon?” he asks, holding up what he thinks looks like a legitimate store bought package of meat. It does not. I don’t tell him these things. Best he doesn’t know I know.

“All right that’d be fun---I’ve told you, no,” I say, smiling, “Thank you.”

“I’ll convert you one day,” he says, smiling his charming smile.

“I doubt it,” I say, sipping my tea.

Chapter 15

“H

ello, my name is Quentin---I’m living with your daughter---” that woman really should have told me her name, damn it---”we’ve met, once before—um----your oldest daughter. Usually has blue hair---okay thank you for opening the door.”

“Hello,” a man and woman, a good bit older than my mum, stand in the door and stare at me. “You mean Charlene?”

“Charlene, Charlene, right---did you know that?” I say the last part a bit quietly to Lizzie, who shakes her head no.

(no) Lizzie tells me. We decided that I would take Lizzie with me because A) we already told her parents Lizzie was my daughter B) Lizzie likes riding on trains C) I truly didn’t want Jo trying herself out chasing the mutant around all day when she needs to stay off her feet and rest D) I really suspected I would need the emotional support and I was so right.

“Right, good, yeah, Charlene, right, um, I was passing, on work thought Lizzie and I would stop in say hi---can I actually come in for a minute to talk to you?” I ask, adding the last part because Jo’s father looks like he’s about to close the door in my face.

“Is our daughter all right?” her mother asks, not moving to let me in but not closing the door either.

“Yes, she’s fine, absolutely fine, I just wanted to talk to you, really quickly, could I step inside or all of us go somewhere more private?” I ask, really don’t want to deliver the news of their grandchild out here in the hall but they are really forcing my hand here. I’m just glad I’m doing this and Jo is with my mother who will be helpful and supportive and all around act like a normal human being.

“Our youngest daughter is sleeping,” her father says, “She works the night shift.”

“Right, right, there was a really lovely café just downstairs that Lizo and I saw, you fancy some yogurt, Liz?” I ask her, she shakes her head yes helpfully.

“We don’t go there,” her father says flatly. 

“Okay,---- god you couldn’t make this easier---let’s go downstairs or you step out in the hall, then? Don’t want to wake her, eh?” I say, smiling my polite Commander-Thorn-smile. It was the smile I used when I had to convince Commander Thorn I was fine and happy with being Titus’ flight partner when I was not. I only did it because I felt bad because Titus was actively giving him a nervous breakdown and I felt like if I complained or did anything it might push him over the edge.

“Yes. we’ll meet you in the lobby of the building. Ten minutes,” her mother says, then she shuts the door.

Lizzie and I sigh and look at each other.

“Charlene?” I say.

“Yeah, that’s what I was thinkin’,” she says.

“I’m gonna bother her about it,” I say, tapping my wrist pad as we walk slowly towards the lift.

Your family is so wonderful

God I’m sorry

It’s ok love you

Did they mention my name

Charlene, seriously?

Ugh I hate that name

I know, love you my gorgeous thief

Love you too give lizzie a hug

Can do

“She says I need to squish you,” I say, wrapping an arm around Lizzie’s shoulders and squeezing her.

“No, she didn’t,” Lizzie laughs, pretending to wriggle away.

“Yes she did, she said Lizzie needs to be squished every hour on the hour,” I say, spinning us around, as we wait for the lift.

“She did not,” Lizzie laughs, as I finally let her go. She laughs much more often, these days. Jo and I were concerned she would be jealous or apprehensive about the baby, but if anything it cemented in her mind we are a family and aren’t going to leave her.

“You know I love you.”

Why do the men I’m attracted to randomly say these things to me? 

“Shh,” I say, looking at the door. Quinn just left, thank god.

“Why do we have to hide? I can’t hide how I feel about you,” Ziggy says, looking up at me. we are making sure the ropes course is ready for the incoming cadets to practice on. it’s a series of ropes that get farther and farther apart until there is a wide gap about twenty feet wide in the center. It’s designed to train the cadets in navigation, basic combat, and all around survival in zero g. the ropes all have to be at proper heights and secured, so that nobody gets tangled and strangles themselves in them like when Titus and I trained on them. that was really horrible.

“Zig---,” I begin, leaning over a rope to look at him.

“No, just hear me out---I need to say this. I’m sick of hiding and waiting. It doesn’t change each day I want you every night I need you. all I want is to live and love you,” he says, beginning to pull himself up towards me. “Since my promotion, we’re the same rank, there’s no reason we can’t be together, not anymore.”

“You make it sound so easy,” I say, shaking my head.

“It is easy,” he says.

“No, Zig, it’s not. it is in here, when it’s just me and you yes, it is easy, it’s gloriously easy,” I say, with a sigh. It is. It’s simple. He’s kind and gentle and good, and he talks to me and he listens. And he sleeps. And he doesn’t think of twenty things at once. And he’s there. and there’s no darkness in his eyes. 

“That’s as it should be. you and me, together, until the end of time,” he says, “We can make this happen---before it was that we were different, ranks, now what?”

“It’s not in our stars,” I say, shaking my head. I know it’s true. I know it’s wrong. Not wrong in a sinking-feeling, I feel better when we’re apart kind of way. In a forbidden nectar kind of way. I can’t do it. I can’t lose him and somehow I know if I agree I will. He’ll die. And I’ll lose him forever. And I can’t have that.

“Then we change the stars, Nicole---I’ll do anything to make it right for us,” he says.

“There are things we can’t change,” I say, pushing off of the ropes and dropping nearly to the bottom, to check those.

“Why not? we can do anything we want to---don’t tell me you don’t feel the same way don’t argue, don’t fight it. just say you’ll be mine,” he says, dropping so that he’s right in front of me.

“I love you,” I say, putting my hand on his cheek, “Which is why I can’t lose you.”

“What are you talking about?” he asks, “You’re not going to lose me. I am not going anywhere. I will never, ever leave you.”

“I wish that could be true,” I say, feeling tears leak out of my eyes.

“It can be, say the word and it is; if you want it we will always be together,” he says, “Why can’t you do it?”

“I can’t explain---”

“Is it because of Space Forces? I wouldn’t want you to quit just because I want to—”

“No, I would quit when our contracts were up, if it would work,” I say, taking my hand from him and going back to checking the ropes.

“It will work why won’t it work----you’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” he asks, moving away from me almost.

“Who him?” I ask, even though I know perfectly well who him.

“Major Card. You’re still in love with him,” he accuses.

“I was never in love with him,” I lie, my voice sharp.

“He’s talked to you today---I can tell I can always tell he makes you like this,” he accuse, “You get hopeless, ready to break it off.”

“He doesn’t have that power over me,” yes he does.

“Yes he does, he isn’t good for you----we never should have taken the assignments here when he is,” he says, shaking his head.

“It was this or the North Rim,” I say.

“I’d rather deal with Isylgyns,” he scoffs.

“Don’t talk about him that way, he’s a great pilot and an excellent spaceman,” I say, far too sharply when I hear it.

“And a terrible, terrible man,” he says, looking me in the eyes.

“He’s never done anything to you,” I say.

“Why are you defending him? What did he say to you today?” he asks, folding his arms.

“He was talking about work---god I get to talk to him, he knows I’ve refused him what more do you want?” I ask, angrily.

“I want us to be free of him,” he says, “I want you to be free.”

“We don’t get to be free,” I say, shaking my head.

“Yes we do---Nicole why are you talking like this?” he asks, desperately.

“Because I care too much about you, to let anything happen to you,” I say, moving up to check another couple of ropes.

“Let anything happen to me---what does that even mean? Nothing is going to happen to me---if I were going to drop dead from loving you—well then I’m a ghost already,” he says, holding out his arms.

“That’s not what I mean---please Ziggy, if you love me, then do this for me. don’t ask for anything more,” I say, “Know I love you and want to be with you but for now---just now, I cannot.”

“You really still have feelings for him, don’t you?” he asks, he’s angry now.

“I never had feelings for him,” I lie.

“I can tell when you’re lying---god, how can you say you love me but still act the way you do about him---”

“It’s complicated; you can’t begin to understand---”

“No, it’s not, there’s him or there’s me, now why can’t you chose?” he asks.

“I chose you,” I say, immediately, “I’ve told you that.”

“Then tell the universe that,” he says.

“I can’t,” I say, feeling my eyes fill with tears.

He looks away, angry his face red, “Have you slept with him?”

“You don’t get to ask that,” I say, closing my eyes. the memories shouldn’t be as powerful and intoxicating but they are. His warm arms around my naked body, his sweet, thin lips on mine, the way his hands moved as he made love to me, playing on my ribs and back---always so gentle, his eyes, finally, finally human as they gazed into mine. “You do not---not, get to ask that.”

“Nicole I’m sorry---” his voice is sorry now.

“You can finish this,” I say, pulling my way over to the door.

“Come back I---”

I close the door on his sentence, locking it behind me he doesn’t have the code because whenever Titus is on the Ulysses he sets all of the codes he can manage on a rotating algorithm which he of course told me. It’s mean to leave him in there but Starr will be back in a few minutes and will let him out. Sighing, I press against the wall, taking a deep breath.

“Good afternoon, ma’am, how are we?” Jordan asks, kindly, coming up carrying for no apparent reason a stack of towels.

“We’re all right, thanks Jordan,” I say, smiling tightly. I like that kid. He’s sweet. A Project 10 like me, I’ve always felt maternally towards him, and he’s returned the affection.

“Illegitimi non carborundum,” he says, saluting me playfully.

“What’s that mean?” I ask, smiling a little.

“Latin: don’t let the bastards get you down,” he says, with a sigh, “If we could get tattoos that’s what I’d have.”

“You having a shit day as well?” I ask, sympathetically, smiling tightly.

“Yes, in fact, are all men independent of how smart they seem, actually complete idiots?” he asks.

“Yeah,” I say nodding, “Present company excepted, obviously.”

“Obviously,” He says, with a smile, “Well, I’d better get these to Commander Thorn.”

“Do I want to know why?” I ask.

“He said he might need them,” he says, shrugging.

“All right, carry on,” I say, “Oh, and if anyone is looking for me.”

“I’ve no idea where you are,” he assures me.

“You’re wonderful,” I call after him.

“I know,” he says, mock bowing and making me smile again.

“Hi, again,” I say, smiling and waving completely awkwardly as Jo’s parents step out of the lift. There is nobody in the lobby of the complex, except me and Lizzie. There’s a monitor on the wall but Lizzie turned that off with her brain, and she was playing on the sofa with her dolls while we waited. Jo and I had gotten her dolls, with limited success of her playing with them. She much prefers to do things with her telekinesis, but we wanted her to have hobbies that wouldn’t get us all shot.

“Is Charlene pregnant?” Jo’s mother asks, walking up slowly, clutching a purse protectively. Her husband walks a little bit behind her, clutching her protectively.

“Yes, actually, she is, that’s what I’ve come to tell you; she would’ve come herself but---” not the way I’d planned on the conversation going but okay.

“We won’t pay for an abortion,” her father says, flatly, “Not again.”

“What---no--,” I say, immediately. She had an abortion? Is that why she doesn’t want to go to a doctor? “We want the baby. Of course.”

“She’s gotten pregnant by other men and lost them,” her mother says, looking at me critically.

“I know she’s told me,” I say, my tone sharp now. she had told me, she had three miscarriages in the past, and she’d made it no secret early in our relationship that she was not interested in any sort of birth control, because she wanted to be a parent. Independent of whether I wanted to be involved or not. which I told her was stupid rocket ships couldn’t drag me away from her or our child. “And the risk of that is mostly past, it’s after the first trimester. The only reason J----Charlene didn’t come is because we didn’t think the train journey would be good for her. she’s quit work because the doctors said she didn’t need to be on her feet as much at this point in the pregnancy.” I make that up completely. Well, she did quit work but that was because we collectively agreed that since she’d had failed pregnancies and I didn’t have that good a track record as a sire, we should be as careful as we could, and bartending kept her on her feet long hours which isn’t good for blood flow and stress and other important things.

“Right, that’s good,” her mother says, nodding, “You’re working, then?”

“Yeah, I am, that and pension from Space Forces we’re doing fine,” I say.

“I didn’t think you people could have children,” her father says, staring at me.

“I was discharged, when you’re medically discharged they reverse the sterilization procedures,” I say, icily, annoyed that he’s questioning the paternity of my child and my manhood in general. Even though it is completely true I was sterile and in fact there was the great chance the reversal wouldn’t work.

“Is she feeling all right?” her mother asks, a bit worried.

“She threw up a bit at first, and was pretty tired, but she’s feeling better now,” I say, my voice softening. Maybe this woman does care about her daughter. “She’s excited.”

“What happened to her mother?” the mother asks, looking at Lizzie and framing the question as though she fully expected the answer to be ‘I killed her’.

“She died when I was born,” Lizzie spares me a lie, looking darkly at them, so much so that I fear she will start levitating them or things, just to shake things up. that’s why I’m not prepared for the next question: 

“Are you going to stay with her?” Jo’s father asks.

“Yes, I thought I’d made it clear by coming out here---we want the baby---I’ve asked her to marry me,” I say, annoyed. Jo refused before on the grounds that A) I would find out her real name B) she didn’t want to be Mrs. Somebody C) it just wasn’t her she preferred living in sin. Now that she was pregnant and there was the prospect of school visits and things where it would be more complicated to not be legally married, she was yielding, but now she refused on the principle that she wasn’t going to be some pregnant bride waddling down the aisle. I’d said we had plenty of time to do it before she was obviously expecting and to waddling stage. How wrong I was.

“But she wouldn’t?” her father guesses.

“We’re waiting till after the baby’s born, just so she can feel good about how she looks and all that,” I lie.

“She said she’d never get married,” her mother says, frowning a little.

“We’re focusing on getting ready for the baby now,” I say, shrugging a little, “That’s the most important thing, making sure both of them are healthy.”

“Yes of course,” her mother says.

“How will you be able to care for it?” her father is staring at my artificial legs. Of course, it’s a nice day I wore cargo shorts like I usually do it makes the things easier to get on and off.

“A damn sight better than my father considering he doesn’t know I exist,” I say, my voice growing hard. Because of course it’s true. I have to use a wheelchair at least half the time, I’ll never be able to get around quick enough once it starts walking, or if it starts crying from another room or if it hurts itself or gets stuck somewhere or drowns or something. Fathers are supposed to be strong and able to rescue their children and show them how to do things like walk for example, I can’t even do that without a twenty odd minute process to put legs on. let alone checking on in the middle of the night or kneeling by a bathtub.

“I’m sorry,” Jo’s mother begins, looking a bit sadly at me.

“So am I,” I say, “My child won’t ever have to say that. or wake up hungry or cold, or lonely. or think they’ve been forgotten or lost or they were a mistake. It will know, it’s the most precious beautiful wonderful thing in the universe ever to happen to two people. I promise you that.”

“Three people,” Lizzie says, I realize she’s been squeezing my hand this whole time.

“Three people,” I say, smiling down at her.

Chapter 16

200 years Later

Location: Gliza Planet

O n a small piece of the Great Gliza Planet where small and modest houses were built, It is surrounded by seawater, long green squares, fruit trees, there on the top of a large river overlooking the small town built a modest palace adorned the area and gave it a special charm. this modest palace has been built for centuries with simple equipment of strong stones painted in white while the ceilings were painted in beautiful azure.

The sky seemed to be painted red and the sun appears next to the moon at the same time, except that the sun was brighter than the moon, on the balcony of the palace stood a woman in the fourth decade of her age wearing a red dress with long sleeves and a necklace decorate her neck, and with the beauty of her dress, her brown hair was very much in line with her outward appearance.

she stared at the sea in front of her, pensive on the red color reflected on the sea, and with that view, her memory jumped to her mother’s tales about the earth planet, The color of the yellow sun and the brightness of the sea under the sun rays to appear in pure blue, she tired from waiting to see that view, and really wished that day would come when you would see the sunset and the sea on the planet where you were originally born. while the people in front of her stared at her as she stood on the balcony of her huge palace with all the splendor.

A few centuries ago with several decades Gliza which did not go through much compared to the earth, people came to it wrote on their hearts despair and sadness. the people of Gliza are still saddened by the memory of that fateful day, the day they left their original homeland, the planet Earth.

She sighed as she remembered what her mother had told her about this bitter day and said in a firm and strong tone: “On this day we are witnessing a painful memory and a bitter event, we lost our homeland, A few centuries ago, like this day, the tyrants of the earth sent us to here and if it were not for the intelligence of our forefathers and their strong knowledge of the scientific field, we would not be alive now. These tyrannical tyrants and selfish people wanted to live on the earth alone and did not accept our presence. despite our grandparents’ attempts to overcome them, when the devastating war broke out, they were stronger and because my grandfather did not accept to deny his people forever trampled on his dignity and pride and succumbed to their decision to expel us out of the planet with all selfishness. Not only that, but they killed my grandfather and our men before we were expelled. Only women would have survived.and some men managed to escape to reach the Planet Kepler and started a new life,

Evil will never prevail, and now or later we will triumph and return to our homeland with our dignity and expel them forever. Our ancestors built this planet for us and made it a viable place to live, but not everything they did for us will go so easily, we will return and take revenge for them and restore our homeland. we remember that day, but we never counted how many years we stayed here, but just to remember that we have a homeland we will return to and whatever we have been on this planet for many years and built in it what we have built, always be confident that it is not our home and it will not be. “

She gave her speech firmly and proudly, and the applause of the crowd rang out, chanting “Earth is ours and will remain for us”

One of the women was in the crowd listening to the Queen Victoria speech as soon as she moved away from the crowd until she heard someone call her name, “Joanna Wait”

She turned to the source of the sound, a woman in her fourth decade in a simple gray dress, Joanna wiped her tears, which wet her cheeks before her friend approached her.

“Joanna, why you leave without telling me?” Her friend asked her

“I just did not look around and I thought you left the palace,” Joanna said artificially as she tried to keep the tone of her natural and quiet voice.

“We have been friends for more than twenty years, do you think I will believe this lie and that fake smile, although I expose you every time but you do not stop hiding the truth of your feelings”

Joanna Staring away across the beautiful green squares, Listen to the rustling of trees and the sound of the river.

“you remember Elaine, right?” Her friend said plaintively, And once it’s finished, the noise of nature returned, announcing a new silence between them.

Joanna felt as if her friend had trampled on her wounded heart by asking her that question, and her hazel eyes were full of tears in an attempt to mute her crying.

Her friend Emma felt sorry for what she had said. Perhaps she would have preferred to shut up instead of reminding Joanna of her pain.

Emma patted on the shoulder of her friend to say trying to comfort her “ Do not worry dear, we will someday go back to Earth, and then all the girls will come back and meet your daughter Elaine, and things will return as they were, and we will live a quiet life in our homeland,”

Joanna smiled and tears were still flowing from her eyes and then she said, “Maybe I’ll die and will not go back, maybe I’ll still cry for her memory until the grief stops my heart”

Joanna looked at Emma and added “ Do you know what it means to break your heart every minute? is she suffering now, is she in a safe place, between humans or monsters?”

“Do not put those thoughts in your head, Queen Victoria has confirmed that no harm will affect those girls who are sent to the planet Kepler”

“Queen Victoria has confirmed a lot, but is her words are always right?” Joanna said then turned away leaving she is sure that Emma will never understand what she feels because she has not lost her daughter as many mothers do on the planet Gliza.

Emma watches her leaving without being able to do anything to her, maybe she was really right.

Queen Victoria has entered to her own business suite, It was a vast messy place full of equipment and machines,  resulting from failed experiments, she walked toward a black box in medium-sized random gold lines in the middle of the room, she began to check it out, as usual, trying to open it but to no avail.

A young girl opened the door, she has beautiful features with brown hair, Her belly was swollen, making her move slowly. “Madam Victoria, what are you doing?” The girl said sarcastically.

Queen Victoria said angrily: “Jennifer, how many times do I have to tell you not open the door in that barbaric way?”

“Mom, I did not mean?” Jennifer said smiling.

“How should I guide people and remind them that we have to get back home and my daughter does not help me?” Victoria said.

“What is the point of words if cannot translate into action, do not you feel tired as you think about the same thing every day, how many times have you tried, how many years and efforts have you made to prepare huge Spacecraft? And the most important question is how many young women from our people have you sent to Kepler to send you strong trained men in return?”

“I’ll try until the last breath in my life, you do not know anything about what we’ve been suffering for years before your birth, “ She said sharply.

Jennifer approached the box and messed with it Ignoring what her mother just said “ what will be in this box as well? Did Emperor Joseph, the ruler of planet Kepler, trick you to send charming women again?

“Do not touch it! “She said angrily, losing her patience and then add,” Has anyone tricked me before? This box was found on Earth and reached Joseph’s servant and he sent it to me in exchange for some women”

She put the box back in his place, she knows very well that her mother will never accept a joke about something related to the earth.

“mom, please stop trade women of our people to fall into the hands of the Kepler men who see women as mere machines without emotions or feelings, and all this and the result is nothing” she headed toward the door she knows that her mother will not change her mind,

But only a few seconds until she heard a strange voice turned to see the box radiated from its golden lines a strong light, and only seconds until it opened his corners to reveal what they had hidden for a long time.

Jennifer was quite surprised, but not surprised as her mother was a real shock to her, for many years she tries to open it but she couldn’t and no one could. the box contained an old book and a silver glass ball.

“Is that all?” Said Jennifer, wondering in surprise

“How did you open it?” Her mother said then looked at her with interest waiting for her answer, she tries all the way to open it But it didn’t and now with that simple opens up.

“I do not know that I just messed with it and this is not the first time, why open this time so easily? I thought it was just a stupid old myth” Jennifer said.

Victoria opened the book to look at its content.

“What is written in this book?” Jennifer asked her curiously.

“He talks about the earth,” she answered without looking at her.

“And what’s the point? did we need a book about the earth?”

Her mother ignored her words and tried to check this book with all its important details.

“well, happy reading I had a curiosity to know how I opened the box, but I’m tired and I need to sleep and I really hope with all my heart to read what comforts you mom, and saves you from those fears and myths,” Jennifer said then went out.

The queen stayed alone reading that book and all the curiosity kills her to know all the hidden things that she always wants to know about her homeland.

she opened the book and start reading: “ I have no identity and I do not think about identifying myself. many years ago especially when the inhabitants of the northern part were deported away from the earth planet, I was a child who was forgotten at the time and after the departure of my family and friends, I lived trying to penetrate them but it did not last long, on the last moments of my life I was barely able to collect this information everything that will help in the future. I wrote that information in this book and put it in a box that I wish would end up in safe hands “

she began browsing at the titles looking for something interesting, checked the index to find a title “conflict on the planet earth, she began to read the text with great interest.

Since the Earth originated and its inhabitants live in peace despite their division into different cultures, understanding and solidarity were present It began with a small spark that created sensitivities among part of the Earth’s population, This was the beginning of a protracted civil war.

The hatred and anger among the various peoples arose and with it, many tangles began to appear, the one who can gain power is the biggest winner. After a bitter quarrel, people clashed with one another, exploiting their hatred of another, In the end, they managed to split into two parts. the first part lives in the Northern region of the Earth and the other part is concentrated in the southern part of it.

The disagreement did not end here because the two groups complemented each other and each needed something from the other, Instead of establishing relations and creating a new harmony between them, the war began, and a prolonged quarrel began, and who defeated in the war will leave the earth for good.

The war intensified between them for years, months and days until the inhabitants of the northern part realized that their numbers were beginning to diminish so they decided to surrender and leave altogether. “

she turned the pages until she found another headline that caught her attention “Back to Planet Earth”

“The inhabitants of the northern part will try to come back in any way and they will invent a lot of ways, but what they do not know is that the planet is surrounded by a magnetic membrane, No one will be allowed to enter except to decipher the glass ball, This will not happen until they and their enemies on Earth have a Good relation to breaking the enmity between them, they will have to sacrifice by establishing the strongest relationships, by marrying a person from the northern part who “left the planet” with a woman from the southern part “who still live on a planet Land “ Or vice versa, and when a child is born he can only decode the ball attached to the box and the northern people can back to the earth but this will result in the death of the child after a short period”

She stopped reading after being disappointed and shocked. She worked all these years to discover that the solution was far from what she had thought, she continued to flip the pages to find something useful until another headline pop up: “Who can open this box?

“This box can only be opened by a child born of a father and mother of two different parts.

Additional Cases:

The mother of the child can open the box only in case the child is still a fetus in her belly,”

Her eyes widened at that sentence, is this real or just unrealistic expectations? her hand trembled, carrying the book It was a mixture of emotions by finding what she is looking for without struggle or efforts, but she has to sacrifice her daughter’s child which will lose her mind without a doubt if she knows the truth and find out what was written in this book.

Chapter 17

Location: Gliza Planet

T he place was full of darkness, while the fatigue on the face of Princess Jennifer, But all this soon disappear between the brightness of the strong hope when she heard the scream of her baby but she only heard the sound of his crying she did not even see it.

She suddenly her heart beating fast what made her feel that something bad would happen, she looked at her mother, who was standing like a fetish without moving, she said after she knows that something terrible happened: “Mom, what happened? Where is the baby?”

“Your child is in a serious state and needs health care,” her mother replied with without even looking at her

She was afraid of her mother, who was standing motionless in front of her and could not see her dark features. “I want to see my child,” Jennifer said in an attempt to mute her crying. to add to the midwife “Where is my child? Where did you go? “

“Twins, not just one child, my condolences to you Madam, we could not do anything, they died,” the midwife said sadly.

She went crazy and began to scream with pain and cry insanely.

“I told you they would not live,” her mother said,

The echo of that sentence remained in Jennifer’s head until she wakes up from her nightmare, screamed madly until her screams were heard all over the Grand Palace.

Her mother sat beside her trying to calm her down, but she was still living the details of that dreadful nightmare.

“It was just a nightmare, my love,” her mother said reassures her.

“mom, you know that my nightmares often happen,” Jennifer said with a muffled voice.

She cried with great pain “Yes dear often but not always” her mother said while wiping her hair.

Her mother’s words could not stop her from wailing and crying nonstop. Victoria asked her with curiosity, puzzled by the nightmare that had affected her daughter so much.” what did you dream of?”

“She died, the twins died,” Jennifer said, shaking.

“what twins?” Her mother asked her with features puzzled on her face.

“Do not you remember what the midwife said? She told me that my belly size was bigger than normal and that there might be two fetuses.”

Victoria ignored her daughter’s talk and her fear and said trying to make her forget that nightmare.

“this just a nightmare, darling do not think about it, you are about to put your first child for this reason you are tense and scared. Your subconscious mind gives you things that are not real, “she said, then wiped her hair to try to calm her down.

She came out of her daughter’s room after she calmed down a bit, Removing the mother’s affectionate mask from her, a lot of ideas were running in her head without stopping. she thought to take advantage of the opportunity in a convincing way. She was still traumatized by her knowledge of the bitter reality,

She swore to return to the earth and take revenge for her royal family and restore her dignity, but the price of this is very expensive. She did not really care for her next grandson as much as she cares for her daughter who will break her heart completely,  just a nightmare made her entry in this hysterical case, what if it really? How can she convince her to give up the life of her first child in order to return to earth and she does not even care about the earth?

She entered her room and closed the door trying to blow all those thoughts off her head. She got up on her bed very tired and only a few minutes passed until she was covered in a deep sleep.

She felt someone touch her body and whisper to her.

“Lady Victoria, please wake up,” said one of the maids.

“Why do you wake me up?” She said muttering as she runs her body to the other side.

“Ms. Jennifer, she gives birth to her child,” she said, nervously.

Victoria jumped out of her place as soon as she heard the servant, And she began to run quickly in the corridors of the narrow palace to her daughter’s room.

She arrived at the door to found her daughter’s husband standing by the door waiting anxiously, she went forward to open the door and enter, but he stood in front of her to block her way.

stared at him with her sharp eyes and then said, “get out of my way”

He was surprised by her looks, although his relationship with her is not that strong, but she always treated him coldly without arguing with him, he said with understanding and calm: “The midwife prevented anyone from entering”

“No wonder someone like you wearing the dress of angels and is a demon from the inside, just stop the hypocrisy,” she said with a sarcastic smile.

“I do not know what wrong with you, but all I know is that this is not the time for such a debate,” he said with indignation, after long staring at her, trying to understand her intent.

Before she uttered another word, she heard a loud cry followed by the sound of a child crying and only a few seconds later to heard the sound of another child crying, and the palace overfill with the noises of the two children.

The midwife and the maid came out carrying the two babies with a smile on their face.

“congratulation my lady, two beautiful girls,” she said with joy, looking at the girl on her hands in love.

she stared with great surprise that she never expected this, two girls ?! things are getting more and more complicated with two children instead of one.

“Madam, is there something wrong?” the maid said to her after she notices her mind-wandering.

She changed her features to show a false smile on her face and said “nothing, I’m happy” and then add “very happy”

She went into the room and looked at her daughter, who was lying on the bed with fatigue and tiredness on her face. Her husband was sitting beside her with great joy.

When Jennifer saw her mother, she looked at her in sharp eyes saying: “My mother, are the two children in good health? Tell me, please do not lie to me,” she said with sadness and tears filling her eyes. She is still under the influence of that nightmare.

“Yes, in excellent health” she answered reassuringly.

“So why do you look nervous?” She said and signs of anxiety appear on her face.

“Your mother did not look okay since we were out,” husband of Jennifer answered while he avoided looking at her.

“Edward what happened outside was just a reflection of my stress,” She said to allow a fake smile to appear on her face and add “Jennifer, I’m just a little tired and I need some rest, I’ll be back after a little while,” she said, and then went straight out.

“Your mother behaves in a strange way, she did not even look at the two girls,” Edward said after Victoria’s went out.

“she is just tired, Edward, nothing wrong,” she said, smiling to her husband, contradicting everything in her head.

Victoria was very tired while her mind was completely distracted. She did not know what to do or where to go, she stopped at the children’s room and entered, then looked at their beds with glowing eyes as if she had seen a very precious treasure, she thought among herself that she would never give up on her oath no matter what the circumstances, she looked at the room at the fine details her daughter had placed on the wall of that room with all love, she turned her eyes towards the picture of Edward hanging in the room next to the picture of her daughter, she stared at his image, checking his features with disgust, He is one of those enemies who sent to spy on them, she was oblivious to this, they were able to achieve part of the expected goal, but why? Why did he choose her daughter? she deceived her and made her love the angelic mask he always wore, she looked more closely for a while not so long as she glimpsed a devilish idea in her head that made her fully aware that she was on her way to achieving her goals, whatever the damage is, it will eventually return to Earth and then everything will be resolved

Chapter 18

Location: Gliza Planet

T he sun shone illuminate the vast palace from the glass windows, In spite of all that quiet and bright atmosphere, there was a loud scream over the palace.

Jennifer stood in her daughter’s room, still wearing her long white dress. she looked at the maid with blame and then she said: “ are you kidding? Where are my daughters?

The maid shakings and the horror runs through her heart as she thinks of her fate if something wrong happened to the granddaughters of the royal family.

“Madam, I heard a loud noise and I rushed to see what was happening. I was only a few minutes away and when I came back I could not find them.” She said,

Jennifer’s eyes were filled with tears when she remembered her nightmare. Maybe it was time to come true or maybe it was a new nightmare, this is her dream at the moment.

The maid was very nervous. Sometimes she was afraid for herself and sometimes she felt sad when she looked at Princess Jennifer.

Jennifer’s sitting on the floor of the room and crying without thinking of any solution, and the sound of her crying gathers everyone in the palace. Victoria dragged her long dress after the gatherings were dispersed at the door of the room. she looked at her daughter, who was still yelling and crying, If not the situation is critical she would scold her for her behavior who is not appropriate of being a princess. she was very upset by the personality of her very weak daughter, so how could she rule a whole kingdom in the future?

“What are you doing here? Come on to your work” Victoria shouted at the crowd at the door.

Everyone was quick to leave, anyway, the news will spread in seconds, nothing hid in this palace. Victoria went up to her daughter and then asked her “what happened?”

Her daughter did not answer her as if she were in another world where her sorrows and pains, Victoria turned her eyes towards the standing maid and asked her the same question.

the maid rushed to respond before the anger of her lady grows: “The two girls .. I went out for minutes and when I returned I did not find them here”

Victoria stared at her with her sharp eyes and then she said “ How did this happen? Where were you from all this? How can you leave them alone? “

her greatest anger was the behavior of her daughter, she called on her guards, Two large men dressed in silver and gold, with a blue cloak and two iron hats of the same color.

She pointed to the maid and then order the guard “Take it until I look what I’m gonna do with her”

after the two guards left with the maid, Victoria went over to her daughter and then pulled her out, after her mother’s long insistence, she stood. she saw her swollen eyes and then said: “Crying without saying anything, is this the reaction of a princess in front of the servants and the guards of the palace?”

“Have not you heard from the maid? they have been kidnapped,” said Jennifer crying.

Victoria pulled her daughter from her arm and sat on the couch and then stood in front of her and said: “Stop crying and start thinking, what we gonna do about it”

Jennifer stopped crying, maybe her mother was right, there was no time to waste, “The most important question, where is your husband?” Victoria said.

Jennifer looked at her mother in surprise “I do not know I have not seen him since yesterday”

“he did it?” Victoria muttered and then said audibly, “I will figure out and you be strong and stop the wailing is useless now”

Without adding a  word to what she said, Victoria went to where her throne and soon she sat down until a guard came to her. He bent the knee then barely said as he catches his breath: “ My lady, one of the guards who have been assigned to follow Mr. Edward has come back”

“Listen very carefully to what I’m going to say and do it exactly,” she said, staring at him with her sharp eyes to add “ first you will send with this guards another group to help them and you will bring Edward and the two girls back here, but that would be without causing any fuss, I do not want anyone to know about their arrival and what is the most important is the girls, bring them to the cellar of the palace, I will be there waiting for you, I dont want anyone to see them, be careful about the secrecy of that”

The guard nodded to her and then asked permission to leave to Perform these commands.

“You will suffer, Edward,” Victoria muttered angrily.

Edward stood next to a huge vehicle that was looking at the orchards on the horizon, sighed with alarm.

he felt a hand on his shoulder, making him wake up from his daydreaming while the other person chose to remain silent

“How many years have we stayed here, John?” Edward said without taking his eyes away from the orchards.

“I think six years I do not remember exactly,” John replied.

“I feel I belong to that place more than I feel to my homeland”

John smiled and then said:” This is because your presence here was like a convalescence while you were on the planet was full of dangers and risks”

Edward shared the smile and shook his head in agreement,. Follow John saying: “The situation here is not so different from the earth, do not forget that everyone is looking for one thing and it is revenge, can you imagine if Victoria’s plans to return to Earth were successful? do you know what’s gonna happened”

“Definitely will not be worse than it is now,” Edward replied.

“It would even be worse, the war of the past will be repeated again and that humanity will be destroyed this time for good by a group of crazy people seeking power and victory,” Jhon said.

“Love, breaks the curse if love spread everywhere and the inhabitants of the earth loved the inhabitants of the planet Gliza as I was able to love Jennifer, peace will come back,” Edward said looking at Jhon brown eyes.

John laughed hysterically after hearing the answer or the joke of his friend and then said “ We are not in a fictional story, my dear, we are here on the ground, who believes in this bullshit, tell me what you have gained from your love for Jennifer, and most importantly it is no longer just a silly love, but the lives of two girls are at risk because of the curse-breaker you are talking about?”

Edward smiled and then said: “Love is not magic but is a medicine heal your pains”

John looked at his friend with disapproval and then said: “I did not know you a philosopher and I did not expect to hear that shit love from you after what happened to you because of that drug sterile”

“Every medicine has side effects” And before John responds with a new sarcastic answer, he saw someone approaches over them to pulls his friend out of his arm toward the vehicle.

“What are you doing?” Edward asked him to hold his eyebrows in surprise.

“No time to explain Come on faster” John is quick to open the door of the vehicle and went up to it.

“I noticed someone approaching,” said John, closing the door.

“But how? This is our secret place no one knows about it” Edward said in surprise.

“I do not know, but all I know now is that we have to leave immediately,” said John, sitting on the driver’s seat and preparing the vehicle for the launch.

While John was busy pressing the control panel buttons in front of him, Edward looked through the window and his hand pointed to something “Look,” he said,

John raised his head looking out the window and his eyes widened in terror as he watched a large group of guards surrounding the vehicle. To hear the voice of one of them “do not move or we fired you”

The two friends looked at each other and there was no point in planning anything, They’re done.

“Edward surrenders and gave us the girls, your plan is over.” The voice came from a guard standing outside.

Edward saw his friend and then said after a long silence: “I will go out with the two girls”

John looked at him in surprise and then said, “Are you kidding me? You can not surrender, they will kill you.”

“I have no other choice and you stay here,” Edward said

“What do you say? I will definitely go with you”

Edward turned to his friend and signs of distress and sadness appeared on his face and then answered him: “ John you are my only friend in this place. If you go with me now and we both surrender to Victoria, then surely we will die and what will happens to my daughters?”

John could not understand what was happening Does he really have to witness the end of his friend without doing anything? Should he put that frightening prospect in his head that he may be the last moments he will spend with his friend?

Edward did not long stare at his friend so much so he steps out with his two children, but John stopped him abruptly: “You will not leave alone and nothing will ever differentiate us and our fate will remain shared”

Edward sighs sadly and as he watches his friend’s insistence. What brings them together is something greater than friendship and closer to a brotherhood. Edward patted his friend’s shoulder and then said, with a miserable smile on his face: “ If you really seek to satisfy me and if you care for my comfort do not come with me or follow me, please John, there is no longer a place in our lives for playing, now  everything has a price”

John was frozen in his place, and before Edward took advantage of his friend’s surrender and step out, he whispered to him: “ please try to keep my daughters away from Victoria because she probably does not want them for something good “ He did not stand up long and did not hug his friend as he was so feared it would get worse.

Victoria sat on the sofa of the damaged room, a small room in the basement with no windows with pale paint and antique sofas. She looked up at Edward, who ignored her presence and then said, smiling:” I always have that wrong feeling about you”

It is certainly a calm before the storm, Edward was in a kind of surprise and some ridicule of the situation and soon he returned to the previous state of disregard.

“But you did not notice that you were dealing with Victoria herself, I’m not Jennifer, “ she said with a bit of irony and then add “ but you know what? Jennifer will be worse than me if she knows what you do, and where you come from”

Edward looked up and then said: “Madam Victoria I am sorry that you and your people have a backward mindes, so much that you can not realize that we all meet under one name,  I am happy to let you know that I am a human being like you, and there are no racial distinctions that you talk about”

Victoria held her eyebrows with disapproval and soon entered into a mad laugh, Edward looked at her with great surprise and she laughs very seriously as if she had seen a comedy play.

She stopped laughing and her sarcastic smile remained on her face and then said: “I do not believe that you are talking about racism and describe yourself as human beings and you are only monsters, Did you know how much Jennifer hated the people of the earth? you certainly do not know, she does not like to talk about it because it is very sensitive to her, You do not seem to know how much Jennifer loved her father who was killed by your people.” She looked at him with her sharp eyes and then raised her fist in his face and said “ she is ready to burn anyone even if he was her husband or even her children, You do not know much she thirsty for revenge”

Edward subside as he turns those facts inside his head trying to reach a realistic and balanced solution, she interrupted his quite “ I had to fix the situation but your stupidity made things complicated, everyone knew your truth and they are demanding to get rid of you and the two children in the most violent ways”

the blood was frozen in his veins as he listened to her words. Was he really wrong? And is it time to pay for that false love? But it is impossible that all these feelings are false!

“And what now,  are you going to kill me and kill your granddaughter, or perhaps you will burn us in front of all the inhabitants of the planet Gliza, and sending the ashes of our bodies to the inhabitants of the earth to feel the pleasure of revenge?”

Victoria looked at him with anger and the fire was burning inside her, she wanted to tell him that this is a small part of her thought of revenge. “Unfortunately, I can not abandon my grandchildren,  they finally carry the blood of the royal family, even if they carry the contaminated blood of my enemies”

Edward turned her words over in his mind, trying to reach something convincing. Victoria the biggest malevolent on the Earth’s people will protect her grandchildren who carry his blood? But is not it normal for everyone to protect their family for whatever the reason?

“So what are you going to do now to protect your granddaughters from the hands of the people of Gliza?” Said after he decided to surrender to Victoria’s words, which seemed logical to him at that moment without knowing the fact that Victoria often goes beyond logic.

Chapter 19

Location: Glaze Planet

J ennifer rushed to Edward as soon as she saw him entering the bedroom and he was clearly exhausted, she hugged him completely unaware, forgetting his absence from her side in her difficult moments, which were then in dire need of him and his support. he hugged her as it’s the last hug he felt her tears flow on his neck he want to cry to may alleviate the pain of his heart, he wished that moment would last and time stops, but all of these are imaginary dreams.

After Jennifer emerged from the state of unconsciousness she said crying:” our two children are kidnapped, Edward”

Before he found a suitable way to respond, someone pushed the door with a force that frightened them. Jennifer turned as she wiped her tears and once she looked at the entrant until the signs of panic and surprise appeared on her face.

“I came to welcome you back Edward,” Victoria said as soon as she entered with a number of the palace guards with signs of frown and anger on her face.

Jennifer looked at her mother’s face and watched her husband’s reaction, which was frozen in his place.

“What is exactly happening here?” Jennifer said, but her mother did not care about answer her and pointed to the guards who took quick steps towards Edward and began to drag him out of the room.

The signs of surprise appeared on the face of Jennifer as she watches the guards pull him out, And once she was able to absorb what was happening in front of her until she rushed to push the guards away from him, She screams at them, but to no avail.

she turns looks at her mother and then said sharply: “Mom, what’s going on? stops them”

“Listen, Jennifer, if you are defending your husband after what happened, this is an offense,” her mother shouted angrily.

“But what did he do? I do not understand anything”

“The heirs of the royal throne were killed by him, my granddaughter was killed,” her mother answered with a crying voice.

Jennifer’s eyes widened and she stared at her mother incredulously. Did she hear that? Or is it in a new nightmare? But in any case, her mind refused to believe in what was happening to her at the moment.

“what do you mean? I do not understand anything, “she said, and then turned her eyes on Edward as if waiting for an explanation. But she did not get any answer from both. What made her heartbeat quicken with fear of this quiet silence, but it soon became serious for Jennifer. Her body collapses.

“mother, please do not say that again, that’s not true right,” said Jennifer her eyes filled with tears.

Victoria looked at her daughter with a look of sadness and felt some pain in her heart at that moment, but Victoria will not allow anything of her feelings to spoil her schemes.

“it’s the truth, this what happened,” Victoria said after her facial expressions relaxed.

“I can not believe it,” she said, shaking her head with disbelief, trying to deny what she had heard with all her senses.

“It was him who kidnapped the two girls and I asked the guards to follow him because he became very suspicious but they lost track of him and then I sent many groups to look for him all over the place and they found him and he was digging a  hole.” she paused a little while her daughter listened to her with interest and her heart beats almost stopped and she felt confused” Then they found the two children dead “

Jennifer body trembled and she held her breath and wished her heart would stop, she turned to Edward and she wished to hear any objections from him, but he was silent, he did not even try to look at her. she approached him in slow steps, she looked at him and the tears running down from her eyes, then she said in a faint voice: “Please speak, say something”

But he did not answer her and kept his eyes away. she raised his head whither hand, forcing him to look at her, looking at his sad eyes she said: “ Just denied what was said about you and I will believe you I promise you”

His heart beat hard and he listened to her words whit no escape from those tears that gathered in his eyes, that sentence, which he wanted to pronounce, required a great power, A mighty strength he did not possess in front of the girl who loves so much and she still trusts him”

“I did it,” he said in a low voice “I did it because I had to” She falls crying as she heard that confession, But how could he? What did he feel when he did it? And what did he feel after that? How can his heart beat after that crime? It must be stone, not a heart, but why?

she yelled at him madly repeating one sentence “Why? Why did you do it?”

She felt that her body was falling apart and that her energy had been stolen from her. She fell on her knees in front of him and she covered her face with her hands and cried.

Victoria approached Edward and then shouted, saying:” tell her the reason you committed this crime of shame and tell her your truth and where you belong”

He silent a little, then said with a voice that was barely heard: “I am from the Earth and the government sent me to monitor things here and send the news periodically, but I fall in love with you and we get married, and then I received a threat from the government to kill my family on the Earth if I did not finish this farce and they ordered me to get rid of the two girls I have no other choice and I can not afford to leave my family “ 

“You coward, how sick you are and you’ll pay the price,” Victoria said angrily and sharply and then ordered the guards: “Take him to the prison until I see what I’m gonna do with him”

Before the guards came forward and took him away, Jennifer got up and said, as she barely pushed herself forward, “Stop for a moment! where did you bury them?”

He lowered his head and then answered: “In our place where we spent time under the tree”

He felt her slap on his face as soon as he finished his sentence but she did not stay standing, she ran out of the palace, heading toward that place that had long been her favorite place.

Jennifer approached slowly and hesitantly towards the hole in front of the tree and her heart almost fell off her ribs, she was not really ready to approach or even believe that truth that her heart and mind refuse to accept this tragedy, But she needed to be sure, questions in her mind as she approached and her imagination fill by horrific images, She took another step and felt as if she was trampling on her heart mercilessly, she fell on her knees in front of the pile of dirt fearfully, Before she started her journey by clearing the dirt and revealing what was hiding, she heard the sound of footsteps and a close movement, only seconds before a large number of guards rushed towards her.

Two guards approached her and pushed her away and she started yelling at them and trying to escape from they grip but to no avail,

“Let me prove to you that my children are still alive,” she cried, trying to push them away with all her strength.

Victoria quickly approached her daughter.

“Stay away from her,” said Victoria to the guards while Jennifer ran towards the pile of dirt but she froze again without being able to remove any of the pile of dirt in front of her, Victoria put her hand on her daughter’s shoulder and then said: “Do not do that, don’t torture yourself”

Her mother’s sentence was like a stab with a sharp knife, she could not hold herself together, and she could not hold her tears any longer, She bent her back until her head settled on the dirt and stuck her fingers  in the dirt, she wants to smell her daughters for the last time, but she only find the smell of dirt.

Her mother sat next to her and then she said with a muffled voice closer to crying: “Enough Jennifer, I can not see you do that to yourself anymore, please, my daughter enough is enough”

Victoria sees her daughter collapsing in front of her. Everything she did not deprive her of her motherly feelings, but in any case, she did not see herself as guilty.

Jennifer stood up and then looked at her mother’s red eyes. This was the first time she sees her mother extremely sad, she always sees her as a strong woman,

she hugged her mother and then she said in her arms: “I can not believe he did it, Mom, I can’t believe”

Victoria’s Facial features changed when her daughter mention  Edward and the expressions of hatred and anger appeared on her face and then she said, “They do everything, they do what you can’t imagine because they are criminals, Listen, Jennifer, I will end that farce.” She silent a little and then took out a gun that she was putting in her pocket, and add “ you will kill him or I will do it myself and this is the least we do to revenge for your daughters “

Jennifer looked at the gun Unbelievable, how she could kill the one who loves so much, her husband? But it is no longer, he has forsaken every vow he ever took, she wanted to strip him of every attribute he had, But it’s not that easy.

Her mother put the gun in Jennifer’s hands and she said: “ he steals motherhood from you, Rob the most important thing you have, and made you live miserably, do you think that death is a lot for him, Or your heart still pity him”

Jennifer suddenly felt angry and furious as she listened to her mother’s words and realized that there was one thing that would extinguish something of her confining and grieving fire, one thing only.

The sense of oppression was burning in Edward’s heart, He could not bear to see his name maimed before Jennifer, he really wanted to shout and admit everything to her, that it is impossible for him to commit such a crime at any cost, He broke her heart with his full mental power, deliberately doing it, He wanted to beat himself to what he did, he shouldn’t listen to Victoria, But he was so serious about his decision to ensure the least loss, He could not act foolishly and there was no chance of risking, But had he chosen the right path? Will he keep his daughters alive in this way? But what about Jennifer’s she will get crazy?

Hear the steps and the voices of keys, Victoria may have come up with other silly ideas, but it wasn’t Victoria, The view was not clear at first because of the darkness in the cell, but as it approached the light became clear, she stood in front of the iron bars while the moonlight revealed her rigid features, It was hard for him to believe that she was Jennifer, she looks like she was in her fortieth decade, everything had a price, and that was the price of grief and pain.

he sees her pain and sorrow for what she suffered because of him, but her looks were terrifying, she was looking at him with looks he had never seen before.

“is your conscience relief at this moment? how do you feel?” She pressed on her teeth in anger and irritation.

He did not answer or even think about her question, he only continued to stare at her in shock, he felt that something horrible is gonna happen.

“How could you do it?” Were your feelings numb?” she shouted in his face.

the cell was quite only the sound of her crying, he was lost in the sea of his thoughts, something inside him cheer and tell him to admit to her no matter what the cost of the price, maybe if he sees her happy his wound will heal a little or relieve him of the internal torment that he lives on, but he wishes things would be that simple.

Did not realize for a moment that she took out a gun and pointed at his head, he was shocked, this must be a nightmare It is certainly a nightmare, how can Jennifer lift the gun in his face or think of something like that?

“Death,” said Jennifer with an angry tone and tears streaming down her eyes. he was watching her hand trembling clearly carrying the gun between her fingers, he felt her fear and hesitation, she still loves me This was what was whispered inside him in the depths of his heart, even if reckless and pressed the trigger of the gun, this is only a moment of anger. He was fully aware of the pain she lived and valued the price of every tear dropping from her beautiful eyes.

“Death is little, very little for you, but my foolish heart is trying to deter me and convince me that it is a lot for you,” she said, pointing to the place of her heart.

“But not this time, it’s all over, and now you’re nothing to me,” she shouted with a screaming voice, then raised her hand, which held the gun.

It was not easy for Jennifer to write that end with her hand, but everything inside her was pushing her to squeeze the trigger with all her might.

Edward was watching her silently. He could only calmly watch his end, perhaps because he realized how far his love had failed from the start. He had fought for long and now he chose to surrender only because he was still under that love.

Jennifer watched his features for the last time, maybe she will keep it in her memory forever after all, those green eyes that failed this time to reveal what they are hiding, she pressed the trigger of the gun and the bullet struck Edward’s head and gets him killed.

Everything was over, but Jennifer thought she would rest after that shot, she was lying to herself, she dropped the gun on the ground to enter into a fit of severe crying that might last forever.

Victoria took advantage of her daughter’s preoccupation, which assured her that she was in a better position to look at the palace vault, she climbed the stairs so quietly to not make any noise might be the two children asleep, she walks through the long corridor that is lit by simple candlelight, until it reached the room at the end. She opened her door quietly trying to avoid the sound of the annoying squeak, looked at her maid, who was shaking one of the girls bed quietly, Victoria pointed to her and whispered to her: “Make sure they sleep and then comes to the next room I will be waiting for you”

Victoria closed the door of the room and then went to the next room, the room was as if it never belonged to the vault, its walls decorated in azure color, which gave the room a pleasant decor, the furniture was a little, with blue sofas and a wooden table in the middle. Victoria sat waiting for the maid and only a few minutes later until she arrived, she asked her to sit on the couch opposite and then she said “After two days I will finish planning how to get to the palace in secret with the two girls then I will send one of the guards to show you the way”

The maid nodded and then said, “But, My lady, I still do not understand anything”

“It does not really matter that you understand every detail, but all you have to do is to carry out my orders for your benefit and for the benefit of all, and because of me, all your dreams will become a reality” the Maid Madeleine looked at her lady in surprise and did not understand what she meant.

the guard’s knocks at the door permission her to come in and as soon as Victoria allowed him to enter until he pushed the door and entered, the signs of tension and fear were apparent on his face.

“My lady, it’s” he silent a little to picks up his breath and then follow “lady Jennifer shot Edward”

Madeline shook as she listened to what the guard was saying and her eyes widened with great confusion, Victoria stood up and it is almost couldn’t believe it, she said to the guard: “did he die?”

The maid watched Victoria’s facial expressions that seemed to be happy “Yes,” the guard replied.

“and Jennifer? she asked, ignoring what happened to Edward.

“I came to ask you to attend because she is in a very bad mental state.” Victoria nodded coldly and then told the guard:”it’s okay, I’m coming”

Chapter 20

Location: Gliza Planet

Q ueen Victoria hit the table in front of her angrily, While she was ready to demolish the palace on the heads of all the inhabitants, she looked very angrily at the guard standing in front of her in horror “how you didn’t see that come in? How did you allow them to escape simply? “

“My lady, It came out of our control completely and we did not expect such a raid, especially since no one knows about this at all,” he said with great nervousness.

the features of the anger disappeared from her face to be replaced by signs of surprise and confusion as if something had suddenly crossed in her mind.

she looked toward the guard with cold eyes and then said as she softened her voice: “I want to see maid Madeleine immediately”

The guard trembled from her request, “ you still standing here, move on.” she shouted order him when she noticed his sudden froze.

Each muscle of his tongue was paralyzed he couldn’t answer, while he realized that there was no solution but to surrender and say what exactly happened. “In fact, the maid has disappeared with .. the two girls,” he said stuttered.

She bites on her lip angrily, her mind also refused to believe that a maid dared to challenge her, and she was quite sure that she had done something will regret it, In Queen Victoria’s dictionary, there is no place for forgiveness or mercy.

“Prepare all the guards without exception, I have declared war,” She said coldly like a deadly storm, The guard goes quick to execute orders but she stops him saying “ I want that maid in front of me alive,” she said, squeezing her teeth angrily and then added, “and in the worst case ... If you can not bring her here kill her, I do not want her alive when the sun rises tomorrow”

The guard starts shaking when he heard what this woman is capable to do.

Madeleine ran with all her strength holding the girl in her arms trying to get as far away as possible from that palace. She stopped and then looked at the man standing in front of her to ask him and the signs of fear and tension appear on her tired face: “What should we do now?”

“We still have a lot to go,” he answered, and he saw the way in front of him trying to estimate the remaining distance to them.

“This is bad, we have to get there quickly, it is certain that Mrs. Victoria has knows what happened, and if we do not arrive soon, her guards will undoubtedly find us”

“We have an hour before we get there,” he said, trying to regulate his breath after a long road of running. there is a small abandoned hut in that forest. We will spend our night there and go out before the sun shines tomorrow,

She shook her head approvingly then keeps walk to arrive as fast as they could.

Madeleine smiled joyously as John preached her arrival. she felt very tired, especially as the movement on Gliza was not as easy as they expected because of the force of gravity that makes them feel more weighty and the temperature fluctuates in a confusing way.

she looked towards the hut, not believe that finally, she would get a small part of rest and reassurance. John opened the door of the dark and old cottage and then lit the lanterns, the cottage, despite its simplicity, was beautiful and very suitable for Madeleine. She wished to stay away from the noise of the palace, Madeleine and John prepared dinner after making sure the two children were covered in a deep sleep, Madeleine sat beside the small fireplace as she heard the rain on the window as John suddenly asked her. “Why did not tell the guards about me and choose to help me escape?”

she looked into his eyes trying to figure out the meaning of his sudden question and then smiled back “I can not really lie and say that I am not afraid of anything and that Mrs. Victoria’s anger does not mean anything to me. I really did not think to risk such a risk and with such a mad queen.”

she answered him after her smile disappeared replaced by signs of despair and sadness once she thought about the whole thing seriously and realized that her fate would inevitably be more severe than death as long as she plays with Queen Victoria. he brought her back to reality when he asks her again about the reason for her sacrifice.

“The obvious reason for my sacrifice is that I am a sensitive person when I heard about Queen Victoria’s plan from the guards I was in a state of shock and asked myself why she does it? To achieve her goal and start wars again, she pressed her teeth sadly and then add “I was in a state of shock which made me look for any way to get away from being part of this job, then I came and by accident, I saw you sneak into the room when I was out. I saw you as a way to survive while I needed only those who encouraged me and helped me to escape and you appeared and then I did not hesitate because living with sin is much worse than death”

When John tried to sneak into the cellar and escape with the two children, Madeleine intercepted his way, and then he only thought that his plan had failed. But instead of stopping him, she helped him to escape with the two children, making him wonder why she was doing this dangerous act without hesitation.

“I really do not blame Mrs. Victoria for her desire to return to earth again, our lives here no matter how long it won’t last forever, I remember when I was a child I was listening to her speeches on the anniversary of our departure from the earth, she was my hero I consider her a symbol of strength and rigidity, But all these ideas evaporated when I knew her personally, “ she smiled at that anniversary and then said, I volunteered to work in the palace and the choice of that job meant forever. I realized how selfish she was, she simply lost her feelings In return the idea of returning to Land on it or rather the idea of revenge “

John was well known even though it came from the Earth that the inhabitants of the planet Gliza have the right to live on the Earth against the will of everyone, but what the inhabitants of Gliza do not know that the people of the Earth does not really know about their existence and that because the authorities hide it completely, He did not want to tell her that,  he had never intended to discuss this matter since he left the earth planet.

“Have you witnessed what happened to Edward?” He asked her in a way that seemed trembling.

“What happened to Mr. Edward was a big part of my decision to flee and I did not witness or even Queen Victoria was no one to believe that Princess Jennifer will kill him herself”

John’s eyes widened in shock so that he almost did not believe what he heard, he felt blood freeze in his veins” what are you saying? You may be confused”

Madeleine noticed the change in John as soon as he heard her words, then she said “ This news spread all over the palace and I was with Queen Victoria when she knows it, I was shocked just like you”

“But why did she do it? she supposed to love him?” Said John, barely holding back his tears that foreshadow the fall, He had some hope and did not expect it to be killed by his wife.

“She is not really guilty. She was also a victim of Mrs. Victoria’s plans, she  fabricated false stories and seem to have forced Mr. Edward to falsely claim that he killed his daughters”

“I can’t believe it, he did not have to trust that snake, but I will kill her. I’ll kill her with my hands,” said John, leaning his forehead on his palm with pain and fury.

Madeleine was surprised by John’s reaction, which seemed exaggerated. She did not know the connection between Edward and John.

“I realize it’s really sad, but what makes you so edgy?” Madeleine asked without realizing the folly of her question at that moment.

“Do you want a normal person to smile when he hears the death of his best friend or is this your normal behavior as the inhabitants of the planet Gliza?” John responded as he looked at her with his red eyes.

The signs of shock appeared on Madeleine’s face, and she scorned her behavior coldly, as John stared at her he suddenly rose from the chair and headed for one of the rooms. A few minutes later John came out carrying a pistol and bullets and then proceeded to put bullets in the pistol in a hurry.

“take care of the two girls until I come back,” he said, and he opening the door of the hut, but she rushed to stand in front of his face before leaving.

“What do you say? If you go, you will never come back. That crazy idea that is going on in your head will kill you,” she said, angrily staring at him. She stood firmly and forcefully but inside her collapsed and her mind assured her that she would fail to deter him from his decision.

“That’s none of your business, get out of my way,” he said as he put his hand on the handle of the door, she felt that she would lose control of the situation and that she would bear the consequences alone, but not before she tried everything she had.

she pushed his hand, which stretched towards the handle, and then cried out in his face, saying,” it’s really none of my business, I do not care about all this and I’ll leave before you and I’m really happy to let you know that your actions are very stray “

He was frozen in his place, staring at her in shock. He did not really expect to scream in his face like this, but she really did. Where was his mind when he thought of leaving the two children with her alone?

she looked at his sad brown eyes and noticed that the storm had calmed down, she said to him, after she had controlled the tone of her sharp voice: “Think carefully, would Mr. Edward accept what you were going to do? Would he like to gamble with everything?”

John remembered the conversation with his friend as he listens to Madeleine’s words but his heart was very painful. he realizes that it is really a lost deal that will not return what was stolen and will not change the predestination.

He stepped back and then sat on the chair staring at the emptiness, feels as if he is powerless or is tied in strong iron chains, Madeleine felt like crying watches John calmly and listening to his troubled breath. she felt the same when she saw Jennifer’s grief over her two children, but she could not say the truth, but rather chose to be silent.

“I kept telling him it was a false love but he continued to resist,” said John with a broken voice.

Madeleine put her hand on John’s shoulder and then she said: “Believe me, it was a true love”

“Do you really think that? Do you see butterflies flying in his sky? You must be kidding” John said.

“Yes, I see the love between them and it wasn’t false,” Madeleine said confidently.

“she killed him by herself, do you realize that fact?” He pressed his teeth in anger.

“I know perfectly well, but you also have to realize that Jennifer suffered so much and that her mother was behind all this,” Madeleine said emotionally, then add, “and do you think she is feeling better now after what happened, it’s even worse “

John continued to stare at her eyes for a short time and then said mockery and a miserable smile on his face: “He was really stupid”

“He was a faithful lover,” Madeline said.

“Maybe you will die in the name of love too,” said John, entering his fingers between the wisps of his short brown hair nervously.

“believe me Sir, John, your friend didn’t die in vain, he trusts you to complete the mission and he chose very wisely,” Madeleine said, trying to remind him of the basic purpose and stop this sterile debate, which is very confident that he is just doubling his pain.

“first stop calling me Sir, I hate that title, he really disgusts me.” John quickly completed his sentence until he held the cup in front of him on the table and threw it toward the wall to break into small pieces of glass.

“he didn’t choose well, he made a mistake, he made a dangerous mistake, I can not go on, I can’t do what he wants me to do” he shouted after he got up, he stared at her with a frown and an angry look as if he wished to destroy her.

Madeleine’s heart was about to stop because of the sudden reversal of his temper at that moment, like a berserk bull.

“I trust you, you can not give in and stay idle. You’re not a coward,” Madeleine said with a steady, strong voice but she feared of his reaction.”

“yes, I am a coward, enough to treat me as a baby, leave me alone,” he shouted at her, then turned and closed the door firmly.

Madeleine sighs helplessly and is unable to act because she has plunged herself into a disaster that will surely lead her to death. Victoria will never have mercy on her.

Chapter 21

M adeleine woke up and head to the toilet, the moment she saw the door of one of the open rooms. It is the room that John spent his night on, he must have gone out. she walked inside the room with hesitant steps. It was a small and simple room but arranged with a wooden bed and a medium sized wardrobe at the corner, she approached the office to check it, organized papers and pens of various colors, she drew her attention to the picture frames, sat on the chair in front of the desk and then took a picture. It was a picture of three children who appeared to be at the age of eight or so. They were standing in front of a beautiful and elegant house that was never seen on the planet Gliza and had a big innocent smile, two boys and one girl, who they are? She takes another picture. she looked hard to confirm the features of the two young men, but did not look too much, she knew who they are. Edward was putting his arm on John’s shoulder and a cheerful smile on their faces. Beside them stood a girl with beautiful and attractive features who could not identify her.

“You seem very curious, “said John, standing in front of the entrance to the room.

he scared her until the frame of the picture slipped from her hands to fall on the office and then said “ You scared me”

He raised his eyebrows sarcastically and then said:” people scare if they know that they are making a mistake or who may Snooping over the privacy of others”

Madeleine’s face was astonished after she remembers her presence in his room and then said apologetically: “I’m really sorry for my improper behavior I apologize”

He looked at her for a few seconds and then said lifting his eyebrows” Do you find it easy to apologize?”

Madeleine was surprised by his question may be trying to fabricate a new problem with her, but she got enough it becomes boring, she noticed the dark circles under his eyes and his weary face. He must have spent a difficult night.

“I’m sorry for what happened yesterday,” he said in confusion after the long silence between them.

she stares at him without answer, she interrupts that silence said in an attempt to be as fun as possible: “I loved your photos very much and I also liked the places where the photos were taken”

John reached and sat on the bed and said: “Yes, on the Earth”

Madeleine felt a strange feeling when she heard the name of the planet Earth. Is it really reasonable to be her native country? She never thought of it, in the end, she is impossible for her to go there, she is just a maid.

“Do you know that I have achieved one of my desires at this particular moment?”

Madeleine turned to look at John, who was sitting on the bed behind her and then said lifted her eyebrows:” What do you mean?”

“I wanted to see the reaction of the inhabitants of the planet Gliza when they see something about their home country and you have achieved that desire”

Madeline raised her eyebrows and then smiled spontaneously and said: “And what did you deduce from this strange desire?”

“You hate him and wish to burn him to get rid of him instead of returning to his arms” Madeline’s smile widened as she listened to John’s conclusion, which seemed to her very logical: “Did you know that you are now telling the truth that most people in Gliza are afraid to say?”

She shared her smile and she was the first honest smile she saw on his face Regardless of the one in the picture.

Madeline caught the picture suddenly and then pointed to the girl standing next to him and said: “Who is she by the way?”

John’s smile did not last long and then he sighed and said “Edwards twin sister”

Madeline’s eyes widened and she returned to check the picture. The resemblance was clear between them. They shared the color of the blond hair and green eyes.

“Is she here with you?” Madeleine Madeleine asked and she was still looking at the picture.

“was,” He said in short without adding any details and then added after he got up from the bed ignoring the ideas that invaded his mind for minutes “I have to prepare some supplies and prepare for our journey and I have to find milk for the two girls”

Madeleine did not quickly absorb the number of things he mentioned, she said: “What journey do you mean? what supplies?”

John recalled that he had forgotten to inform her of his decision, he said with some reluctance: “We have had conversations and forgot to inform you that we must leave immediately”

Madeleine felt scared that the escape journey had begun and that those pink dreams of a quiet life had died before blooming, and then said: “ to where?”

John’s features relaxed and then the puzzling features appeared on his face. “I do not know but away from here, outside this planet”

Madeline stared at him with stupidity and she almost did not believe what he was saying to her, so how would she leave so easily and throw herself to nowhere.

“It’s impossible for me to leave away from here,” Madeleine said emotionally without thinking any more, with one feeling now dominated her and it’s fear.

“But we do not have another solution,” John said.

“I do not really care if Victoria comes here in five minutes, I will not leave”

“we have to leave!” John shouted nervously after he felt he was losing control of everything. He needed her for several reasons, the most important of which was caring for the two children. He was unable to manage such things.

“I will not leave,” Madeleine said defiantly.

John realized that there was no use for anger or shouting. That was her own decision and he could not force her, to come with him.

“I need you,” he said after a long silence. “In both cases, the danger surrounds us. What is the harm of trying, instead of standing without moving a finger or acting and remembering what gonna happened to the two children if victoria takes them”

“You can leave alone, but I will not leave,” Madeleine said ending the conversation.

“So I’ll stay here too,” John replied, and inside him a fear of her insistence on rejection.

Madeleine paused for a moment, thinking and several questions in her head. What was stopping her from taking the risk now? she has already risked and ran away and been involved in all cases, so why refuse to escape if she stays she will lose everything? She chose this route and she must follow the path.

She sighed with a little stunt then stood from the chair and she said as she left the room “I will take care of the children and you start processing what we need for the trip”

John smiled triumphantly when he heard her decision. He succeeded in at least one thing, which was to convince her.

Madeleine went out to see John standing in front of the cottage door and his face showed signs of sadness and distress, he approached the huge warehouse that doubled the size of the cottage in a stable building with a large gate, Take out a key and insert it into the lock that lies under the large iron gate and open it, appeared before Madeleine a huge vehicle that seemed to her a little bit familiar, she saw like it in the yard of the palace, It was oval shaped with two large gray-colored wings and glass windows that did not show what inside because of the sun’s rays, John stepped in front of her and pressed one of the buttons of a controller in his hands and opened the door of the vehicle automatically and then appeared a small staircase door to the floor, John climbed up and she followed him without asking, her curiosity always made her act impulsively without thinking. She had already seen the vehicles but had never entered one, She was amazed as she looked at the endless number of buttons in the control panels. It had four seats, two front seats in front of the large controls and two in the back, he asked her to sit the two children above the two chairs and she did silently, she sat next to him and put the seat belt as he did, pressed a few buttons in front of him to lift the staircase, and then close the door.  Madeleine felt the vehicle rush forward until it was outside the frame of the building and then folded the brace of the vehicle to fly away.

The journey through the spacecraft was not as easy as Madeleine expected. The noise of the engines and the concussion of the vehicle were very disturbing. Even sitting on the seat was not comfortable, Looking at the time remaining at the end of the trip was more disquieting, but at least it would not be on the spacecraft forever. Twenty hours have passed since they left the planet Gliza and, as the screen indicates, it remains ten hours to reach their destination, Madeleine liked to watch the space from the window. Only a few hours ago, she was in a state of amazement. She watched the strange world in a fantastically beautiful way, despite the darkness of the space, but the glow of the stars gave a unique light, but That silence since the beginning of their journey makes her felt very bored, John sits beside her and reads a book without paying attention to her,

She sighed once one of the topics  jumped to her head to discuss with him said: “Are there planets other than Gliza, Kepler and the Earth?”

John was the kind of person who would prefer to read about anything else, especially if he refuses to live in reality, but he gets involved with a curious girl likes to ask questions constantly.

John closed the book he acted calmly against her expectations. “ “No, of course, there are too many planets in space”

“So why drives everyone to favor the earth?” John sighed as he looked on the glass in front of him and then said: “Because the earth is the ideal dwelling for humans and from it we began, and the most important reason is not all planets provide the basics of life, some of them so freezing and some of them are so hot and as you know the most important thing for life is water, no water no life”

“she nodded after feeling that she did not know much then she said: “Are all the inhabitants of the earth knows that”

“I can not be sure, not everyone, but there are few”

In fact, the most important fake information to be imparted to everyone on Earth is that all planets do not provide the elements of life and no human exists on a planet other than Earth.

“I’m pretty sure you talk a lot with yourself without saying anything to me and it’s annoying for one reason that I’m bored,” Madeleine said uneasily.

“Let me also tell you something, you were in that stupid job because of your gibberish,” he said with cold facial expressions that did not seem like a joke to her. She realizes one thing that this person is undoubtedly arrogant and moody as well.

Instead of saying everything in her head, she smiled and said:” not exactly”

“So since you asked me a lot of questions and played the role of the Parasitical, let me ask you why Victoria chose you for that job,” he said sarcastically.

Madeline replied sarcastically: “Maybe the same reason I chose to stay with you”

John was unable to curb the smile that appeared on his face and soon faded away, is the one who started the war with her in fact he had to expect this result, an overwhelming defeat.

“Yes, you are right, you good at a lot of chatter” She smiled and then said with all her energetic spirit: “Completely”

John stared at the screen, which in front of his head with wide eyes widened and then said with tension: “Shit they follow us”

Madeline trembled and the signs of fear and panic began to appear on her beautiful face and then she said, “Who exactly follows us?”

John hit the glass of the vehicle with his fist so angrily that he almost broke it and then said” Victorian guards”

“What does this mean?” she asked him foolishly, trying to evade the painful reality.

“It means that at the beginning of the end they will never leave us alive, and if they leave us, this is worse because Victoria will never forgive us”

She had the desire to cry and she realizes her unfortunate end. She has felt her heartbeat accelerate as she watches the vehicles on the screen as she approaches.

“Listen to me Madeleine, the best solution for the two children is to split up. Victoria cannot reach her goal easily or I hope she never does. I want you to be brave because I decided to leave with one of the girls to Kepler, and you go to the Earth, and I will follow you” He said as he looks at her in the eyes, with features that carry a lot and a lot of feelings.

“I can not stay here alone and I can not deal with the inhabitants of the Earth as well,” she said hysterically, almost unbelievable, and her eyes filled with tears.

John pressed some buttons and pulled his belt off the seat, and approached her then said: “Please Madeleine, you can do it for the safety of the two girls and humanity from Victoria’s hands. I trust you and I have done the automated control system and you will be able to escape from that woman. You will surely find out who helps you on the Earth. Believe me, we are not monsters.”

She shook her head approvingly as she wiped away her tears and said:” do not be late”

He smiled at her and then got up quickly to get out the small vehicle that contained only two seats. He approached Madeleine after he had fitted the vehicle and sat the girl in the back seat, then said: “You’re a really good and strong person,  wait for me to meet again,” he told her before heading toward the rear gate of the vehicle.

She was at that moment not aware of what was happening around her completely did not pay attention to say something.

he carried the sleeping girl on his arms cautiously and headed toward the small vehicle, was very much like a rocket. he opened The roof glass through the console. he put the girl in the back seat and sat down. He opened a small circular exit and then got out separate from the main vehicle.

Madeleine looked through the window as she watched the small vehicle move away in another direction and felt her warm tears wet her cheeks. It is now as alone as it used to be in the most difficult circumstances.

Hours passed and she was on the back of that vehicle Frightened looking at victoria army approach, she was about to reach the planet earth, The screen was shown 20 minutes remaining, she may be lucky and arrive before her Victoria guards catch her,

Several vehicles approached Madeleine’s vehicle and noticed that one of them was approaching wearing a white suit she couldn’t see his face, He only fired a bullet from his gun into the glass and penetrated to her heart, announcing its estimated end, and then moving away.

The pain was spread in her body like a plague and her breath is escalating, she groaned and she put her hand in the place of the bullet and then her body began to tremble, and the pain kills her lean body more and more, as the little baby cried, she closed her eyes in surrender to her hot tears falling on her cheeks, her soul struggles to leave her body. The last thing she felt was the landing of the vehicle on the land and loos its balance.

Chapter 22

Location: Gliza Planet

“W

e killed her my lady,” Said the head of the guard to Queen Victoria who was sitting on her huge throne with her elegant golden dress and her red-brown hair. Everyone was amazed that she had given her throne more value than anything else to be prepared to take care of her elegant appearance under any circumstances.

“And where are the two children, that’s what matters to me?” she looked at him lightly, making him feel confused. He did not really know what he was going to say.

We could not stop the vehicle. It was big and strong and it was also about to enter the planet earth, when we could not stop it we just killed the maid,” he said, trying to keep On the tone of his strong and convincing.

Queen Victoria threw her angry eyes at him after taking a deep breath as if she had not breathed in a long time.

She said calmly after allowing her features to relax but this was not very reassuring to the head of the guard: “Why you did not follow the vehicle to Earth?”

she quiets for a few moments until she screamed saying: “You are useless, you will get the harshest punishments,”

The head of the guard trembled and his heart beats fast with every word she utters. This woman does say empty words and false promises.

“My lady, believe me, we could not,” he said, trying to save himself from the volcanoes of Victoria’s wrath.

“I will burn you alive, you had to catch up with her,” Victoria said, pressing her teeth angrily.

“My lady one of our vehicles tries to follow them but once it entered the earth’s membrane until it exploded and scattered its remnants in space and then we retreated “ she held her eyebrows in surprise and she said: “So how could they enter?”

“I dont know my lady” the guard says.

She sank again in her thoughts and the anger engulfed her. She missed an opportunity that would not be repeated to return to earth. She did her best, but that maid came to spoil everything and all she got as a punishment is euthanasia. She put her head on the palm of her hands after feeling tired of thinking and planning but all her efforts to fails.

Location: Planet Earth

There on the planet of Earth was one of the stories wrote its last lines, Madeleine and the girl was still on the vehicle that was breathing its last breath after it hit the ground and smoke began to come out from it.

Between the tree branches of that forest were two men and a woman walking for the purpose of hunting while they heard a loud voice and felt some of the vibration on the ground.

a twenty-year-old woman whispered to one of the men, saying, “Did you hear this sound?”

“Yes, I heard, I’ll go and see the source of this uproar,” one of them said, staring away as the forest shaded by tall trees.

he was heading towards the source but she stopped him and then said: “Do not go, I have a bad feeling about this, you may get hurt” she looked at him with her eyes scared.

“Stay with your husband and do not worry about me. I’ll come back if I know the source of the sound,” he told her in a reassuring way, as she watched him go through the green trees.

Opened the door of the vehicle He was really surprised when he heard the voice of a little girl crying as he approached the vehicle. Finally, his eyes fell on that little girl sitting on the little chair, he walks towards the place of the chair, to back down and the signs of fear have appeared on his face when he sees Madeline’s dead body, she made him retreat with fear as he looked at her bloody face, her gray dress was covered with a large bloodstain as the bullet penetrated her heart to make her body without spirit,

The young man did not know what to do exactly. He was overcome by feelings of tension and shock to get out his phone with trembling fingers. He called the ambulance and police to come immediately where he was. sent a message to his sister to tell her what happened to find her after a few minutes running quickly whit her husband towards him and the signs of tension appeared on her face.

It did not take long and the place was crowded with ambulances and police cars and they took out the girl and the body of Madeleine.

“What do you know about that vehicle sir..? “ the interrogator Said as he sitting in front of him, looking up at him questioningly.

“Albert, my name is Albert”

“So Mr. Albert I’m all ears,” he said, then looked up coldly at him.

“There is no relationship at all” he simply answered.

The interrogator raised his eyebrows with disapproval and then smiled sarcastically to answer him in a threatening tone: “It would be better for you to really confess quickly and I’m only afraid to get hurt”

“Is this a threat Mr. investigator?” He asked him with mockery similar to his.

The man in front of him tried to control his anger to respond coldly: “You can think of it as you want, but remember that I told you, I also advise you to take the opportunity to confess without losing your dignity in vain”

“Do you want me to confess something I did not commit or even know about, so is this a reward for who doing good? Why should I call the police in something I am involved in?” Albert replied with great indignation.

“Your problem is that you do not realize how serious it is that you have committed it,” the interrogator said as he threw it with ironic looks that provoked Albert so much.

“And your problem is that you really talked to me like a comet, as if I had actually committed a crime, it’s only in your imagination,” Albert replied with a frown.

The interrogator looked at him with terrifying looks and pressed his cigar in the glass bowl in front of him angrily. Then he said loudly “Do you think that such a play might fool the upper authorities as easily as you imagine?” He said as his tone rose from what it was.

“Do I have to admit something I did not commit?”

The interrogator sighed impatiently and then shouted at the officer standing outside to enter while nervously saying: “Take it is useless to talk with him,” he said, directing his words to the officer standing in front of him and then turned his eyes towards Albert, saying: “Do not forget I warned you”

On a high-rise, modern building in a different and contemporary city, The meeting was the most important officials a few minutes away, Before one of the officials set foot in the meeting room, his wife pulled him from his arm and turned to her, wondering what she wanted.

“Do not forget what we have planned for?” she said to him, and her eyes wanted all his senses to listen to her.

He exhaled impatiently and pulled his arm angrily from between her hands and she said to him: “Please Alfred, this is our only chance, please do this for me”

“You ask for the impossible Sandra,” Alfred said, pressing his teeth angrily as he looked at her sharply.

The tears began to sparkle in her eyes and then she said with a shrieking voice “ “Please, this is my only chance to feel the motherhood I was deprived of. You can marry another woman, but I will remain a pariah throughout my life and my heart burns every day to have a child filling my lonely life. This will be my last hope and if it does not happen, I will end my life, whatever you love, you will not be able to live your whole life without hearing your child calling you dad, Believe me, love ends here” She said with a loud voice crying.

He tried not to look at her so as not to weaken but came the tone of her voice crying to move all his senses and break his steadfastness and strength.

“Alfred please look at me,” she said as he pushed himself to look at her without showing his weakness.

“I can not do Sandra, I can not do what you ever want me to do, this will kill me now or later, and no matter how long the day will come when I witness my terrible end”

The hope vanished in her eyes, Sandra lost all the motivation to continue in this life, she walks away from him, while he walked toward the long corridor beside the meeting room and all the officials sat on the luxurious chairs around the long marble table to sit quietly among them.

“There is no need for introductions. You all know why we are together now. You know that we have to find a solution to the scandal that has spread like a disease in the area. This has broken all our concern to hide the topic of life on other planets outside the planet.” Said one of the top officials, who was sitting at the front of the table.

“Mr. Bernald I see that the only solution is to annihilate this rumor by force, we will not lose our efforts to conceal the past from the population on such a trivial subject. You all know how dangerous this is, and we are keen to block everything. But a number of the population, despite the fact that it is one percent of the population, has managed to leave the planet. We do not really know what the future holds for us from other calamities. This is only the beginning. “ George said who sitting next to the biggest officials.

“I do not find violence radically a solution. People will never forget what has happened. This is only the beginning of a new problem,” said another participant.

“We have stopped the people’s rebellion by force. No one will ever dare to talk about it, and if we have to resort to violence with them, there is no problem,” George replied. The evil was flying from his eye,

“Do you want us to unleash the bloodbath and we may write our end with our hands,” one of them said, objecting to what he said.

“so we kill every witness to this situation and with them the girl and so we finish this problem,” one of them suggested.

Alfred listened to the stupid suggestions of some of them, remember what his wife said and remember that she would end her life if he did not do what she asked for and did not really rule out the possibility of implementation of that threat has long been a suicidal and crazy woman in his eyes. he did not forget the image of her two crying eyes and her leaving as a broken bird, and this has hurt him so much. Bernald interrupted his thinking by his sudden question: “Alfred did not hear your opinion of what was suggested, do you have other suggestions? I doubt that your thinking hides a radical solution to our issue”

Alfred turned his eyes towards Bernald while unleashing what he was planning to satisfy his wife and going out with minimal losses. He has no other solution because he loves his wife to the point of madness.

he said as he looked steadily and confidently towards Bernald: “Sir, Mr. Bernald, allow me to reveal a solution that may get your satisfaction”

Bernald looked at him confidently and then said, “We are all ears”

“Why do not we solve the issue peacefully without wasting a single drop of blood? We can silence the doubts of the people and the press and find a radical solution to this problem, so I decided to sacrifice the inclusion of this girl to my small family”

All the audience looked at him with astonishment, wondering about his seriousness with what he was saying, while George, raised his eyebrows with disapproval and then said sarcastically: “Are you serious about what you say, and since when we solved our problems peacefully,”

There were whispers of attendance after George’s question, but Bernard asked everyone to remain silent, allowing Alfred to complete what he had begun.

“I know that you were surprised by what I said, but let me tell you about the rest of my plan, we will say that the women who were with the baby girl were only a maid who was working for me and when I expelled her for special reasons, she retaliated and kidnapped my daughter but she did not succeed in leaving the planet.” He looked at them for a second and then added in a convincing way. “So we shut up people and indirectly warn them not to think about what is outside this planet, especially after the emergence of many insurgents who try to wash the minds of people with their stupid ideas”

Bernald looked at Alfred expressed his satisfaction and approval removed tension a little, but it is only seconds until George stood up and said: “And do you want us to let that girl live among us? We do not even know which swamp comes from,” he said, and signs of revulsion appeared on his face.

“This is a baby girl who is not afraid of whom we can direct as we want and we are fortunate that the young girl who was with her has died,” replied Alfred.

“Say you want the child without fabricating all that naive story,” George replied with deep indignation.

Alfred smiled trying to hide his tension and then added: “It’s up to you. I just suggested, and I really see that I deserve to be thanked for this sacrifice of bringing a child to my family while I can have other children instead of caring for a girl who is not my daughter and knowing very well that no one in attendance can take such a step”

“I think that Alfred’s solution is the most appropriate, “said Bernard interrupting George on the response.

George opened his mouth not to believe and then said with some irony: “How long have we been dealing with this peace, and since when have we dealt sensitively with the satisfaction of the distinguished citizen, what do you think we will offer flights to the two neighboring planets tomorrow? Looks like a great idea and very appropriate for the democracy we’re dealing with, right? “

And soon he ended his sarcastic speech until Bernald looked at him sharply and then answered him with a high voice: “We deal with our problems in peace because we have been unable to take control to the outside world, we not in the past decade, dear, we are here, where things are getting complicated and everything is gradually out of control. do you want to kill us all Mr. George “

George hushes a little and then followed in anger, saying: “These are signs and things are still ...”

“shut up I do not want to hear any other word from you. We’ve decided and ended and if you wanted to complain, leave the place immediately before you faced my anger,” said Bernald angrily, frowning at George with a look of threat and indignation.

George was hoping that the earth would sniff and swallow him instead of the humiliation he had in front of everyone.

All the participants agreed to the proposal of Alfred and praised his intelligence except George was completely rejecting the idea and he murmured, “You will pay the price of this rash decision”

“But Mr. Barnald, what are we going to do with that young man named Albert,” said one of them interrupting.

“Release him,” replied Bernald.

“But Sir he has been tortured in the past two days to admit”

Bernald exasperated and then asked him: “And did he admit something?”

“No, he insists that he knows nothing about it”

“this means that he really does not know anything, release him and give him compensation in an appropriate amount of money”

Chapter 23

Location: Planet Kepler

J ohn opened his eyes and the vision seemed confused before him, He closed his eyes again and then opened them again to make the vision clearer “A worn gray roof.” He wondered in surprise and was not sure where he was. he Tries to stand up to check the place around it but he did not succeed in the first time he felt more weight of his body and the difficulty of getting up, His body was so tired that he felt unable to rise, But again and again of continuous attempts until he was able to summon up his strength and then rise, He was lying on the floor and on his right is a worn-out wall, He moved his face to the left and saw rusty iron bars. He felt dizzy as soon as he tried to remember what had happened to him, he was completely unaware of why he was here in this a dark prison. he saw the reflection of the sun on the rails in front of him, and he turned his face searching for the source of light until he lifted his head a little to see a small hole in the roof, After a period of trying to gather his scattered memories and suddenly a question in his mind awakened remembering “where is the girl?”

He put his hand on his forehead, trying to ease the strong headaches he was going through and he remembers the last thing that happened with him when his vehicle hit the ground, he knew that his vehicle lost control at the landing because it was not prepared as it should, But is Madeleine vehicle also being hit? the anxiety began to sneak into his mind in all respects, but why he worries? Did he worry about Madeleine or the child or his fate of the unknown behind the bars of this dark prison? He did not seriously think of the next step after arriving at Kepler’s planet, but did he put failure and death at the top of his list of expectations?

“My lord, there is an urgent matter,” said one of the servants, lowering his neck down, respectful to the man sitting on his huge throne in front of him, A man in the fourth decade of age with white skin and dark brown hair and a beard interspersed with some white Bristles.

He looked at the servant with a look of indignation and said: “What, Did not this day end and its problems yet?”

“Sorry My lord, but the matter is important, and if it is delayed, it will torment me later,” said the servant, trying to rid himself of this responsibility.

“Well, what happened?” He replied with a sigh

“My lord, guards stand outside waiting for your permission to enter”

“Let them in,” he said after sighing uneasily.

Two guards entered with a woman in her mid-twenties. Her features were not clear, she was beaten and she was barely walking because of the severity of her severe beatings.

“what’s wrong with this woman again” he shouted angrily.

“My lord, her husband brought her here in a hurry and asked you to judge her personally,” said one of the guards.

“I’m not free to deal with his ongoing problems with his wife, get her out of here I don’t have time for this,” he said angrily and his voice echoed around his huge palace.

“she has committed a sin that can not forgive My lord,” said the guard.

He sat down on his luxurious throne with impatience and then said angrily: “Say quickly what you have I do not have time to waste”

“My lord, her husband said that she confesses that her six-year-old son was not his child and he lost his mind he almost kills her,” the guard said lowering his head.

He rose up as soon as he heard the guard and opened his eyes and realized the gravity of what this woman had done.

“Is this true, or are you trying to provoke your husband,” he said, trying to preserve the tone of his quiet voice.

“I am tired of this humiliation that I live among you, between a male government that does not give the woman any rights but oppresses her and denies her rights. I have been robbed a lot and I have nothing to sacrifice for it until my son, too, has not escaped your evil. do what you want to me I’m no longer care” she screamed with a mournful voice.

He looked at her with surprise at her own daring and audacity at the same time, how dare she raise her voice in his presence? His face was red with anger and he felt a volcano inside him about to explode, he walks towards her and whispering to her in words she could barely hear “How dare you to raise your voice in my presence?” and then he slaps her to fall on the ground.

“I will make you a lesson for the others, I want to know who is the father of this child?” He said to her with great anger.

She was feeling the pain in her face, but he did not hesitate to bend and pulled her from her long hair to stand against her will.

“Say before I finish your life immediately,” he said angrily.

She received his words coolly regardless of his threats, she no longer afraid death, to say to him indifferent: “ do what you want I’m not afraid of you”

“No, my dear, I will not kill you so easily, I will kill your child, who did not fear for his fate in front of your eyes, and then I let you live in humiliation to taste bitterness every day,” He said and smiled and then added “you wont die, I will protect you from death”

It was only a few minutes before two guards entered with John.

“welcome the stranger” Emperor Joseph laughed mockingly as John stared at him in surprise.

The voice of the woman interrupted the meeting, who was looking at John as if she had found her what she looking for to say, “He is ... that man ... he is John”

John looked at the voice that spoke his name and was familiar to him, he stared at the stand in front of him to distinguish the real features behind the beatings to whispered faintly “Ellen”

Emperor Joseph smiled and then said sarcastically, “Finally the lovers meet”

John looked at her in disbelief, he tried to deny her, while Joseph interrupted him by asking Ellen, “Is this the father of your son?” She shook her head approvingly.

He looked at her eyes asked her to retreat from what she had said, perhaps he would survive the disaster, but she insisted on what she said as if to make him pay for his leaving.

“You are the father of her son, so you returned to your destiny with your feet? have you longed to see your sweetheart and your son? And you have thought with your naïve thought that you will find them waiting for you and they will celebrate on your return” He said sarcastically to add “But we did the duty and brought your sweetheart to meet you.” He laughed hysterically at John.

“That’s a lie. I do not know this woman and I do not know what you’re talking about,” said John, trying to deny his calamity.

“Look at me well, do not you know who I am, if you do not recognize my deformed face, do not remember the tone of my voice that I claimed you would not forget, we were married before I deported to the planet Gliza, I asked you to tell Mrs. Victoria about our marriage, but you divorced me and then gave up on me”

“I do not remember you and I do not know you,” He said angrily, trying to deny this relationship.

“You forgot your words, or did you think you were playing a game, and then you throw your naive words and claimed that you did not know me or you forgot me, I know you more than I know my self,” she said crying.

He did not love her but she is the one who loved him, and he gave up on her love easily, and now he pays the price dearly, she lied to him and hid her choice to go to planet Kepler then he divorces her and disappeared.

“I’ve heard enough of you,” said Joseph, his sarcastic looks at Ellen, to add “Take her to the darkest prisons of the palace where she does not even get sunlight. I would send you to the planet Gliza to receive your punishment there,”

She was dragged by two guards from her arms amidst her resistance and screaming in the name of John trying to move something inside him to saves her from her black future, But what is she waiting for? To stand in front of a mighty man like Joseph in the name of love, which he always felt the absurdity of this word,

John felt hurt and pain, Whatever his feelings for her, his conscience scolds him to what happened to him because of his bowing to her love, which made her believe that he would be the knight who saved her.

The door suddenly opened to see a pretty young woman with her pink dress and her long hair,  But the young woman did not take much of his time to stare at her until he knew her from the very beginning. “She is no doubt her” he whispered to himself, no doubt that she was Eliza the sister of Edward, she has the same features of her innocent and beautiful brother, but how he did not find her, he always searching for her. How does he find her and she lives with the emperor of this planet? Something he never thought of.

“Dear Joseph, what’s wrong with that woman again?” She said, raising her eyes to the man standing in front of her.

he Approached her mesmerizing beauty and then said: “Do not worry about it my love, just a trivial subjects do not deserve to take your thinking”

The scene for John was disconcerting. Is this what Eliza had aspired to reach after she abandoned her brother, who almost lost his mind after her absence?

Joseph looked around at John who was still staring at them and then said sarcastically: “ and you, my dear guest, I will send you to the planet Gliza again, Victoria will be happy”

“Where is the girl who was with me on the vehicle?” He asked him, ignoring his threats.

Eliza looked at the source of the voice behind her. She did not notice his presence when she entered and was stunned by the shock when she got to know the features of that person, her reaction was similar to John’s when he saw her, she turned her eyes away, ignoring his presence, she did not want to expose herself.

“I do not want to discuss you at this moment. You spoil my moments of happiness. The moon has appeared in broad daylight and I can not miss the opportunity,” he said as he fixed his eyes on the beauty standing in front of him.

“take him back from where you brought him. I have businesses now and later I’ll think about it”

John opened his eyes in the dark and felt a close movement. He did not really sleep, but only closed his eyes, trying to draw a little energy and get some rest. “It’s Eliza.” he was shocked to see her in front of him, did not expect her arrival or maybe she came to make a deal with him to not expose her, she was wearing the same dress with the same look and with each step she approached, his thoughts were growing.

She approached the iron bars and then took a deep breath as if preparing herself for a sharp discussion. “Why did you come here, John?” She said the tone of her voice bore a bit of reproach.

“A really good question,” he said sarcastically, and inside he was burning with pain and anger,

“John, I have chosen my way and will live my life as I wish, as you and my brother have chosen your way.” she was silent a little but he did not answer her. He was drowning in the sea of his dark thoughts until she interrupted his silence. “How could you do this? Is this what you have chosen for yourself? “

He looked up at her and he held his eyebrows in disbelief and then replied sarcastically:

“are you really asking that?,” What have you chosen for yourself, to be the beauty poppet for that idiot? “Is this really what you were hoping for? I can’t believe” she unable to respond, he was right to what he said, but her pride always makes her refuse to admit her mistake, In order to refuse life on the planet Gliza, the bitterness was waiting for her on the planet Kepler. She was forced to cheat Joseph and make him marry her, but this does not deny that she is still a toy for him at any moment will throw her when he gets tired of her beauty.

she tried hard to change the subject and for a moment she remembered her brother Edward, how is he after she left him? She wanted to know how is he doing after she left and she was really want to see him, she said hesitantly” how is Edward doing? She knows that her question is very naïve. It has been days and months since she left, and she never tried to communicate with him”

John stared at her with his brown eyes twinkling, did not wish to reach that question. He was puzzled at that moment and did not know what to do. to tell her or not?

After she felt his silence had long she asked him: “Do you fight again? you need to stop these childish movements”

he almost cries when he heard her words, and the memories of their childish quarrels came back to him,

“John spoke your silence kill me,” she said to him in a trembling voice and then stretched her thin arm through the iron bars to put her palm on his shoulder trying to urge him to speak.

he found that no escape from the truth and that it is his duty to tell her reality without lying, how long will remain ignorant of what happened to her brother?

He looked up at her with sad features. “Your brother Edward” a little silent and said “ died about a week ago”

The last words were enough to make her stand like a fetus without moving a finger, she was only her eyes moving, to smile with sad eyes: “John you say this to make me feel guilty, right? Edward is okay but you angry with me.” she kept silent, searching for an answer behind John’s eyes

“Say anything but do not say this. Please, I’ll do what you want. I’ll go back with you now to ask Edward for amnesty. Okay, do not worry, he’ll accept my apologies quickly,” she said with a muffled voice, but he did not answer her, making her crumble in front of him, putting her hands on her face...

“Please do not say this, John please,” she cried, and then followed “do not joke with me, do not do this to make me confess my mistake. I’ll confess please” She was begging him.

“I wish it was a joke,” he said to her, only enough to make her believe that her brother and everything in her life had gone forever without return.

“Eliza” he whispered to her trying to get her out of her state of mind, but she did not look up at him unless she noticed his whispers she thought he would reverse what he said she was waiting to hear what he had to see the sudden widening of his eyes and his steps back and then the sound of bullets to resonate strongly in The dark prison, Eliza looked at John, taking his last breath Then she screamed with horror, “John.” she turned behind her to find out the source of the bullet and found Joseph with his long stature watching her with terrifying looks, she start yelled out, “John, John, do not leave please, do you hear me?”

John was taking his last breath, trying with all his effort, using all the energy left in his exhausted body to answer Eliza but he couldn’t. There is something important that he should say to her, words that should say no matter what it costs. Among her screams, she heard his last whispers “Edward .... the girl”. These words were not enough to make her understand exactly what he meant.

“Did you think I was so stupid?” Joseph said smiling.

Eliza sitting in front of him, her eyes were swollen with tears, and John was shot dead and left alone to face Joseph’s wrath, he was like a madman after finding her with John in the middle of the night, believing that there was a relationship between them and that she tricked him all the time, dragged her hair around the palace under the eyes of everyone, humiliated her and did not leave in her body a proper part of beatings and bruises.

“You are very stupid because you thought these false claims,” she shouted angrily.

“How dare you scream at me?” He shouted in her face, staring at his red eyes with fear.

he tightens on her neck, She felt her last moments alive under his screams and his voice, which he hated so much and became a nightmare for her.

“His looks at you and your looks at him expose you, and you think I’m stupid, “ Joseph said while she shed tears and closed her eyes trying to ease her pain, she hoped then if she really died in his hands.

He looked angrily at her and she was quiet in his hands without moving a finger, releasing her neck from his grasp. She put her palm on her chest and tried to take a deep breath, she entered in a fit of crying while she attempts to breathe.

Before you learn how to cry, learn that you shouldn’t play like a snake behind my back,” he said harshly and add “ I have honored you and submitted to your request for marriage, and you bite the hand that has been feeding you?

she looked at him with teary eyes, “My relationship with John is not as you think,” she shouted with a muffled voice and then added, “He is a friend of my brother and I went to him to ask about my brother, but he told me that my brother had died a short while ago,” she said. and the same bout of crying came back to her.

Approached her with burdened steps as her heartbeat increased with each step, He stood before her and then leaned toward her to raise her face towards him and then said in a faint tone “Are you trying to make lies to save yourself from punishment?”

she saw the luster of his blue eyes with despair, it is hard to believe her.”I swear to you that’s the truth and this reason when you came I was crying madly”

He stared at her eyes, trying to assess the credibility of her words from her eyes. Her looks were honest to him. He had acquired many experiences that made him know whether the person in front of him was honest or lying.

“why you didn’t tell me about your brother before?” He asked miserably.

She stutters a little bit, she became afraid that she would say something could kill her and then said in a semi-static tone: “ I didn’t find a good time to tell you and I was trying to forget him because I know that he hated me when I emigrated and came here”

she felt an indescribable feeling, the sense of freedom that she loves, as he cut off the rope from her hands, despite its surprise and discomfort, she did not allow those fears to spoil that feeling of freedom.

He returned to stand in front of her and she had glimpsed the glances of happiness and doubt at the same time in her eyes to say “I have released you now but things will not be the same again before I make sure of everything and until then you will stay in your room and under observation and you will obey all my orders without objection, I will send a maid and a nurse to help you heal your wounds, change your clothes and then go to your room I do not want more scandals”

He said his last sentence and then turned his face, but Eliza interrupted him without thinking: “Joseph” she said his name with a hasty rush.

He turned towards her, surprised by her daring to call him in his name, as if nothing had happened, had she thought that he would return to treat her as before just because he gave her freedom.

His eyes staring towards her without asking her why she was calling him, so she decided to take the risk and ask “What are you going to do with the girl?”

He raised his eyebrows admiringly and then asked her trying to lure her: “what girl?”

Her eyes twinkled as she understood what he was aiming for, but she was encouraged to utter “The girl who was with John”

Eliza looked at him with tension and began to sweat perspiring from her entire body followed by the trembling, she has been afraid to lose her freedom again and she just got it.

“why you care with what I will do?” He said in an angry tone to add “unless it belongs to you?” He smiled a sly smile and made her realize that she had fallen back on his madness and anger.

he noticed her tension and her eyes fell on her trembling hands and approached her and lifted her hand, feeling the coolness as if he had caught a snowy piece in his hands.

“why you are so tense and tremble? all the signs of fear on you?” He said as he stared at her eyes,

She took a short breath with difficulty as he prepared for the lava of his burning anger and then answered in a low voice: “it belongs to my brother, I do not know what is the relationship between the two, but John recommended me off her,” and then she silent and felt that she could not speak more as he stares at her.

“and what?” He asked her maliciously, waiting to hear her next lie.

she takes a deep breath then completed: “The girl is very young not more than a few weeks old and I was with you in the previous period, how I gave birth to her” she threw her last paper trying to rid herself of Joseph’s doubts.

Joseph thought that he did not see the child and did not know how old she was, so he could not be sure that she was saying the truth” and then say “What is required of me?”

“Please do not hurt her and do not send her back to Gliza, I did not do anything in my life for my brother, I want to do one thing for him and I do not ask you to let her be with me, but just let her be safe where she lives a normal life,” she said with her sincere words that emanated from her wounded heart, which suffers from remorse and sorrow.

He tried to make a quick decision about her request and then thought that there was no harm in keeping her alive, especially as she is a girl and they suffer from lack of females and that she is a baby who can raise her as he wishes and wants. but The idea of bowing to her requests was bothering him, he presses his teeth angrily and said “I will not hurt the girl, but put in your head that if I find that you trick me or play with your tail with me and betray me,  you will live your last days in hell”

She was terrified but she did not say anything as she watched him leave the place.

Chapter 24

Location: Planet Earth

Time: 19 years later

S he walked down the stairs towards the dining room, where her mother waited for her to prepare a delicious breakfast. She sat quietly beside her mother eating breakfast.

“Where is my father? Is not that supposed to be here today?” Violet told her mother

Her mother smiled and then said:”He’s here but lazy like you”

Violet laughed and then said: “What are you doing? You have to be patient with your husband and daughter”

“Yes, unfortunately,” she answered while interrupting them the arrival of the head of the family.

“Good morning,” he said, then sat down.

“Finally, Alfred woke up, you and your daughter beat me up,” said Sandra.

“You know my work a lot and I became old but when I was young I do not remember that I was lazy as your daughter,” he said sarcastically,

“You are not old, you still young, and Violet is also tired. and I’m just tired of awakening you every day.” she smiled, trying to change the subject.

“Do not try to justify your daughter’s laziness and irresponsibility even though she is no longer a child and you still hold her responsibility until this moment,” Alfred said.

Violet got up and pulled her bag and went out angrily, “ I’m late”

Sandra stood sadly watching the closed door in front of her and the sound of his closing still lingered on her ears. She returned where her Alfred sat while he was completing his breakfast indifferent to what had just happened.

“Alfred, please stop bothering the girl,” she said annoyed.

He lifted his head from the plate in front of him to face her glowing eyes with sadness and anger at once and then say coldly: “I do not bother Sandra, then it’s enough to treat her as your pampered child”

“This is not the first time you treated her like this, and this attitude is not the only thing that made her come out so angry,” she said, as her husband’s voice became firm.

“Listen, Sandra, do you remember nineteen years ago when I succumbed to your silly request to keep that girl among us? Do you remember how much I was skeptical about that stupid suggestion? what do you want more than that?” He said, tapping his teeth angrily as Sandra swallowed the shock and she stood staring at him without speaking.

She got up from her shock and angrily raised her voice:” you ruin my happiness, what do you want from me? Just stop bothering her, stop bothering my daughter”

He grabbed the front of her arm and pressed it, saying: “This is not your daughter, Sandra.” he shook her arm madly. “She is not your daughter and will never be your daughter, you didn’t give birth to her, And no matter you heard the word mom from her mouth will not change the fact that you’re sterile Sandra.”

This was the first time that she heard these words, and he did not realize what his tongue was saying to her and that his anger brought him to smash her heart into scattered pieces. That damned word was ringing in her ears to kill her “sterile” Hear it come out of his lips, it was like when the doctor said it more than twenty years ago to frighten her and pull away everything related to happiness.

stood staring at him with empty eyes and as soon as she managed to escape from the bars of that shock until she freed her arm from his hand insanely and shouted at him crying: “Why do you do this to me? Go and live with your wife, who married her like a machine to have children, I did not force you to live with a girl who is not your daughter, go where your children go, I do not want to see you.” She turned her face and her crying rise with her heavy steps.

“Sandra, wait, I’m sorry I did not mean I do not know what’s I’m saying,” he said as he woke up from the coma of his anger that made him unconscious.

He looked at her as she was crying and he understood the folly of what she had said and how immoral and merciless she was to tear her with those words and to burn her wound that could not be healed.

Approached her and hugged her with his apologies and then whispered to her, “I promise you that I will treat her better and that I will not repeat that vicious rhetoric again”

she sat in the cafeteria of the university on one of the big tables in the place with a group of friends who were the source of the noise in the place. She put her hand on her right cheek. She was upset by her friends’ talk about their summer vacations.

“My vacation was fantastic and very imaginative, my father has prepared a special place for us, can you guess “ Angel smiled at the people sitting around her.

“We can not guess, the places are all the same,” said Jack.

“Well, I will not bother you with thinking, he has discovered a beautiful island and he buys it and spent months preparing it for us. He created a place we had never discovered before and we had the most beautiful vacation ever, “said Angel proudly, while Violet a smile of irony over her face.

Angel noticed the ironic looks on Violet’s face and in all the faces around her had the same sarcastic expressions, Angel’s face get red from the anger, but as usual, she took a deep breath and tried to embarrass Violet saying “and you Violet, what about your vacation.” she said then raised her eyebrows in an attempt to mock her, But Violet answered her in the same arrogant way “Actually, my friends I have been fed up with this planet in general and asked my parents to spend my vacation on another planet you know everything here is boring and I never accept this and so I spent the most beautiful vacation ever” Violet smiled to Anjel sarcastic of her absurdity as the sounds of laughter filled the place.

Angel pulled out her chair angrily. Then she screamed at Violet, saying, “make fun of me as you wish, but you will regret your ridiculousness, and remember who laughs much, cry much” she throws her words and a look of anger above her face, which carried angelic features like her name, but she was never from the inside.

Violet was very popular among her colleagues and everyone loved her and liked her fun except for Angel, which she always hated because she overwhelmed her popularity and embarrass her in front of everyone because of her arrogance.

Angel placed her key in the door lock and pushed it in. She murmured curses in a slurred face and as soon as she entered, she finds her father’s face sitting on the sofa of the luxury living room.

“What is wrong with my spoiled angel? It seems like you in a bad mood today,” he said and a smile of love on his face.

“I’m fed up, I’m really fed up, Dad,” she yelled.

“Come on, sit down my love, to hear the whole story, and then put my anger on who made my angel so angry,” he said, pointing to her sitting on the couch in front of him.

She threw her body on the couch in front of her exhausted and threw the keys to her side.

“Come on, tell me, who bothered you that much?”

“And who else dare to disturb me,” she said, and evil flies from her eyes.

“Is that the girl again,” he said, wondering, and the anger began to creep into his body slowly.

“Yes, she has ridiculed me in front of everyone with her silly words,” she said angerly.

“I talked about our vacation, so she made fun of me in front of everyone with her sarcastic looks and when I wanted to embarrass her by asking her about her own vacation, she said sarcastically that she spent her vacation on another planet because she was tired of this planet,” she said, anticipating her father’s emotions with each letter.

“Did she really say that?” He said coldly.

she shook her head confirmed what made him laugh hysterical high while watched by his daughter surprised: “What’s so funny?”

“This girl is silly, she does not deserve to be angry for her, I will act, do not worry, I promise she will not be exposed to you again, I am ready to burn anyone who angers you.” He ends his conversation with his younger daughter and within him, the threats grow nonstop.

“come on Mr. George, Mr. Bernald, is waiting for you in his office,” said the secretary, to the one who sits on the bench waiting.

George straightened up and then headed toward Bernald’s office. He knocks the door until he heard “enter.” He opened the door and walked toward his office, who sat in his chair, Drowning in the papers in front of him. The silence did not last long until George said, “I want to talk to you about an urgent matter.”

“what do you want to say?” Bernald said he was trying to control his nerves.

“I want to talk to you about that girl,” George said.

with an angry face, Bernald said: “This is what you want to talk about, we have talked about this more than a hundred times, do not be bored and never tire, George!”

“If you know what she said, you will understand very well why I always talk about the dangers of that girl, the water runs beneath us, we lose control here and you do not rule out finding yourself suddenly without a job,” George said.

Bernald’s eyes widened with shock “George does not play with my nerves. Speak immediately and without introductions. you know exactly what the word ‘anger’ means to me,” said Bernald, making George, who stands cold in front of him trembling, fully aware of the results of the Bernald eruption, a volcano that foreshadows its lava before the great tragedy and deadly explosion.

George woke up from his thoughts after realizing that the volcano would explode in his face just before he uttered: “she hints about other planets in the galaxy”

“What do you mean by hinting?” He asked him without looking away from the person standing before him.

“Listen to me Bernald, you know it’s eccentric girl, along with her fame and many of her followers, so throwing a joke like this only means the beginning of the road to an unknown place. she told my daughter ironically that her father had prepared a special planet for them to spend their vacation because they were bored of planet Earth “

“and how do you know is that rue not a game of your daughter’s most Prestigious games,” he said sarcastically.

“Bernald, my daughter, does not know anything about this, and if she wanted to create a problem, why would she choose this joke herself? You have the freedom to believe or denied, but you can ask your son he has been there with a group of colleagues, But remember when things turn on your head that I alerted you” He said then he went out leaving Bernald swimming in his thoughts.

George successfully managed to shock Bernald in a frightening way. he summoning Alfred without thinking of asking his son about the truth, it would not be in George’s favor to lie about these things, even though Violet’s statement was really a passing joke to disparage Engel, But she played on the sensitive strings and creates doubts about her.

Alfred’s entered the office, as long as he was the best of the best officials, and Bernald trusts his choices and his right decisions. Alfred saluted Bernald and then pointed to him to sit.

“You know that I trust you of all human beings and I also hold your responsibility,” he told him without any introduction.

Alfred’s silence listened to the words of the Bernald without knowing exactly what he meant.

“You know exactly the biggest responsibility and confidence I give you to raised that unknown girl,” he said, throwing him with looks that were meaningless to him.

“What’s wrong with Violet?” Alfred asks him.

“I’m afraid that girl manipulates us and knows very well what it means to carry out a small part of her malicious manipulation,” he said, looking at Alfred with indirect threats.

“What did she do until you discovered those suspicious facts?” Alfred answered him coldly,

“she says jokes about other planets, You will tell me just a joke and random words I will tell you that’s just the beginning and we do not know what’s coming, especially since it’s a bit suspicious from the start.” A bit of silence and then continue sharply, “When something happens that hurts me, and the calamities fall over our heads, you will get all the blam.”

Alfred’s eyes widened and the lava of the angry rage ignited within him, leaving a feeling of distress about the humiliations that were directed at him.

“What is required of me?” He responded calmly, hiding behind a devastating hurricane.

“Remember that you take responsibility and of course I will leave you to take action that you appropriate but this situation should not be repeated again,” Edward replied firmly,

Alfred entered his house like a demon, burning with anger as if he were about to burn all around him with the flame of his burning anger. he pushed the door hard while Sandra arranged the dishes on the dining table. She prepared tasty food, lit several candles, and play quiet music that rang through the house, he could not see all that because of his anger, and he set off at lightning speed to climb the stairs toward the Violet room.

Sandra followed him to the door of her daughter room, her eyes wide with astonishment, and she shocked to what she sees. The glass was scattered all over the room and the sheets were scattered in the air. Alfred must have filled his anger with the chaos he caused.

“what are you doing Alfred? are you lost your mind?” she said to him as he was ripping out Violet’s books.

“it’s not your business, do not come close to me or you will get hurt,” he said, and the evil flies from his eye so much that Sandra fears him at that moment.

“Alfred please tell me what’s the matter? Why are you so angry?” She tried to calm him down as much as possible, she always used this method with him when he got this anger.

“Do you see those books?” He pointed to Violet’s undergraduate books on astronomy, to add “ This is what corrupted her mind, I told you that she should never enter this class,” he said and then continued to tear the rest of the books.

“you’re the reason, you’re the reason for everything?” He muttered as he tried to tear the cover of the book, while Sandra doesn’t believe what happened, must be her worst nightmares.

He suddenly smiled madly and stopped tearing books to ask Sandra, “Do you love her a lot? Do you love her more than me? I’m your life companion, I love you so much “ He approached her and then shouted, “Why do you love her more than you love me? Why should I love her for you? Why have not take care of me since she entered this house? Why did you want to commit suicide because of her? “ He said as he almost crying.

Sandra finally realized that Alfred was jealous of Violet from the beginning and that was why he hated her, but she also tasted the bitterness of jealousy when he goes marry another wife “And I also tasted that bitterness when you get married and spending nights with your wife at least I love Violet as my daughter, you should be happy to see me happy, or do you want everything for you? “

He smiled sarcastically and then answered: “I wish I could see your jealousy, I wish I could see jealousy burning in your eyes as before, but I only saw your love for Violet, you not interested in anything and does not matter if I get married or not”

Sandra wants to rebuke him but Violet’s presence made her shut up, Violet was looking at her room in astonishment “What ... what happened here?”

Alfred walked and stood opposite her, watching her with a look of exasperation, He tried to hold back his anger: “I do not want to see your face, go to the spare room and I do not want to see you”

Violet looked at him and then towards her mother in surprised trying to find out the cause of the quarrel and what it has to do with her, but her mother interrupted her thoughts and then said with a smile and affection above her face: “honey, go to the room now we will talk later”

“Not before I know what happened here, look at my room it’s been destroyed,” she said angrily as Sandra trying to silence her a little before Alfred’s timed bomb exploded in her face.

Alfred angrily put his hand on her shoulder and said: “I told you to go to your room immediately before you regret” Tightened his grip on her shoulder in a way that hurt her.

“Stop giving orders me, what do you do but hurt me with your poisoned words?” My room was destroyed and you want me to follow your words like a drama doll. “She said, then she screamed “ in your dream “

Alfred raised his hand to strike a hard slap on her cheek, make Sandra stood between him and her. “Alfred that’s enough,” Sandra said, then took Violet’s hand to reach the room before a real calamity was resolved. Violet was crying so hard.

Chapter 25

Location: Planet Kepler

S he pulled the arrow back, Taking the right spot to launch, once she ready she launches the arrow to moves in the lightning speed and hits the target, she raised one of her eyebrows defiantly and looked at the young man standing next to her, there was a cynical smile on her face and before she began to boast of her excellent shooting abilities and make fun of the young man’s skills he said smiling after he announced his surrender to her skills “You’ve become better than me”

“Next time do not underestimate my abilities or I will hit your head instead of that bird,” she said,

“It would be hard to find anyone who would bother me if I was chosen to go to Gliza,” he said, with a big smile in his face.

“Do not be afraid I may be chosen too and I will continue to bother you forever” 

He smiled sarcastically this time and then said: “You are dreaming, do you think that Joseph will send a girl to the planet Gliza and he replaces us with women”

“Do not say this Thomas, I’m not like the rest of the girls, just look at me,” she said, pointing to herself, denouncing what he had just said.

“Yes, you cut your hair like boys, you wear clothes like boys, and you are even stronger than many of them, but let’s be realistic Erura, you are a girl in the end,” Thomas said seriously that he knew exactly Joseph, his intentions and his own plans.

“Do not say this, Tomas, that bothers me,” she said angrily refusing everything he said.

“It’s true that you did not raise like the rest of the girls, but believe me this does not change the reality at all”

“You speak as if Joseph is my enemy, he is like my father Thomas,” she said annoyed and then sat on the root of the cut tree opposite her.

“don’t trust him, the appearances it’s not always the truth,” he said, warningly, that her thoughts were confused.

“Well, do not say silly words, Thomas,” she said, smiling, trying to change the subject into a joke like usual and at the same time she did not want those thoughts penetrating her head.

While she was trying to fill herself with a view of the forest, she glimpsed someone on the other side of the forest, He was a tall young man with light brown hair, she had seen him before but did not know where. she asked Thomas, pointing to him “Who is that young man?”

he turns his eyes towards what Erura pointed out and then answered after trying to check his features and did not take long to realize his identity, to said: “ I think that Leonardo was with me in one of the training groups, he is very eccentric and very introverted.” A little silence and followed: “It does not appear much and everyone avoids him in general.”

Erura saw his arrow, which started to hit the bird at lightning speed, and it did not take long before he hit the next bird.

“See how he hit two birds in a short time, it’s even stronger than me” Thomas gave a funny laugh and then said sarcastically of himself and of Erura “Do you think all men are as weak as me and you are the strongest at all?”

“I’m not weak, but I’m stronger than you and did you challenge me to defeat him.” She raised her eyebrows and then nodded to walk towards him, but Thomas stopped her holding her arm and then said, “Wait”

“did you scared that I will win the challenge and defeat him, one defeat is sufficient today, right? “ Thomas laughed and then replied, “I’m sure he can break all the bones of your body, do not trust yourself so much, he is very strong”

“And how do you know is so strong?” She said with a muffled frown as she held her arms in front of her chest.

“I told you that he was with me in one of the training groups, and my friend tried to provoke him but he starts to hit him until he almost broke the bones of his whole body, we were all surprised at the time and since then and everyone Fear him “ Thomas said as he stares at him.

“Why is this so? There must be some reason for such behavior” Erura said.

“It happened a very long time ago, nineteen years ago, I think, he was only 6 years old when the news spread that his mother brought shame to everyone and that happened after she confessed to her husband that her son was not his real son and since that time he was so homeless, looking for a way to see his mother again.”

Erura looked at him with interest, waiting for him to complete the rest of the story “But it is said that his mother was imprisoned in the most dangerous prisons ever and is also said that she died a long time ago, but he still wants to sacrifice anything to find her”

Erura returned to look at him and something of sadness penetrated her heart, he suffers a lot and he is ostracized by all and the circumstances have forced him to be so.

“I see him coming here a lot and training alone, “Thomas said.

“Why do not they let him see his mother for once?” she said as soon as that question jumped to her mind.

“You really have to ask Joseph,” he said with a smile mocked her thoughts.

Erura is upset. She is annoyed by Thomas’s irony about her relationship with Joseph. He is always trying to tarnish his image, she received from him the care and the secure, he orders the training center officials to give her special treatment, she was known that she was a foundling who came from a place where no one knew and yet made her grow up on Kepler’s planet.

She stood up angrily as she looked back at Thomas’s sarcastic looks and found herself shoot a powerful punch at him, only to be amazed by her mad reaction.

“I swear to you that I will punch you in the face again if you mock me, I hate you, Thomas, I hate you,” she shouted in annoyance.

He could not stop himself from laughing. He did not really know what had suddenly happened to her because of her unexpected reaction and his deadly coldness made Erura so angry.

she walked away and left him behind her laughing like a fool, but soon he follows her saying, “Wait, crazy!”

Grabbed her from her arm and then said after he struggled to curb his smile and his inside a great desire to continue to laugh: “I’m sorry I will not talk to you about this again, this is a promise”

she looked at him after she felt that the snow had engulfed her flaming anger, she was satisfied and did not need more than a serious apology from anyone who bothered her. “Well do not repeat it again”

Thomas returned to smile in a childish way and then said: “Girl, I swear that your hand made of steel, you broke my jaw”

She smiled as if nothing happened then she said seriously:” Next time be careful and control your actions and words well when you are with me”

“Yes, this is definitely my safest”

Eliza stood in the balcony of her room, which looked out over a wide green space, her eyes watching the beautiful young woman with short chestnut hair, she enjoys every day watching her entertain or train with Thomas, It’s a copy of her brother Edward, Is she really his daughter as she expects? But it has not received any tangible evidence except that great resemblance between them. she was wrong when she left the planet Gliza and her twin Edward.

While her eyes were still fixed on Erura, one of them put his hands over her eyes to block her vision.

She put her hands in an attempt to keep the anonymous person away, but she couldn’t “ who are you?”

“Angel of Death,” he said sarcastically,  she recognized his voice.

“Joseph I knew you,” she said smiling.

“It’s really sad that you don’t even notice the entry of your husband,” he said after he removes his hands from her eyes.

he approached her before the vision was clear before her, he said: “Enough watching that girl I’m fed up with you”

“she is just “ she silent a little and then followed with sad features “she reminds me of him”

he raised his eyebrows and then said, “she reminds you of the young man who I killed nineteen years ago”

“What do you say, Joseph? I told you a thousand times not to remind me of him again,” she said angrily.

He bent to put his arms on the porch wall and then said: “Do not you think Erura is spending a lot of time sitting with this young man?”

He watched while she laughed with Thomas, “He is a friend of her childhood and she has no other good friends”

“what do you mean?” He said as he looking at her after sensing her hints.

“I mean, all the men in the town are almost devouring her by their eyes because she is a girl, although she always hides her femininity but is useless and Thomas is the only one who respects her and treats her as a friend or sister”

“did you forget my kindness toward that girl If I had not been here and protected her, you would not have seen that smile on her face,” he said, his eyes burning with rage and anger at her denial of his sacrifice.

She opened her mouth to answer him, but the knocks that ran on the door of the room interrupted her thoughts.

“Enter,” he said just after he was shocked by those sudden knocks on the door of his bedroom.

One of the guards pushed the door of the room and then he said, and he was panting “sorry my lord for interrupted you, but something important has happened”

“what is it, speak” He replied wearily.

The secret prison was broken into by a young man from the town and he was arrested and now we are waiting for your trial. “

“Well, I’m coming,” he said, and then turned to the guard, pointing to him to leave.

“I’ll come back to you, and do not forget to take care of yourself a little bit,” said his last sentence, and then he walked toward the door with a provocative smile on his face.

Erura looked around at people’s gatherings with surprise and the chaos suddenly appeared in that small town. Thomas approached the crowds to ask them about why they gathered, Erura watched him as he approached them and went into talking with them to catch his expressions of his face, Thomas turned back after he finished talking to them, he sighed away and then hurried to satisfy Erura’s curiosity.

“Secret prisons have been broken into by one of them,” he said, and the expressions of anxiety appeared on his face.

“What does this mean?” she asked him, impressed by his dismay and anxiety.

“This means that has been messed with Joseph himself and crossed a red line and this never bodes well,” he said in desperate.

“Who did this?”

“You will not believe me, Leo who did it.” Her eyes widened with shock, and Thomas continued, “They have arrested him and now he is in Joseph’s hands”

Erura was silent thinking about the fate of that unknown young man Perhaps Thomas had the right to be shocked and upset,

Thomas grinned and then said: “I did not expect it to happen so fast, it was planned for a long time but the mission failed quickly”

“What will happen to him in your opinion?” Then she looked at him with expressions that expressed her concern.

“We can not be certain”

“I’ll see for myself,” she said, then headed for the road to the palace.

“Erura waits, what are you going to do?” He said as he ran after her.

He stood in front of her, blocking her way, then went back to ask her the same question.

“I’ll go to the palace and see what they’ll do with it,” she said wearily.

“Erura, you’re going to throw yourself into a lot of problems gonna kills you, no one plays with Joseph and gets released without punishment. No one stands up against him, you follow your heart and your emotions, but here none of that matter.” He said seriously and then followed, “That’s what makes you a girl in their eyes. A girl her place is among the four walls has no rights and no demands, They only need it to not be extinct”

she felt frustrated, Is she need to remain faithful to the demands and standards of society? Are not she strong enough to do what she wants? But one headline was written on her forehead in front of all the people “girl”.

“I believe we need those sincere emotions to color our bleak lives. We need strong girls with a big heart like you,” said Thomas, trying to swallow her thoughts and sorrows.

“The truth is, you’ve illustrated the place, boy,” Joseph said with a sarcastic grin as he entered the throne.

He sighed and then laid his long robe on his throne and sat down. he looked at the young man who dared to break into the secret prisons, knowing his identity to smiled broadly.

“Boy, I was waiting for your visit a long time ago. you were too late,” he said, without allowing the expressions of shock and anger to appear on his face.

Leonardo stared at him without believing the extent of the coldness that enveloped his features and the smile on his face as if he were talking to his best friend.

Joseph hit his forehead and then said,” How I forget, We have not prepared anything worthy of your grace, But you did not tell us that you would visit the royal court, And to be our honorable guest” Joseph sighed then followed” you get the bad habit from your mother, boy” he said then he laughed hysterically until Leonardo almost burst out of his rage and anger.

“but we do our duty with your mother, you can ask her she will tell you everything, I brought her your father to receive her, It was a great meeting but you miss it, you came late, my little “ He continued his hysterical laugh and then said, “Here where you stand was the greatest meeting”

Leonardo almost broke the palace above Joseph’s head and watched his provocative laugh, which ignited the fire inside him.

Joseph suddenly stopped laughing and the cold expressions returned to his face and said to him seriously and in a tone filled with anger and anger. “ you also inherited the insolence from your mother,  Is this my reward because I kept you alive?”

“I warn you to talk about my mother did you understand?” Leonardo said, and evil flies from his eyes.

Joseph’s eyes widened and smiled sarcastically and then said:

“You have grown up, boy, and you threatened your master. I have killed your father and imprisoned your mother to get rid of their similarities, but they left their son to complete that strain, Your existence is a disgrace in itself.”

Leonardo felt in anguish and distress. How much he wished to get rid of the restraints of these two guards to show him the little boy that he talks about”

“What was your name? I do not have the memory to keep the names of your likes” Joseph said but Leonardo was silent and did not answer him and completely ignored him.

Joseph got up to punch him in the face to throw him to the ground and said after that freed the devil inside “When I ask you, you answer, did not your mother taught you that?”

Leo rose quickly to return the punch, but before he could, the guards grabbed him to keep him away from Joseph.

“I will not waste my time on your likes, as I did on your parents, but I’ll make you regret a lot,” he said, pressing his teeth angrily.

“Take him and show him the honor of our hospitality,” he said to the guard.

They took him outside and while the guards tried to pull him away from the throne hall, Erura and Thomas see him, and the blood on his face because of that punch.

“Thomas, look they already beat him,” she said with shock.

“This is just the beginning dear, you do not know anything,” Thomas said.

Erura walked into Joseph room with Thomas and as soon as she arrived she told the guards she wanted to see Joseph.

One of the guards knocked on the door and entered “Sir, Erura stands out and asks for your permission to enter”

“Let her in” He answered him immediately and only seconds later until she entered.

“Sir, I want to talk to you,” she said calmly.

“At any time honey,” he said to her smiling.

She smiled gratefully at him and then said, “Please sir, forgive that young man”

The expressions of his face changed as soon as she uttered her request, which seemed ridiculous to him, and he tried not to disturb her: “My dear, do not think about such things, it does not deserve your attention, I know how to act with the rebels”

“But he is not a rebel. he did it because he longs for his mother and you have deprived him of her since childhood,” she said without thinking of the consequences of her words.

Joseph looked at her angrily and then said: “Do you see me as a devil in front of you”

“I did not say anything like that,” she replied eagerly.

“and I order you to not interfere in my business, Giving you that freedom to ask me wherever you want does not mean to intervene in my own business”

“I just want to ask you to awaken your conscience a bit,” she said angerly.

He is shocked by her courage. She is not like all the women he met. She is distinguished, not subject to the power of men, but seeks to prove her existence. he starts thinking of the way he would respond to her, he said coldly and his eyes were still angry: “Get out before you see my anger”

she looked at him coldly and disappointed and then turned left and once she opened the door until his eyes fell on that who was standing out, it is the same young man who was with her today in the yard, he Rubbing his head trying to remember his name and after a moment of thinking, his name jumped to his weak memory, “ yes, Thomas”

He shouted to the guard standing outside and his mind is still not aware of the reaction of Erura saying: “ you look like your annoying aunt” and once the guard entered to said to him and a slurred smile on his face: “Put the name of Thomas at the top of the list of departures to the planet Gliza”

She stands in the garden of her luxurious palace where the red roses are in line with the color of her beautiful dress, She picked up one of those open flowers and put it on her blonde hair, Even though was a few gray tufts of hair, but it looked beautiful. a guard interrupted her meditation saying “ Lady Victoria, the man who came a few days ago and asked for an appointment to talk to you is waiting for you out”

Queen Victoria turned to look at the guard, who was waiting for her orders and then said: “Let him enter”

The guard nodded to her and then asked her permission to leave. Only a few minutes later, a man with long hair and blue eyes entered. He said softly: “Sorry to interrupt your own privacy but I came to you with an important topic”

He stared at her, thinking of her harmony with the red roses, ignoring his presence. She uprooted another rose from its roots and then smelled its wonderful smell, she was in another world even almost forgot the presence of that man.

Turned to see that gentleman, saying coldly opposed to his gentle: “Do you like to talk here?”

“I like to talk inside the palace, the subject is secret and it is not good to talk here”

Victoria sighed in annoyance and then said to him coldly: “What is this important subject that you want to talk to with the queen of Gliza herself?”

“I’m the first person to see the vehicle that landed on Earth coming from your planet nineteen years ago”

Her eyes widened while the rose that was in her hands fell to the ground as she staring at him not believing what he just said.

She sat on her knees as usual in front of the grave of her two daughters, she looked older than her mother, the grief had killed her youth and her youthful flower had been uprooted from its roots, She rubbed the dust of the grave with pain, as she was touching her little one, She was wearing a simple white dress. She did not want to choose dark colors as she visited her little ones because they did not deserve less than a pure white color, suddenly she felt a hand pat on her shoulder relieve some of her sufferings, she raised her head and looked at his body. He was a young man of seventeen years old with a long stature and two charming blue eyes.

“Mom, why do not you relife yourself a little?” He said to her looking at her with sadness and pain.

He sat in front of her, wiping her chestnut hair and her tears, hugging her, trying to console her as much as possible.

“Come on, my beauty, that’s enough for the day,” he said, smiling at her, giving her some hope.

she hugged him with love and then she said in a voice accompanied by crying: “ I do not know how I would live without you, you are my only hope, you are everything in my life, If I remained on my depression and did not get married despite it was a failed marriage, but it led to your coming to this world”

He smiled cheerfully and then said: “Mom, I’ve memorized this talk, can you change it a bit”

she laughed a laugh mixed with the rest of her tears, he alone capable of making her smiling.

“Come on, sweaty let’s enter the palace or go for a short walk,” he said.

“I have to change my clothes first,” she said, pointing to her white dress, which had become muddy.

“Come on, you really need to change your clothes, if my grandmother sees you like this, she will get angry,” he said, smiling and remembering the wrath of his grandmother and her constant reprimand to his mother for neglecting herself and not behaving like a princess. he pulls her arm to help her stand up.

Queen Victoria opened the door of her room to let the stranger enter, to see the brushes of her beautiful royal room, with the beautiful beige furniture, she asks him to sit on the couch near the window.

He sat on the couch and his eyes were still examining the details of that room.

“Will you tell me more about it?” She said after sitting on the couch, relaxed.

“Everything you want to know, we share one goal dear, we have to agree that we both seek revenge,” he said, smiling.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise and said: “you want revenge from who exactly?”

Leaned forward with his back and then said in a tone filled with hatred and anger: “From the governments of the Earth planet, we as a people stand like sheep, they manipulate us without being able to speak”

“And what is my place in your own plans?” she looks at him coolly, whit not interested in what he was saying.

“we need external power To eliminate those scum of monsters, I tried to turn the scales by inciting people to fight in a new war, but it was impossible. people so afraid they just looking for peace”

“So far I do not understand my role in this game,” Victoria said raise her eyebrow.

“Your role here my dear is to achieve your goal to return to Earth simply,” he said, smiling and then followed, “but there is one condition If we didn’t agree about it, forget everything I said”

She felt furious about manipulating her, she responded with impatience: “ What is it?”

He sighed and then said: “I warn you against hurting any inhabitants of the ُEarth planet”

She raised her eyebrows with disapproval and then said: “and you call this a revenge!! “

“Your revenge will be to the government and not to the people dear, do not mix things up”

she was annoyed by his provocative style, to say in a sharp tone after losing her patience: “If you call me dear again, I will cut your tongue, do you understand?”

He smiled sarcastically and then replied, “ you should learn my lady to break your pride a little until you achieve your goals or you will live and died and no one heard about you”

she looked at him with disgust and then said: “Respect yourself, have you forgotten that you are in my palace”

“Yes, I forgot my lady so I will leave you to achieve your goals yourself, you do not need me,” he said and then got up to leave.

Her heart almost stopped when he start walks away, she did not know yet what happened to that vehicle, she interrupted his departure saying: “Well I agree, come on tell me what I want to know”

He sighed and then returned to sit on the couch saying: “So we can talk about what matters”

she  ignored his actions and then asked him: “What happened to the vehicle?”

“It was carrying a young girl and a baby, the girl with regret died but the baby is still alive” Her eyes brightened when she heard this joyful news. she finally got back to work on her goal.

“Listen ...” She stopped because she did not know his name, how did not know what his name so far.

He smiled then said “Albert, my name is Albert”

“Listen, Albert, If I did not get this girl, that means all my plans failed”

He rais his eyebrows in surprise and then said: “What do you want from her?”

“This girl is the key to our return to the planet where we can penetrate the membrane of the planet and enter our vehicles”

He shook his head after he understood what she meant, but once a question jumped to his mind: “Why this girl especially?”

“It’s a long story but she is the only one who can help us”

“How will you bring it back to the planet Gliza?” Albert said.

“Do you ask me, can not you do that?” Victoria said.

“No, of course, I will get myself killed if I do that, they are waiting for just one mistake of me,” he thinks a bit and then says” The only solution is to send someone from your planet qualified for such a mission and I will help him reach it”

she sighed then said: “I have no one qualified for this mission, but in any case, no one can penetrate the membrane”

“When the vehicle entered nineteen years ago she makes a small hole on the membrane, a very small vehicle with one passenger can enter to the planet,” Albert said.

she sighed and then said: “So we only have that solution, I need to talk to the Governor of Planet Kepler, and until then waited for me”

Chapter 26

Location: Planet Kepler

U nder the dim moonlight, Erura quietly descended the stone stairs, she looked like a thief that she was afraid the owners of the place would notice her, Once she got to that dark cell until she put the key that she got hardly to open the door, she tried to open it without issuing any sound and once it opened up she went inside.

The moonlight has reduced the darkness in this wild place, The worn-out walls and the rusty iron were everywhere, she felt uncomfortable while she asked herself “What is the thing that deserves in this world to put a man in this place, that is very much like a barn the animals?”.

she woke up from her thinking on the sound of his groans, which hints his great pain, a stout young man like him does not suffer so easily, She approached him carrying the first aid bag in her hand. She did not have much experience, but she learned enough to help someone in her training days, She sat on her knees to approach the place where he was lying. Then she lit the lamp and opened her small bag. She brought the lamp close to his body, which was filled with wounds and dents. His clothes were soiled with blood, He did not feel it existed until she sterile cotton was placed over his wound, and he was wailing with pain, he was unaware of what was happening around him, She quickly sterilized his wounds as her heartbeat accelerated, she was so stressed, she was willing to leave after she finished her work and was sure to sterilize his wounds. She was hoping to help him more, but this is what she was able to do for him now.

she whispered before coming out, “the danger is gone and the wound will not be inflamed”

he shocked when he realized she was a girl, who is that girl that dared to help him? Her voice was the only thing he knew about, she opened the door of the cell and closed it, Erura left behind hundreds of questions in Leonardo’s mind.

“What do you think of this reception, boy? Joseph asked him sarcastically while Leonardo looked at him with anger.

Joseph saw the effects of beatings on Leonardo, Looking at the bandage on his foot, his eyes widened with shock and then he looked back at Leonardo’s brown eyes and he said: “Who has wrapped your wound?” He asked him, while his eyes burning with mad anger, But Leonardo ignored his question or rather did not know the answer. he was unaware of that girl’s identity, a voice suddenly awakened from behind “There is no need for those investigations, Mr. Joseph, I am the one who did”.

he knows that voice, Joseph turned but he didn’t find anyone, did he imagine? Or was he mad?

he skips the cell door towards the stairs that were on the corner to find the sound source, He approached the stairs and found her standing there. She did not want to reveal her identity to that young man, Joseph saw her with a frown and a fury, he wanted her to see the punishment of those who violate his orders, Erura was stood steadily without being shaken or afraid of Joseph’s looks Although she was the first time she was arguing with him, but she was confident, He walks toward her and before he opened his mouth and say anything, was one of the guards standing on the stairs said “Sir, Queen Victoria has come and is waiting for you in the reception suite”

He turned his eyes away from her and he saw the guard who stood a few steps away and said: “Governor of the planet Gliza here and what did she want?”

“she did not tell us my lord, but she pointed out that the subject is very important and she needs to talk to you now,” the guard said.

Joseph nodded to the guard coldly and then said: “Go and tell her I’ll come right away”

As the guard disappeared away from the sight of Joseph, he returned to look at Erura angrily and then whispered to her in agitated breaths: “Get out of my sight now or I will burn you with my anger”

That sentence penetrated her ears, and though she was waiting for a stronger reaction like a slap or a severe punishment, he was satisfied with that sentence that made her tear from the inside, something broke inside her and her feelings towards him as someone who protected her were always different.

He went back and then returned to the cell and pointed to the guards to follow him and then said: “I’ll come back and you will see the worst nightmares”

The guards came out behind him as Joseph climbed the stairs, ignoring ’Erura standing like a statue without moving from her place and her heart almost coming out of her chest. She was confused and sad at the same time, she felt a desire to cry Joseph’s eyes were alone enough to make her feel this amount of grief and pain.

Joseph went into the spacious reception room and saw the beautiful one standing in front of the large window, Joseph hated being with this woman in the same place, she violates all the laws that he sets for the people who deal with, But he forgets that all of them are forced to submit to him, but she was the only one who could not put red lines in front of her, she was the only one who had to submit to her, he sighed angrily when he remember Erura, How did he forget that this girl had inherited all the attributes of her family? How did he think he will control her and she is Queen Victoria’s granddaughter? He ignored his thoughts and quickly welcomed Victoria.

“What is this great occasion that makes Queen Victoria herself visit our Royal tiles?” Joseph said.

she turned to smile then said, “My time is very tight, so I’ll talk about what I came for, What do you think I’ll send more women to in the next time?”

His eyes widened and then he raised his eyebrows and said with mocking cynicism: “What is this generosity, my dear?”

she smiled at him and then raised one of her eyebrows “Nothing without pay Dear “

“Of course, I know that nothing is free, especially when it’s your business, but what is the return?” Joseph said wondering.

“well, I need one of your strong men in a special mission, Strong and can act wisely to implement a plan in the most sensitive and accurate, But I do not want to put any chances for failure as I want him to seek to achieve my goal at any cost”

“You will not find better than me,” he said, smiling.

“No Joseph will never suit you, you are not the one that I’m looking for,” she said, smiling to keep up with his madness.

“What kind of job?”

“It is not important to know the details, but it is an unusual task, a task that needs someone special ... I do not want you to send a man who  knows only how to fight and the implementation of orders like a robot”

Joseph thought of who fits that delicate task that Victoria talks about and then said:” let me think “

And because his mind was busy with what happened, he found himself thinking of Leonardo is probably the best choice,  he can get rid of him and throw him away from the eyes of Erura, And that he can never pardon him after what he has done and that means more troublesome problems with Erura, In addition to that young man, is suitable for that task because of its strength and different from the rest of the men, and at the same time he knows very well his weakness.

“I have a very suitable young man,” he said after a long silence.

“I want to make sure of his possibilities first,” she said, looking at him skeptical of his ability to choose the right person.

“I was just giving it to him, he is in prison in the cellar of the palace” Victoria raised her eyebrows with wonder “ rebel is also very good, but how will he be obedient to our request?”

“You are dealing with Joseph, no one is not obedient to me,” he said confidently smiling.

Victoria gave him a look of disdain and then she said: “If you tell me about his weakness I see if I can deal with him”

Erura sat beside Thomas in the woods as usual, wiped her tears with the tip of her fingers. She began to cry like children when she came out of the basement of the palace where the prison was. Thomas sigh he does not know how he can comfort her.

“Enough is enough, I do not remember the last time you cried,” he said, trying to deter her from crying more. “Do not be afraid, I’ll protect you from Joseph, he can never hurt you”

“Who said I was afraid of Joseph?” She said.

“I know you’re not afraid so why are you crying now?” He said, holding his eyebrows in disbelief.

“you were right, Joseph is not as good a man as I thought,” she said. “you always warned me, you should be angry, but instead you comfort me, I have suffered so much, there is no mercy in this world.”

Thomas smiled with sorrow and then said reassuringly: “Someday we will be free from this slavery, come on enough crying, someday when I become brave I will punch Joseph in his face”

she joyfully laughed at his last sentence and then said smiling: “Can we help Leo?”

“No, unfortunately, only if a miracle saved him from the revenge of Joseph”

Two guards entered the reception suite accompanied by Leonardo, who was unaware of what would happen to him and what Joseph would do to him, He was not afraid of him as much as he was afraid to lose his freedom and unable to reach his mother, Victoria sitting on the couch was examining Leonardo in all its details, she saw the wounds and the scars on his body, and she turned her eyes towards Joseph, “Can not you control your temper a bit without hurting your prisoners, man?” She said while Leo has no idea what happens.

Joseph was furious, but he answered coldly after he looks at Leonardo. He wanted very hard to kill him. to say”There are people who make you lose control, dear Victoria”

“Yes, yes, I know, but maybe he would not rebel if you used the right way with him,” said Victoria quietly, while Joseph understood what she meant.

“So I leave you to deal with him so that he may respond to you,” Joseph said while Victoria smiled at him and then added: “Do not worry, that young man is not a rebel, as you think, but I will need to speak to him in private.”

Joseph looked at Victoria and he did not feel comfortable for what she would do, but that really did not matter. From that moment on, that young man became her property, He nodded with surrender and then they take out his bodyguards with him.

Victoria looked at Leonardo after Joseph closed the door and confirmed Joseph’s leaving, she smiled at him and then said: “Why you stand? Sit on the couch” she pointed to the couch facing her. Leonardo looked at her with surprise as she pointed to him to sit down, what did she want from him? He sat facing her, she looked at his infected foot then said: “I apologize on behalf of Joseph for your injury, but unfortunately he continues to use violence brutally”

She put her leg over the other and asked him:” what’s your name?”

“Leonardo,” said in a nutshell without any desire to talk.

“Well, Leonardo, I came to Joseph and asked him to find me a strong and young man for a special mission and then he told me about you and I heard about you and you are the young men I am looking for. Sorry on behalf of Joseph, he always acts impulsively and I heard about your mother’s story, I really decided to save your mother from his own hands, How long will she stay in prison? I will get her out of there” She said.

Leonardo looked at her Shocked, This must be a trick or a game, he never sees the mercy or pity come from them, but Victoria interrupted his thoughts said: “But you have to provide a small and simple service to me before this happened”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, although his expectations were true, but he did not realize what was the thing that made that woman with power and authority needed.

“what is it?” Leo said.

Victoria smiled after Leonardo finally talk and then said: “ What I like most about you is that you seek to act more than chatter” she said admiringly “ There is a girl who belongs to me on the Earth. She was kidnapped by someone for many years. I was looking for a way to bring her back a long time ago. But I need a young man like you to seduce her. The case is not that simple. The government of the Earth is very strong so all you have to do is lure her in one way or another. Without causing any chaos “

Leonardo lift his eyebrows up and he wanted to refuse that ridiculous task, but when he remembered that he had no choice but to agree.

“If you succeed in the mission, I will release your mother and prepare you for a quiet and independent life,” she said, and then she paused a little to say sharply: “If you fail, I am afraid you will lose your mother”

He looked at the one sitting in front of him and he was quite certain that he had to deal with the one who was worse and more dangerous than Joseph.

Victoria smiled comfortably and then said to Leonardo: “We’ll leave soon, get ready”

Erura looked at the crowds of men and their dim talk. Thomas, standing next to her, she looked at him and then said with indifference: “What’s there?”

Erura pointed to the large crowds that surround the area of the castle with old gray stones and then said: “Look at those gatherings”

“you act like you see this scene for the first time, this is normal, Queen Victoria is here,” he replied coolly as he looked away.

“So let’s take a look too, I never saw Queen Victoria,” she said with childish enthusiasm as she pulled Thomas out of his arm.

“Well, but lift my arm,” he said, smiling at her actions. sometimes she is too childish and irrational and unreasonable,

she pulled his arm from her grip and then held her eyebrows angrily and resentment and then cried out: “You are very cold and boring stay here watching the birds like the dumb”

she takes a quick and furious step as Tomas muttered to himself, “Here comes the fierce Erura again”

He ran behind her after she got there, Queen Victoria emerges as she steps out of the wooden castle door and crosses the extended stone road, she watched her charming beauty and elegant look in a beautiful pink dress inlaid with shiny silver, she looked away from her until his eyes widened with shock, It’s Leonardo but how? And what he does here? What caused this interest? He was surrounded by Victoria’s guards as a very important person. Thomas was also struck by shock seeing Leonardo free makes him shocked. Who survives Joseph’s wrath simply? His ears picked up some side conversations nearby. “Victoria must have a special interest with that young man to accompany him so”

Erura watching them climb their own large vehicle with the intention of leaving. to moved away without showing any interest to Thomas standing by her side, He walked behind her quick steps trying to reach her and as soon as he reached to her, he grabbed her arm, which was trembling then said: “Where are you going? Why did you leave me like that?”

she looked at him with her eyes wrapped in tears and then she said: “I want to stay alone a bit Thomas”

“Let’s go to the place of the waterfalls, what do you think?” He said she nodded to him as she held his hand towards her favorite place.

Chapter 27

Location: Gliza Planet

A fter they arrived, Leonardo began walking among the trees until he deepened inside the forest, He was looking for something special. All that nature, trees and flowers were normal for him. He saw what was nicer on Kepler’s planet and while he was dragging himself on his tour he heard close whispers, someone calling him, he began to approach the source of the sound until he reached the wall of the iron palace and between two trees lined up along the fence saw the face of an old woman she was calling him,

“Are you coming from Planet Kepler? “She told him immediately without any introductions.

He stared at her for a while, trying to grasp the purpose of her question, or rather the reason behind it, but he nodded to her under her constant looking.

she took out of her pocket a picture and put it in front of his eyes. He stared at her for a second and then his eyes widened with shock. Blood in his veins froze and his heartbeat was so slow that he felt some pain in his chest.

she stared at the shock and stunning signs that appeared on his sharp features and then she said eagerly: “Do you know it? Please tell me”

He looked at her sad eyes, and then he said, “No, I do not know her, why are you asking about her?”

The old woman noticed his stammering and then said in a loud voice close to crying: “Please, my son, if you know anything about her, just tell me don’t be afraid I’m her mother, I asked everyone who came to the planet Gliza and they all denied knowing it I still hold hope, look at the picture well “

She went back to lift the picture in front of his eyes but she did not really know that he did not need to stare at her longer, he knew her, he knew her very well. She was the only person he cared about him in his childhood, the only person who had always forced him to smile. She was the one who told him the beautiful stories before he sleeps, he lost everything after she had gone away,

“I have been asking about her for more than 20 years since she left, but they are silencing me by sending old pictures that do not know I’m not stupid, please, my son, no doubt you know her”

he’s fine,” he said and then smiled at the old woman and follow “I promise she will be fine and you will see her soon”

Joanna smiled amid tears and then said: “I would be very grateful to you even if you asked for the most expensive thing I have I will give it to you”

“I will only ask you for one request,” Leo said.

“anything,” she answered without hesitating for a moment.

“I just want to keep this picture with me, please” His desire to keep his mother’s image was stronger than anything else, so he did not care if he raised his grandmother’s doubts about it, just wanted to enjoy looking at her image all the times.

Joanna was surprised by his request, but she justified that he wanted to search for it or perhaps remember it.

“I would have refused if it were her only picture, but it was not,” she said, and give him the picture, he picked up the picture and then grabbed her hand and kissed her, he could not hug her or even kiss her head because of the fence that separated them, she carries her smell, the smell of his mother who misses her so hard he finally found someone sharing his pain, Joanna looked at him lovingly though she was surprised by his behavior, but a strange happiness flooded her heart in an exaggerated way.

Location: Planet Earth

The secretary entered the office of bernald, saying” Sir, there is a man who wants to meet you?”

“who is he?” He answered her without looking at her.

“I do not really know but he said it’s important and you know him very well”

he sighing narrowly then said: “Is this place to play, Let him enter now, but next time do not enter anyone without a name”

she nodded to him and then turned away and only minutes until he heard the knock on the door. he checked the papers in front of him:” enter”

“In fact, you are absolutely wrong, this is exactly the place to play games of death and fraud”

Those words made Bernald jump up automatically, take off the reading glasses nervously, then look up at the speaker to face his provocative smile, Bernald froze as he watched the man standing before him, his heart beating with fear, his blood felt frozen in his veins, he did not wish to see this person even in his worst nightmares.

He opened his mouth in shock and examined the features of that sarcastic person, but did not say anything, “certainly not a ghost” muttered to himself.

“I’m sorry I didn’t expect this dry reception from you, but it’s okay I know you do not believe that I’m here, All this time frankly, I Excuse you, perhaps the joy makes forget how to behave,” he said smiling as he sat on the couch on the right side of Bernald’s office.

“Where have you been all this time?” Bernald asked him.

Albert raised his eyebrows with disapproval and then said in a tone filled with irony: “ “In fact, it’s a very important question, Of course, you have the right to ask, I exhausted you by searching for me for seventeen years, but I almost doubt that I’m not so important “

“Speak before you see what you not gonna like, Bernald said After he had completely emptied his patience.

Albert launched a high laugh and he listens to the words of Bernard and then changed his facial expressions to the seriousness and looked at Bernard with contempt and said: “I was an unimportant person, do you think I’m still so after all these years? Dear, I’m back here to live my life as I like it and I’m not here to Investigate with me, the old Albert is no longer Albert who is in front of you, I am now someone who can turn your game table in one touch”

Bernald’s eyes widened and he felt that he had been completely frozen. It must be an annoying nightmare, such a person can never threaten him like that.

“Believe me, you will not come out alive from here,” Bernald said to him, while his eyes trembling with anger.

Albert smiled then said: “If I had a percentage of one percent that you could kill me, you did not see me in front of you now. We do not play here and we do not throw jokes, but we enter the game of death by itself, I will not enter it without a weapon that protects me, And those threatening words are no longer useful, I will bury you here and will not come out alive all words meaningless Sir, “

Bernald’s shocked expressions turned into sarcastic expressions. He thought for a moment that who sitting in front of him playing one of his games and that confidence that makes him think that we lose, he said as his eyebrows rise with absolute irony: “And what do you have against us to speak with that confidence?”

Albert smiled and listened to the confident words of Berland, he really could not know the source of their self-blind confidence Although their tricks are exposed, they continue to dodge without surrender,  he looks around Bernald then he said confidently “You mean what I do not have against you? by what do you like me to start?”

Bernald looked at him with great fury, killing him is not in his favor, and since he speaks with this confidence, it means one thing that they are witnessing the end.

Albert spoke after observing the complete silence of Bernard and he tries to ignore it for a moment, but Albert’s desire to provoke his anger more and more made him not deprive himself that pleasure waiting to follow, saying: “Well, I’m going to start with the biggest one, your own exile, planet Kepler and the planet Gliza,?”

Bernald stood up from his place and his body trembled. His mention of the planets made him very mad. He opened his desk drawer and took out a gun. He turned his head toward Albert’s and his hands were still trembling, while Albert was cool saying “If you kill me now, It will expose you. I have carefully documented your crimes. Besides, I have left those who depend on them for a serious revolution. You can not stop it.” Albert turned his eyes toward Bernald. He watched his pale face and his brief features. But with this weakness, soon as he heard those words and his hand that carries the gun goes down slowly.

“What exactly do you want?” Bernald said he was trying to regulate his breath as he lowered his gun to announce his surrender.

“now we can speak well, I and my nephew have come back after we got out of the accident and now I’m back I want to live in my house and I want my nephew to have a personal card and I want him to start his university studies in your own city and you will provide him with a suitable home “

Bernald almost lost his temper as he listened to Albert’s bold requests, especially the intrusion of his nephew into their own city. Not only will he be silent and bow to these requests, but he must also listen to the rejection of the rest of the officials and will be the wars of gossip and accusations.

“Your first request is acceptable, but the second is impossible. It is not my own hand, but the responsibility of all the officials in addition to the presence of good universities in your area and I will cover myself all expenses”

Albert looked at him with disapproval and interrupted him with a rush: “ you misunderstand Mr. Berland, these are not requests it’s ordered that you will carry out without any objection. This will be the price of my silence on your heinous acts, This is the least you can do to compensate me for the loss of my sister and her husband and her children in an incident planned by you to get rid of me “

Berland stares at him incredulously he did not expect their plans to be so exposed, Bernald did not try to deny, he will be a big idiot at this moment and he is quite aware that their papers are very exposed to Albert, He remained silent until Albert interrupted his thinking and continued to charge him “Did your exile to many people on the planet Gliza and Kepler become Exposed until you came to kill directly?”

This was a knockout for bernald was to lose his balance and consciousness of all those things that have been revealed and they will eliminate inevitably if revealed and worse that it is no longer resolved by giving a dose of memory loss and then exile to one of the planets or even a way to kill, Things will just increase more bad as they have been before.

Then Bernald, who was staring at Albert, said: “I will manage you that to be the price of your silence forever”

Location: Gliza Planet

Being with Victoria did not make Leonardo much happier, But he knows that this is not something that is optional for him but is forced on it and although he does not enter conversations with her and does not really have to hear her voice, he was talking to a woman working on spacecraft while Victoria watched, Leonardo, shaking his head while that woman stands beside him as she re-explaining perhaps For the tenth time.

He needed to know everything about spacecraft without exception, the mechanism of action and how to use the console, lunching, how to deal with all the factors of gravity loss in space, In short, he had to understand every detail of that journey that would be launched only days later to Earth.

“Well, that’s enough for today and tomorrow we’ll review all the information for the last time and a successful journey,” said the girl who was accompanying him on that learning trip from the start.

she asks Queen Victoria to leave after she finished her job, while Victoria nodded approval and as soon as she went until she turned her eyes towards Leonardo then she said: “Someone will meet you once you reach Earth and I want you to pay attention to his instructions, I do not want any mistakes and only you know what I can do”

He looked at her with a vague irritation, perhaps this thousand times she was warning him of any mistake, that made him angry. He knew from the start that she would never be better than Joseph, but worse. He did not know what she was hiding behind this calmness.

“There’s a last necessary flight you have to go through,” she told him as she returned her sharp eyes towards him.

“what is it?”

She got up from her place without answering and then pointed to him to follow her. he followed her into a long corridor that led them to a large room with big glass windows, the hall was very much like Clinic, medical equipment, many beds and lote of syringes, There was a girl and a young man wearing a white coat, the smell of sterilizers filled the place, making him dizzy for a moment, the girl approached him and then she said, pointing to the high bed “Lie on the bed please”.

He looked at her without responding to her request or answering and then looking to Victoria, who was waiting for him to execute the orders, but not this time he will not be a rat experience to them.

Victoria noticed that he refused to respond and said to him: “she asked you to lie down? did you hear her?”

he looked at her sharply and then added: “But you did not answer my question, Lady Victoria”

she sighed and then looked at him stubbornly: “But I am not obliged to answer at all”

“of course you obliged because it related to me”

She looked at him with great fury and did not really want to get a fight with him, She knows from the start that she did not choose an obedient servant, “It’s about the mission on the Earth”

He looked at her disapprovingly and then said defiantly: “But it is related to my body, I will not submit my body to anything without knowing everything about it”

she felt very angry inside but tried to control her self while she answered quietly: “Well this dose will help your body to adapt with the atmosphere of the Earth or you will not be able to live there, but as soon as the dose enters your body you will be unconscious for a while”

Victoria’s lie was able to fool Leonardo easily because his information about these things is completely none, he lies on the bed surrender. The girls started preparing the needle and filling it with a liquid that he did not know, and then one of them approached and said: “Relax, no need for convulsions It will be simple and fast”

he tried to relax as she asked him not to look. He felt a simple twinge, and the needle came out of his arm. It was only a few minutes before he could not open his eyes again.

Chapter 28

Location: Planet Earth

L eonardo sat in beside Albert in the seat of his car. He was greeted by Albert as soon as he arrived with the vehicle where he was standing nearby and then took him on foot until they reached the car. Albert ran the engine and headed for his city.

Leonardo was looking out of the window and he was looking around the place trying to find something different from what he had in Kepler and Gliza, But so far he can only see a path extending through the forest whose long trees have obscured the sun’s rays to make the place almost dark. The only thing that attracted his attention so far was the yellow sunlight and the clear blue sky, So comfortable for the eyes that he felt for a moment that he will not bear the redness of the sun on the planet Kepler anymore.

Albert sees how Leonardo look at the view,  It was clear to him that he was a young man who would not speak, and perhaps if he remained silent, he would never speak, He said as he saw the road in front of him: “it looks like you like the place”

Leonardo did not expect to talk to him throughout their journey in the car: “Not much different from the planet Kepler or Gliza, the only thing that is very different is the color of the sun and everything that is affected by it”

Albert looked at Leonardo for a few seconds and then said, with a simple, attractive smile on his face: “You have not seen anything yet you will notice the difference later but so far your answer is correct”

He shook his head as a kind of response to his words not because he does not want to talk, but he really does not know how to do that, especially with a stranger who belongs to an unknown place.

“Victoria seems to have missed something important by choosing the right person for her job,” said Albert, as he takes the right side of the road.

Leonardo looked to him with a little indignation, but he said without showing any aggressive reaction: “What did she miss?”

Albert noted that he was a man who was capable of behaving very Brilliant.

“I do not mean to insult your personality at all, but to succeed in the mission and seduce the girl without raising doubts must learn how to deal with people and especially in the place where you will live and until this thing is achieved, try to train to open conversation with me at least “

He looked back on the road after Albert finished his words and then shook his head unanswered.

“It’s really clear that you’ve heard my words or given them any attention. I told you to open a conversation, boy, not shake your head and look away,” he said, and then add, smiling. “What did you send me, Victoria?”

Leonardo smiles as he listens to Albert joking while Albert said: “To be frank, I have made progress. I did not expect to get a smile that quickly.”

she heard several knocked on her door while she sits on in front of her computer, she expressed her desire not to receive anyone in her room, It has become its only place for a whole week and has refused to go to university. she went through a state of depression for days when she was crying for what happened on that fateful day, But perhaps who sees her two days ago will not believe that she herself is the girl who was sobbing in an exaggerated way, she passed through that drama and convinced herself that what happened was not her fault,  the knock  came back again and then a voice saying: “Violet open the door”

She turned her wheelchair a little and looked towards the door to sighed and then said: “I do not want to see anyone”

“Violet you open this door or I will break it, there is no other way,” he said, while continues to knock on the door without stopping. Violet rose from her place, murmured in angry expressions and then went to the door to open the lock and rushed back to her place without looking to who is.

“you still in bedclothes, you are lazy and you insist on preaching me each time you take on the role of the older sister.” He said, and a sarcastic expression on his face, But she ignored his attempt to get her to talk and returned as if no one enters into her room.

He made slow steps toward her and then he said, standing beside her: “Yes, you are a year older than me, but that does not mean that you will receive your poor brother this way”

She stood towards her bed next to the office to sit on it to follow her and sat next to her,

“I understand how you feel, but you must always trust me, “he said, putting his hand over her hand.

“The problem is that all the finger pointing at you, it is impossible that father knows what we talk about on the university unless you tell him,” she said, and she pulls her hand with resentment.

“I will not justify you, Violet, but I will just say that I didn’t speak to our father about what we talk about in the university,” he said, and then he was silent, staring at the expressions of her face that did not change with his last sentence.

“It has become intolerable, Daniel, there are many things I do not know and I never understand, no matter how much I try,” she said as she was playing with her wavy hair.

“It’s normal Violet, but my father is exaggerating in his desire to make you aware and fully adult as you are the older of his sons,” he said, trying to erase her doubts, but she said: “This is a fake argument I had to deceive myself out of for years, Do not you see that there are a lot of incomprehensible things?”

“Did you ever think of the reason why my father married your mother? “She said, staring at him expecting any surprise reaction, but he raised both shoulders indifferently and said: “perhaps to get a distinguished brother like me”

Violet smiled as she listened to his usual temperament and then said: “I’m serious Daniel why he marries your mother as long as he loves my mother and has been able to have children, then what is the problem that makes him resort to marriage with another?”

“hold on Violet, these are analysis without any proofs, maybe there’s something you do not know,” Daniel said.

“And that’s what I mean and more clearly I think I’m Sandra’s daughter and not Alfred’s daughter”

Daniel looked at her with shock, and he saw the expressions of her very serious face and then said with disapproval: “You’re crazy, Violet, what are you saying? I swear I’m about to laugh hysterically”

“It’s funny for you and not for me, do you think I easily convinced myself of this thing?” “It’s never been a serious conflict between me and myself, and I only find that truth,” she said with great indignation.

“Violet, you act like a little girl who fought with her family and then convinced herself in one way or another that she was a bastard and then you came back to say in a dramatic way that you are not my family, our father treat us all in the same way” he said with fury.

“I would really believe your words if I were without feelings and I do not feel the difference between his treatment with me as a girl and his treatment with Julia”

He returned to look at her and then said: “Believe me, Violet, our father loves you so much and you will realize that later”

She tried to convince herself with those words to get rid of that feeling that she was suffocating heavily.

Albert’s car settled in front of a small house. The place was a complex of small houses that had a small front garden. All the houses were similar in shape and space, the design itself was quite the same except the color difference.

Albert gets out of the car as he takes his keys out of his pocket, he moves toward the door on the right side and opens it, there was an empty space in front of him where Albert took off his shoes at the doorstep and then Leonardo did the same, Albert walked a few steps until he reached a larger place, which seemed like a sitting room with one blue sofa and on the right side was a wooden table surrounded by six wooden chairs, But despite its simplicity and lack of furniture, but the sunlight that penetrates the glass of the window gives a very comfortable feeling.

“Planet Kepler is independent of the wishes of his ruler not to go back to Earth or to think about it, but the people of Gliza believe that coming here is salvation and happiness while we Earthlings live in hell. not the issue is to return to their original home, but the real issue is the elimination of persecution, the discrimination and racism that feed our lives “ Albert said,

Albert’s words were not easy to understand for Leonardo. He did not know of any desires and did not once get involved in these conversations. He devoted his life to only one thing, which made him throw himself in Earth in the first place.

Albert smiled after observing the silence of Leonardo, who appeared to him that he did not know anything and then said: “It seems that your situation is like the case of the inhabitants of the earth”

Once again, Leonardo chose to be silent because Albert’s words were bigger than his comprehension of things.

Leonardo approached the window and saw the houses, The place was like a desert, quiet and no sounds, and then said “In the planet Kepler the place is full of noise and movement”

“What do you expect from the people, his government put the sedatives in the water and foods” Leonardo’s eyes widened as he listened to the sarcastic words of Albert Then he said: “ what do you mean?”

Albert smiled to said as he looked at Leonardo: “I mean what I mean by the people of the Earth live in complete tranquility and their mind can only do their work and their duties, they are like machines”

It was terrible for Leonardo, this is a real crime, so they can not grumble or speak. Maybe if those tranquilizers were available on Kepler’s planet, Joseph will not reluctant to do what they were doing here but he thinks for a moment that Joseph would not need those tranquilizers, he imposes its control anyway.

“People here all suffer from the oppression of governments and authorities, but here they rely on a very malicious principle, which closes the eyes of the whole population for what is happening, everything that happens in secret without people knowing about it, while what happens on the planet Kepler is completely exposed, not like the Earth, here you will know nothing” Albert said.

“So how did you discover this thing?”

Albert was silent a little and then took out a pack of cigarettes from his pockets and put one between his lips as he lit it to say: “An accident has been arranged to kills me, A car bomb was just what they needed, but that car was not mine alone” he blew the cigarette smoke and then he followed “ The car was a partnership between me and my sister’s family and that day they were riding the car and they...” he silence without completing his phrase, but that was enough to make Leonardo understand, And continue: “After the death of my sister with her husband and their child, I disappeared from view, taking advantage of the absence of any bodies are complete and clear, they just a scattered pieces, I was in a difficult psychological state. I ate only a little, and even what I ate or drank was food from nature, like fruits and vegetables, because I moved away, where my fishing hut, I wanted to commit suicide. I had no motivation to live.” he stops a little and then deeply sigh and follow “They killed everything inside, their destruction of our feelings and our lives was never enough, they wanted to kill me, but they did much worse, They left me living a body without a soul, but when I was at the height of my suffering and pain I  reborn again, Revenge and hatred all I fell, I’m on my way to eliminate them forever”

Leonardo felt broken as he listen to Albert and his grief, which makes it clear that he suffers a lot in every sense of the word. It was clear that he was someone who tragedies turn him into someone he never wanted to be.

“They will regret a lot and they see that everything around them is broken on my hands and because of me they will pay the price more expensive than they expected and then I will kill them all by myself and I will carry the title of the criminal on my chest because I wrote their end,” Albert said, and he gritted his teeth with anger.

It was clear to Leonardo that he would do so without hesitation But he tried to keep away those feelings of blackness from Albert for a moment: “ you scared me”

Albert smiled and he lit the third cigarette in a row and then said seriously: “I am not the kind of person who commits his revenge to all humans as Victoria, they created that monster inside me and they will only suffer the terrible consequences”

Puffs the rest of the cigarette then said:” saying what is inside me makes me feel relief a little, I never talk to someone about it since the accident, To keep it secret, but now I do not care, I play some games with them and burn their nerves. Even if they kill me, it would be fun for me, they will save me from my torment and from the waiting of time and revenge “  

Leonardo thought that what Albert was suffering was a late stage of despair when death was considered joyful and salvation from everything, meaning that he had nothing to live for.

“You have to learn in the next few days all the basics about this place so you can penetrate the noise of their world, you must succeed in your task, this is a bigger matter than you imagine”

Daniel received permission to enter his father’s office. He saluted him and sat on the chair in front of the office.

He took a deep breath and then wishing inside, that it would pass easily and that there would be no battles. “Dad, can we talk about something important?”

Alfred completed his sentence, which he wrote on the book in front of him, then left the pen and looked at Daniel, wondering what he wanted to talk about this time.” What is the matter?”

Daniel gathered all his courage and he says with a rush: “it’s about Violet”

Alfred’s sharp looks, which almost swallowed him, were not something he did not expect from his father He knows exactly what is his reaction when talking about Violet specifically. He could not stop the beating of his heart, which accelerated with his father’s deadly looks, which caused a tremor in his body,

“I will act with you peacefully and remind you of my position about a girl does not interest me,” Alfred said.

he was furious with his father’s words: “How do you talk about my sister like that?”

Alfred’s features relaxed slightly and he realized that his son did not know about anything until now, he can not blame him any way he said very seriously as he released what he holds on his chest: “Not your sister”

These words were very capable of making his body shudder and his heart to fall between his feet, felt very suffocation. But he could not utter anything has paralyzed the muscle of his tongue with the rest of his body, his father followed as he watching the reaction of his son surprised: “You are almost 18 years old and you know that you will take care of many important and secret things sooner or later and you should be aware of that fact so well that you must be fully prepared to get rid of it when you are asked to”

He did not know what his father was saying, so he could not believe that she was not his sister “Do you tell me, after all, this time that she is not my sister? She is even closer to me than my sister Julia. You must be kidding me or you are not fully conscious.”

“you will be away from her anyway and will not approach her more than this and warn you to talk about this fact until the time is right,” Alfred said.

“She is my sister and I will approach her and I will not allow you or anyone else to touch her badly and you will see that” and once he finished his sentence that made his father freeze in his place.

“Did they force you to do this job? “ Albert said, while Leonardo looking at the stone that was spread on the garden floor: “ something like that”

Albert puffed his cigarette smoke and he looked at Leonardo then said smiling: “It’s my turn to play detective, I want to know about you as much as you know about me”

Leonardo shook his head and his eyes were still hanging on the floor. Silence for a moment then took a deep breath and said: “I was in Joseph’s prisons when Victoria came and treated me like a magic lamp”

Albert smiled and he listened to Leonardo’s sarcastic sentence and then said: “This woman is very cunning,”

“She really turns into an angel until she reaches her desires, and becomes a demon more evil than Joseph” Albert looked at Leonardo and then said: “Why were you in Joseph’s prisons?”

“Nineteen years ago, I was living in a family that my mother took care of me she was so affectionate despite her husband who was supposed to be my father, he was beating her and humiliated her, It was not a family atmosphere at all, but she was the only one who makes me felt like I was her spoiled child. One day he went too far as hitting her hard. she was in the last capacity to bear it. I remember how tired she was, so she only said that I was not his child, he gets crazy and carrying the knife wants to kill her and she went out of the house begging people to save her from him to find the guards of the palace who saves her and send her to Joseph “

“and what next?” Albert said with curiosity.

“Then I did not see my mother,” Leonardo said and then added: “That man left me and then I get transferred to the training complexes, and of course, Joseph will not missing a young man from his own hands. He would only send me the planet Gliza as a guard under Victoria’s hands, and when I get older I planned to break into secret prisons where my mother is but unfortunately I been caught by Joseph’s guards.”

Leonardo silence as he felt Albert’s stare towards him and looked up from the ground then he said, smiling: “If I were not here now I would either be dead or I would receive a very harsh punishment”

Albert looked at him and then put his hand on his shoulder and said: “You are a hero, there is no doubt about this, a hero because you have challenged everything for your mother, which you have only scattered memories, but what keeps you from reaching this is something you can not overcome. The tournament is to do everything you can do and sacrifice for someone you love” A little silence and then follow” Put the championship medal on your chest and boast about it “

Albert’s words made Leonardo feel comfortable and had some of the burdens that have accumulated on his chest for many years, “So this task means a lot to me because it either makes me achieve my goals and deserve the title of the hero as you said or that I fail and lose my mother and myself”

“fought and tried, but if he failed, do not become like me,” Albert said, and he looked at Leo seriously and then followed, explaining, “I wish I could forget, but they forced me as if they know that the idea of revenge is very painful”

Leonardo shook his head in understanding without knowing how to answer. He is not as good at talking and comforting as Albert is. The silence lasted for minutes until Albert interrupted him saying: “You will have to meet the biggest officials to start the implementation of our plan”

Sandra entered Violet’s room after she knocked on the door. Violet turned after she had finished arranging her hair and had left two locks of hair to fall down in front of her ears. She watched her mother, who did not move in front of the door, smiled at her and then said in a way she tried to be exhilarating: “Good morning to the most precious person on my heart”

There is a wide smile on Sandra’s face as she listens to the sound of her lover and her heart beats with joy and she sees Violet approaching her, Violet hugged her mother and then whispered in sorrow: “sorry mom to make you worry about me”

“I do not want you to apologize, just shine and be happy,” Sandra said as she moved away from her daughter and then covered her face with her hands and said: “ are you not gonna return to your room? I arranged it for you and prepared it as it was”

Sandra noticed the silence of Violet, expressing her sadness and not forgetting what had happened Then she said hesitantly: “Is not the time, my beauty, to make peace with your father?”

Violet looked at her after the idea aroused her anger, she will not bear more quarrels with him and the distance is the best solution for now.

Violet sighed and then said “ mom I don’t really want to talk about that now, and Daniel is waiting for me out” She carried her bag and then hugged her mother and went out.

Chapter 29

A lbert’s car stopped in a small car park in an almost deserted place. Albert walked, followed by Leonardo, toward an iron wall that extended beyond sight. He took a green card out of his black pocket and put it in front of a detector next to an iron door. The light rays moved to the top and bottom of the card, and it was only seconds before the door was opened, Albert steps on the threshold of the door He lit a beam that examined his body as it did with the card, then opened the other door and a large green square appeared in front of them, Albert stepped over the door and then turned towards Leonardo and said: “ do as I did”

Leonardo crossed the door and followed Albert, who walked through a stone pathway in the courtyard, The place was like a piece of an abandoned world with no sounds or any movement, As they progressed and approached Leonardo saw the end of this long corridor They reached to a train, They did not have on Kepler’s planet modern means of transportation and mobility was not as frequent as it is here, and their numbers are not comparable to the numbers of the Earth’s population, Their way of traveling was through the wagons or after the modern machines sent by Victoria sometimes, but Joseph was not much interested in developing anything and they lived in great delay compared to Gliza.

Albert put the card back in front of the detector, but this time by placing it on an electronic screen in front of the train door. The backlight is green and then the door is opened automatically.

Albert took a seat from one of the seats and pulled the belt on the side of the seat and placed it over his gray jacket to the other side of the seat. Leonardo sat on the seat next to him and then put the belt and do as Albert did and the train went off.

Leonardo is silent for a moment and thinks how much of this world is horrible here. Nothing is real and life does not exist. Although life conditions are harsh on Kepler’s planet, he finds it more merciful than the planet.

“Is nobody here other than us?” Leo said.

“Yes,” replied Albert, and then took out his pack of cigarettes to start smoking, as usual, pulled a cigarette and put it between his lips and then lit it.

one hour passed and the train arrived at the station, Leonardo came out with Albert from the train, when they arrived they met by two men in an elegant gray suit. One of them said: “Can you tells me who are you?”

Albert looked at him coolly and then said with a clear irony: “Thank you for the esteemed reception and you can ask Mr. Bernald about my identity, I regret that he did not inform you that I will come”

The other man looked at him with sharp eyes and then said with a frown, as he advanced to stand opposite his companion: “We do not gonna chatter with you, say who you’re or I will”

Before he completes his threat, Albert interrupts him and says: “ Or what?”

it doubled the anger of the man, in fact, there was nothing to force him to patience, grabbed the collar of Albert shirt and said a higher than the previous:” Or I will have to break every bone in ....”

But his sentence was not completed because a strong punch suddenly throws him to the ground. Leonardo did not hesitate to intervene to protect Albert, but his companion rushed to take out the gun and the faced towards the head of Leonardo and said as he smiled sarcastically: “You will pay very dearly for this.”  He put his finger on the trigger of the gun while Leonardo continued to stare at him without understanding what would happen

Albert stood in his face and said with a little panic and raised the green card towards the man: “I am here with the official permission of Mr. Bernald look to this card as proof”

The nerves of both Leonardo and Albert decreased as they watched the man’s hand slowly get down until the danger faded away.

Leonardo sat opposite Albert on a chair in a closed room at the busy train station. It has been almost half an hour since the incident and since they arrived, they are watching the other side of the room, separated from the place where they sit with a wall and a glass facade showing them what is happening inside. There were several men in the same gray suit who were whispering and making calls to verify Albert’s identity and permit to enter their own place.

Albert was very resentful because he had to submit to them in one way or another, but it was not about him. One of them was ready to kill Leonardo. He said, his eyes still hanging on the glass facade watching their movements and their looks: “Do not do it again”

Leonardo looked at Albert surprised he did not understand what he meant, to said:” What do you mean?”

He took a deep breath, trying to get rid of the discomfort he felt from waiting under their mercy, he tried not to reveal his tension: “I mean to intervene between me and them, I know how to deal with them well, I do not care what they will do with me, but you do not have to take the same path”

“In fact, this is not about what you are doing but it is about me that I can not stand without moving a finger,” Leo said.

“Try not to be reckless because,” one of the officers interrupting Albert’s sudden saying: “You can get out of here, a private car waiting for you,”

Albert did not wait to get out of that disgusting room and then followed by Leonardo who was able to easily observe the sharp looks directed at him specifically.

they get in the car and at a glance before completing this endless discussion, the car stopped in front of a tall gray building, Leonardo and Albert came out of the car and followed by the officer who accompanied them from the station to here,

“Mr. Bernald is waiting for you in his own office,” The receptionist said to the officers, she returned the phone with a smile and then followed “one of the female employees would come to guide them to the office,  you can leave”

The officer nodded and then left without taking a last look at them until the female employee arrived seconds later. She was wearing black trousers and a white shirt with a black jacket on top, The receptionist looked at her and said: “take them to Mr. Bernald’s office”

she nodded and then looked at Albert and Leonardo and said, smiling: “this way”

they take the elevator up to the first floor that surrounds the ground floor. The place was very quiet opposite the messy basement. The employee stopped at one of the doors and then opened it and entered.

In front of them was a small office where another employee sat and was busy with some papers in front of her.

The employee saluted her colleague and then said, referring to Albert and Leonardo: “These two gentlemen have an appointment with Mr. Bernald”

She did not spend much time, she left without waiting for an answer.

Albert enters the office of Bernald as he passes his angry looks at everything around him, Everything that happened to him today was more resentful and make him more hatred, Bernald hurried to close the office door, watching the steps of Albert and Leonardo towards his office.

Albert gets close to bernald, Then he lowered his voice and he followed “What you are looking for is not in my house, I did not lose my mind yet to act naively”

bernald shocked, he never expected that Albert will know about the guards who sent them to search his house during his absence, but Albert has installed surveillance cameras in his home, he knows their tricks.

Albert hit the table in front of him to wake Bernald from his chills and then said: “I warned you a lot of tampering with me, but do not blame me when I decide to enter the battlefield to eliminate you”

“I did not believe your words,” Bernald replied immediately, and then he followed and tried to control his calm. “I thought you were exploiting us in the truest sense, fooling us with a lie that did not exist. I sent my men to explore what you hiding but they find nothing, I recognized that you are just a deceiver “

Albert smiled sarcastically and then raised his eyebrows saying: “Do you expect me to hide what I hide in open places and I am aware of your machinations? Now, what do you want? Now you are sure I am a deceiver. Why do not you kill me?”

“Because your confidence frightens me so I am forced to deal with you and carry out what you asked to get away from my way”

Albert did not want more than this and now he can feel more secure about their machinations. He seems to surrender but he can not trust them completely.

“Well, now I can only feel safe for my nephew,” said Albert, looking to Leonardo.

Leonardo did not understand the theater dialogue he had in front of him for minutes before he could not recognize the person Albert, who changed completely from what he used to, but he knows only one thing is that his unknown journey has just begun.

Leonardo looked at the sky overcast from the window of his flat, Leonardo felt some tension from this day, his first day at the university. It took him a week to fit in this city and he started to get bored quickly, especially since he was away from Albert for an unknown period, In fact, he was missing him although he only knew him for one week but he had an impact on him, Albert continued to send text messages to Leonardo to give him some advice about his stay and warning him of being recklessness, Leonardo came out of his house after looking at the clock and realizing that it was time to start the day.

The place was wonderful for Leonardo, the students who were giggling, laughing, making noise, and even running like children, But the difference between here and outside the city? It may be because people here think that everything for their community is available. Leonardo stepped into the arena heading for the building, his ominous lecture is about to begin.

The campus of the university returned to full again After the dormancy was resolved by the students entering the building to attend the lectures, The noise began to arise from the building and they made their way to the spacious courtyard, Violet looked a little bored at her friend Jacqueline, who did not stop chattering,

She walked with her to their usual table, where a group of the most famous students set, They were all friends of Violet, but some were not And their presence against her own will. And then sat down listening to their collective conversations.

The lecture was more difficult than what Leonardo expected, although it was a professional specialty, but it was not as easy as he expected. He felt a bit frustrated but remembered that he did not receive a quality education in his home anyway and this is natural and expected to happen.

Daniel approached Leo and sat on his side and then said sarcastically: “Did not we meet the new young man yet?”

Leonardo looks at him and chose to ignore his question because he knew what his tone was hiding,

In fact, ignoring Danielle does not stop him from doing what he wanted to do, But felt that he needed urgent to provoke Leonardo and enjoy a little, he smiled and then said to his friends mocking “It seems that his mother did not teach him how to speak, obviously he is mute”

The laughter grew louder as the gatherings grew more and more than students came to watch with the intention of entertainment. Leonardo began to feel a little anger, and his body trembled after hearing Daniel’s words, He could not resist the fire that burned in his chest despite the coldness of his body. Their laughter was a nightmare for him, and he had the fantasies of those who had ridiculed him since childhood,

Leonardo rose from his place without warning and then grabbed Daniel from the collar of his shirt. Everyone froze and the voices disappeared to hear the silence on the place, Everyone was surprised by Leonardo’s sudden reaction as Daniel stared at him incredulously, He could not hide his tension from that movement that he did not expect, Leonardo looked at him and his eyes flared with anger and then said: “Stop that silly game,” as he finished his sentence until he pushed Daniel to his teammates. he did not stand to see the features of surprise on their faces but he walks away from that ridiculous gathering.

Daniel could not bear the humiliation in front of all the students, He felt very angry and rushed to follow Leonardo and immediately upon arrival he put his hand on his shoulder and pulled it towards him and before raising his hand to beat Leonardo he got a punch that throws him on the ground.

Jack after failing to intervene, it is not courageous for two people to attack one person, he says very angerly: “I will teach you how to deal with your masters.” But he did not finish his sentence until he extends his grip to slap Leonardo’s face but he grabs it and then he swings his arm and shoves him toward the ground.

Daniel’s colleagues, all of whom approached Leonardo, trying to beat him But he was repulsing them, none of them had received military training for years, Before the war continues, the director goes beyond the student gatherings followed by the supervisor and some university doctors.

the director shouted with great anger: “All of you to my office immediately”

Violet’s friends were gathered in the university cafeteria after afternoon lectures were interrupted because of chaos and parents’ attendance, It was not the first time that student fight, as it did today, but Daniel’s and Jack’s parents were more severe than usual because of the problem of the new student, who was famously for being a public figure. does not amount to their society, The silence was all over the place, Everyone was silent while Daniel and Jack were in a state of intense anger, but they had not spoken since they left the director’s office.

Violet could not sit with them even though they had been beaten, but they had been wrong from the start because they try to make fun of the new man and they got what they deserve, Jack hit the table with fury while his breath nervously accelerating to say: “I swear that I will smash that dirty bastard, who thinks himself?” It seems that the dogs began to assault their masters. “But he could not complete his insults when Violet screamed and rose from her chair.

“Stop Jack, stop this arrogance learn at least a lesson from what happened”

Jack raised his eyebrows sarcastically as everyone looked at Violet and denounced her anger and emotion.

“What lesson do you want me to learn? I allow the scout to insult me and insult me in front of everyone”

“And did you think that you would meet his silence before you insulted him, you want him to remains like a poor silent insect because he simply does not belong to the same ridiculous velvet class?”

Jack stared at her with great anger and his body rose in front of her words, which played on his sensitive tendon and made him lose his temper while everyone stared at her with surprise as she does not belong to them.

Jack rose from his place and then cried out and his eyes did not leave her eyes: “I swear if you were not a girl to smash you now, and all my wrath will be finished from that wicked young man”

As soon as Jack was finished with his blunt sentences, Daniel burst out of his place like a monster who jumped on his prey and then grabbed him from the collar of his shirt and his eyes were burning with anger, to whisper to Jack “Remember that you are talking to my sister,” he said, and then he turned away looking to Violet then and said, “ “Violet is right, he is a human and absolutely so sensitive. We exaggerated our game”

Location: Planet Kepler

Erura looked at the features of Thomas’ face and had been silent since meeting him this morning in training. It was not Thomas’s habit to be in this darkness, and the grim expressions painted on his face have puzzled Erura, she was trying to ask him repeatedly about the reason for his displeasure for no known reason, and despite her extreme urgency he refrained from answering.

He tried to avoid disclosing what he had hidden as much as possible, trying not to speak to ensure the least losses, but he seemed unable to alleviate the horror of the reality.

“Erura I have been chosen to leave for Gliza and will leave the delegation after several days, I’m sorry”

Her eyes widened when she could not believe what she had just heard. It could not be a real it’s a terrifying nightmare, despite everything she said smiling: “But you refused of course, this decision is back to you at the end”

“I signed the approval and you are the most informed of what may happen to anyone who rejects the orders”

Erura looked at him with angry looks and then said sharply: “No, I do not know because no one has ever broken orders because you are cowards, you are all cowards, you will die, enslaved, and you are still idols “ Despite the harshness of her words, she stabbed his wound and makes him felt the extent of his weakness and failing in front of her, she is not afraid of anything but he was never prepared to sacrifice he was always waiting for a hero to sacrifice for him to gain what he wished and live his life.

Despite the harshness of her words and knowledge of their reality, he was not prepared to sacrifice, object or move, as she says, he is truly a coward who does not dare to take risks.

She screamed and she looked at him and tears pouring out of her eyes: “I do not want to see you go to hell, go away like a coward, and do not show me your face anymore, and even that bow and arrow that you gives me, I no longer want. I will forget that you have been my family and my brother supported me, I have no honor to accompany the cowards “

she finishes her sentences that made the heart of Thomas feel the fire of pain, Those words were the last thing he wanted to hear in his life or even imagined that he might hear it one day, It was so painful, he now is no more than a coward for her. He could not bear the fact that those moments were his last memory with Erura.

she ran away without looking at him as if she had never known her before.

Thomas bend over in front of the bow and arrow, Tears finally escaped from his eye announcing the end of the painful farewell anniversary between him and his childhood friend. He will never see her again, and even if he sees her she will never recognize him.

Erura’s breaths were markedly accelerated while raising her hand to knock the door in front of her with force and savagery but her standing in front of the door did not last long. The guards of the palace rushed towards her and began to drag her from her arms, And with this, she continued resistance trying to escape from their fists and she screams at the top of her voice: “I need to talk to Mr. Joseph”

She had stormed the palace without the permission of her guards Up to Joseph’s suite, while Joseph opened the door with his blue nightgown and then cried out, saying the guards:” let her”

Released from their fists a few seconds later, while Joseph stared at her with resentment, but did not stay standing in a long time, she approached him boldly and said: “I want to talk to you in an important matter Sir”

“It’s important now and at this time of night, you become so barbaric?”

“I will not take much of your time,” Erura said in begging tone.

He looked at her red eyes for a few minutes and noticed the pallor of her face as if she were crying. He said after sighing with some discomfort:” what do you want?”

“I want to leave,” she said immediately without hesitation as she looks on Joseph’s face, That face, which showed a few signs of aging through wrinkles and down to his beard swept by gray.

She has continued to rebel against him a lot lately. He did not really understand her point of view, but her tone and her looks were enough to make him understand that she had declared war on him and her arrival now meant that she wanted to quarrel with him.

“what do you mean?” He asked her, hoping her answer would be peaceful.

“I want to go to the planet Kepler with the delegation you will send”

he coldly smiled and then said in a tone tried to be quiet: “Is anyone asking to leave home? Why do you ask for such a request?”

Erura was aware of these transformations and knew that he was holding back his anger, but why was he holding him back?

“I do not want to stay here, I can not stay”

“And who told you that I will send the pretty girls that born on my planet?” He answered her in a way that provoked her a lot and the smile was still on his face.

she said in a high tone: “But I will not remain enslaved to you whether I leave or stay and I will leave I do not care about your opinion at all”

His body angrily disobeyed and he listened to her brazen words, but he continued to keep his calm. He wanted to close all the doors in her face. He got up from his place and then said, as he moves forward towards her: “Here everyone is at my disposal, my dear, I’m a nightmare will follow you, wherever you go, you will not be able to escape from me “

Every step he approached her she steps back until she hit the wall behind her and despite her confusion and her trembling, she screamed at him “In your dreams, I am not living under the mercy of someone, I’m not like everyone”

Widened his eyes and then stretched his fingers to the tufts of her short hair and then said to her as his fingers cling to her hair more: “I will consider myself I have not heard anything, such words get a woman before you nineteen years in jail, Surely you do not want to be like her in a dark cell full of rats, you still a child, my little girl”

She was trying to curb her intense desire to cry and her heartbeat was beating very fast and she felt strangely suffocated. Perhaps it would stay like this if Joseph had not heard the knock on the door and shouted: “ who’s that?!!”

“I’m Lisa, what’s are you doing at this time?”

he wants very hard to kill both of them now from the intensity of his anger, but he answered her trying to control his nerves: “ I’m Coming “

Before he left, he whispered to her, smiling: “I will make sure that you will be my next wife.” to leave it alone, but she did not hold it long. She was crying with a loud voice until her voice echoed around the room. She sat on the ground, hugging her knees and trembling, she felt no one protect her anymore.

Joseph sighed after the news of the launch of the vehicle with trained military personnel, bound for the planet Gliza.

what concern Joseph’s decrease the number of men in the training camp, leaving only the elderly and children on the planet, The situation has been reversed for 10 years when the spacecraft stopped coming from the Earth, In addition to the lack of families and the many diseases that kill women and children, He knows that he has never been able to build a society and support him with what he needs. He did not think of cooperating with Victoria on strengthening the scientific side of his people or even using good doctors. He was not as smart as Victoria, or perhaps he did not want to be smart. Victoria was no less than him in the exploitation of the people, but she was able to meet their simple rights at least.

he hates Victoria just because she is a woman, After years of his rule began issuing a lot of orders for exterminating any rights of women, Many women were killed by his orders, He was married by order of his mother to have a son for fear of being assassinated as he had with his father, but it turned out that he could not have children,

he Issued a lot of orders that restrict women’s freedom, It also reinforced the idea of enslavement the women until it became the habits of the males of his people, Preventing women from going out of the house or wandering around the popular markets, he eliminated her from the society, He even ordered to killing of all the girls babies, but he retracted his decision after a period of fear of the disappearance of the presence of women completely, which leads to their destruction.

he makes a deal with Victoria later after the number of women decreased in exchange for sending trained men to her also sent to some of her youth people to receive training as well.

He changed his condition very much after he met Eliza and loved her and married her but when he felt that she could betray him, And discovered that he loved her beauty no more, He returned to his former cruelty, he found himself loving beautiful women some of them gets him bored so he killed them as he did before and some of them escaped and were also killed.

His ears picked up a man’s call for his name, he turned to the sound source to find Eliza in front of him.

“Joseph, can I know exactly what is going on in your head?” She said sharply.

“What do you mean by this?”

“Do not try to ignore, I know you well and I understand the purpose of your actions. What made you put Thomas among the departed?”

Joseph raised his eyebrows with disapproval after he began to feel annoyed by her words and then said sarcastically: “And since when I take your opinion of my own decisions, which belong to the kingdoms”

Eliza confused by his decision “ why you send him away from Erura?”

Joseph stared at her for a moment, amazed at her daring, almost forgotten after all those years she had spent silent and satisfied, but she did all this to keep Erura safe. He smiled, simply saying, trying to provoke:” Yes, I did I send him away to separate them”.

Eliza felt an internal collapse and weakness of her strength and she realized that she could not do anything to him and he did not care about her or her anger, nothing stops him from what he wants.

“Please do what you want, but do not take my little away from me enough that you prevented me from seeing her and talking to her as soon as she reached the age of eight, do not deprive her of her glamor”

He did not want to hear her voice anyway and was not in a temperament allowed him to hear the sound of wailing and crying, he approached her and grabbed her shoulders and then said: “Listen, I do not want to hear any of your sounds,  she will live as  you live and I will marry her Even if you cry for the rest of your life” A smile showed on his face as Eliza’s eyes widened and she felt as if she was about to fall, to add “ I will not tire myself to convince you but to know how good I’m, I will allow you to talk to your nephew so she will share the palace with you and get closer to each other as you dreamed years ago, Is not this wonderful dear?”

He makes fun of her as he always does. She felt very pain and distress and was about to collapse to weep for her pain.

Chapter 30

Location: Planet Earth

S he had to collect a hundred points until she got the smallest teddy bear present. she took the first arrow between her fingers and then started trying to focus on the center where she could get 200 points at once, how wonderful it would be if she could hit the goal!

She threw the arrow after several seconds hoping to hit the goal but the arrow went down before it arrived, it was disappointing but there were still two attempts, she tried this time not to focus on any goal, just leave it to chance and hit the arrow plate actually this time, but it did not score only ten points, She sighed uneasily while she was disappointed and continued to stare at the plate in front of her. Perhaps she would be lucky and hit the target this time,

she was surprised when she noticed the young man who stood beside her holding her last arrow between his fingers and he is looking at the plate trying to release the arrow, But what does he do? And why is her last chance wasted by him? What is this boldness that made him act without her permission? But her thoughts did not last long she saw the arrow hit the midpoint easily. he harvested 200 points from the first time, Violet stood staring at the plate shocked and disbelieving, but his voice interrupted her state as he says: “What will you choose?” she looked at him as if he knew her for some time as if it did not come from nowhere.

“You can choose what you want,” said the man who stands in the shop.

she woke up from her stupidity and then she said as she looked at the dolls: “I want a big bear doll that” She pointed to one of the largest puppets. It was a large brown bear.

The man picked up the doll from the top and then handed it to her. He said, smiling: “here is your prize, you are lucky”

Violet took the bear doll, it’s the first time to get a gift from this game, she looked at the doll and then smiled and said excitedly as she looks at Leonardo with gratitude:” Thank you”

Leonardo felt some confusion and was afraid of the consequences of his rush and sudden intervention, but he swore to risk and try, look at Violet then said: “ it’s okay”

“It’s strange to ask you about your name now, more than two weeks after you were at university, but in fact” she paused a little and then smiled “you were frightening that day”

He remained silent for a moment, making Violet more confused. has she said something that could not be said, she should not makes him remembered that incident. He looked at her without changing his facial expressions and said:

“My name is Leonardo” He paused a little and thought about what he will say. after he realized that he had to ask her name too, but he really knew it. “Your name is Violet right?”

She looked at him with surprise and said: “ how did you know?”

He should have expected such a question from the beginning, but as usual, he does not master the art of talking to others.

“What do you expect from a person who has been sitting for the past period in a university cafeteria staring at everyone?”

“It seems that this young shy silent knows a lot”

He stared at her cunning looks, but he did not think of responding to what she said but suddenly added: “Do you like violet flowers?”

“Yes, I love her. My mother has decorated all over our house with purple flowers since I was a child so she called me Violet because of his love for this kind of flower”

“I once passed a garden full of violet flowers that were very charming,” Leo said.

“In this City?”

“No, not here, but where I live” Leonardo once remembered his tour of the neighborhood where Albert’s house was so impressed by the beauty of violet flowers as he walked around a park.

Violet felt excited when he touched on where he lived. She knew he belonged to the general public and lived in the outside world, which had always been curious to discover that world she tried to hide her enthusiasm and passion: “Maybe you’ll take me there to visit that place, I love any place where there are violet flowers”

Leonardo wanted to take her out of the city and finish the job as soon as possible, but it would not be that easy and she could not trust him so quickly.

Before he answered anything, he heard the voice of someone calling her name and she began waving her hand smiling, he turns looked the source of the sound to found Violet’s friend, which always with her in the university,

Jacqueline looks at Leo, she knew that he was the young man who hit Daniel and Jack and began to look at Violet in confusion and she approached her hesitantly. She said: “We’ve been waiting for you for a while, Violet, why are you late?”

Violet smiled as she lifted the bear’s doll in front of Jacqueline and then said excitedly: “I won for the first time thanks to Leonardo’s skill in throwing the arrow and scoring the goal”

“Leonardo may like to join us,” Violet said while both Jacqueline and Daniel began to look at her with resentment at her suggestion, even though she knew that they did not want to.

Leonardo looked around him and was sure he was not a desirable person, but he really does not care about being with them as much as he cares for Violet and achieved his goals and he does not need to exist among people who reject him and do not accept his presence, he replied immediately: “No I do not like playing I came to take a look at the place only, thank you for calling”

Daniel was relieved by Leonardo’s initiative to reject, and Violet felt resentful about her failure to try to fix things a bit. But she just said to Leonardo before she left with her colleagues: “Maybe I’ll see you later”

Violet noticed Daniel’s car in front of the door. he told her he would come today, so she went to wash her face and then get some coffee to start her day, she walked down the stairs toward the kitchen, wondering why she had not seen Daniel so far. He seemed to have been here for some time and yet she had not seen him. Maybe he was talking to her mother or her father, she walks beside her father office room, and heard what makes her approach the door.

“I ordered you to get away from her and that was an order.” she heard her father’s voice screaming and he seemed very angry.

“I told you that she will remain my sister and I will never go away from her. I dont care about your orders,” Daniel replied sharply.

Alfred’s features became more acute as he listened to his son’s response,

“Violet is not your sister. She understands that she does not belong to us and does not belong to our world. she’s just a bastard. We do not know where she belongs to, I brought her to my family to cover the scandal of her day, she is not even Sandra’s daughter, did you understand? “

Violet, who was standing behind the door, listened to their conversation in silence. Her eyes filled with tears and her heart beat hard. Only one sentence was heard, “She was just a bastard. She was not even Sandra’s daughter and she did not belong to this world.” She put her hand on her mouth to stop her crying and her tears falling hot on her cheek.

Daniel continued to look at his father, and his strength faded, and his eyes twinkled and his fierce looks turned into another broken and sad one. He could not believe what his father had said.

“I will never forgive you,” said Daniel, with words scattered in a sad and broken tone, and inside him, he felt the fire burning.

Violet climbed the stairs quickly before Daniel and Alfred noticed her presence and she felt that she would lose consciousness.

She entered her room and closed the door and closed it and then sat on the floor and began to cry and cry and her tears do not stop falling, her father words were repeatedly in her mind as if she were in a nightmare, and she felt the suffocation dominated her.

A message comes to his phone, which was on the table to wake him from his wounds, so he thought that the message is from Albert, but when he looked at his phone screen, he was stunned. It was not usual to send messages to him in the early morning. he Clicks on the message and then starts reading its short text.

“Hello Leonardo, I was wondering if we could go out today outside the city, I’m excited to see the place of violet flowers, that you talked about last week. Can we come out an hour later? “

His relationship with Violet began to grow, he began to spend time with him and talked to him a lot. she felt like a puzzle that she wanted to recognize and solve. She wanted to know more about the dark side of his life,

He thought to call Albert to tell him that they with visiting him next day to lunch with her to gain her confidence so that next time to come out with more secrecy and to finish the mission.

Violet parked her car close to their university, as Leonardo asked her to do, she wanted to leave the house very hard but did not know where to go or who to go to.

she saw him as he approaches the car, he wore a coat and black trousers, as usual, he opened the car door and sat in the next seat.

“So where we go?” Violet said.

“To my uncle house, He lives outside this city and I told him that we will come to lunch and then we can go to where the flowers, also the snow did not fall as profusely as here and we can move more freely “

Violet was surprised as he was excited about their journey, a smile that looked pale because of the pallor of her face and left the tears marks on her face, despite trying to hide it with makeups.

“But how will we get out? As far as I know, there is a gate that does not allow us to get out”

“I have a special card that allows me to go out,” Leo said.

Violet nodded to feel some relief. As if she were a prisoner who would leave the prison,

Engel stood on the sidewalk on the other side of the street and she hurried to open her car door and catch up with them. she sat behind the wheel and quickly put the keys and run the car to go behind them before losing them, but fortunately, the street was almost empty because of that atmosphere. She did not expect to be so lucky to see Leonardo and Violet together by chance.

she followed them for about half an hour or more and began to move away from the residential areas. The place around them began to be empty of life and she was curious about their destination.

she stopped when she began to hint at a large barrier blocking the road, she watched Leonardo descend from the car to approach the gate side and only seconds until the gate was opened. She could not see what he had done exactly, Leonardo returned to ride the car again and the gate close behind them immediately.

Angel sighed uneasily when the gate closed behind them. They were definitely out of town, which meant that Violet had broken one of the laws. She smiled. she realized how wonderful that opportunity she had on a silver plate to get rid of Violet.

Violet was trying to keep her calm and not show the tension she felt as they waited in front of Albert’s door after Leonardo knocked on the doorbell. She was very interested in watching everything around her, everything she wanted to recognize in the outside world by making her reflect on all the details.

The door of the house opened to show Albert behind it, who appeared to Violet as if in his fifth decade with his black hair, He stared at them for a second and then he smiled and said: “Welcome, come in”

Albert saluted Leonardo and then Violet smiled warmly to ask them to sit in the lounge on the couch. This was the simplest home Violet ever saw, so it was built very ordinarily in contrast to the fancy houses in their city.

“I can not believe the advent of this historic day when I could see one of Leo’s colleagues,” Albert said with a smile as he headed for the kitchen. He began to take out some glass dishes from the cupboard.

Violet smiled and she looked at Leonardo then said: “I can believe this easily I saw it with my eyes”

Although was cold outside and snow covered everywhere, Violet insisted on going to violet flowers after finishing lunch, Although she knows there is a very high possibility that flowers will not survive in this cold climate, she is still determined to go, It was not far from Albert’s house and it was only ten minutes before they reached a park on the public street and the sun was about to down,

Leonardo stood in front of a tree a little way from the place of the games. There was a yard full of snow: “Here were the violet flowers before they removed the insulation that protects them from the cold and winter,” Leonardo said.

Violet began walking, as Leonardo pointed out, then bent to see the close-up Violet flower, the only one who remained alive without dying under the piles of snow, “ you’re lucky you find one”

“Does not your uncle have any family?” She said to him after that question jumped on her head.

“No, he is alone,” Leo said.

“I felt so and it seems sad I think he has a problem,” Violet said.

Leonardo felt that Violet had the ability to understand the people around her. Perhaps this is normal,

“He is secretive and does not like to talk about his problems even with me”

“Sometimes we become secretive because we didn’t find someone who cares about us, try to make him feel that you care about him then he will show you what he feels and you will be able to help him, and despite everything, he is a fun person” She paused a little and then followed, raising her eyebrows “And what’s your problem? I think it’s bigger than your uncle problem”

He looked at her with surprise and then replied: “And how do you know?”

She smiled and said: “Of your actions, do not look like your uncle, although I can see his grief but he has a sense of humor very fun and also that he is a relatively social person”

Violet approached one of the seats and began to remove the snow from it and then she said: Well, I can understand your uncle because he is faced the life, he is oldest but what makes a young man like you feel like he is living this day against his will?”

Leonardo did not know if what Violet had just said was clear to all, or was she able to understand what people were hiding from grief? He really began every day of his life against his will.

“I think you were not okay this morning,” he said after sensing something of her words and remembering how she had been this morning, but he did not care to ask her then.

She paused a little and then said, “Sometimes we live and sink into our world, we live in our dreams to forget our reality”

Leonardo shared the smile without fully comprehending his reaction, perhaps because he thought that everyone he met wanted to teach him something.

Both Violet and Leonardo rode back to the city after the sun was gone.

George’s eyes widened and he listened to his daughter and then said excitedly:

“What are you saying? Are you sure?”

“I saw them with my eyes and they were leaving the city outside, I could not believe my eyes but that’s what happened”

George remained silent, staring into the void, and inside he was furious. He had repeatedly warned them of the danger of keeping that girl among them, but no one had heard him,

Angel rose from her chair in front of her father’s office and stood her back to him and then said in a way that she had invented her innocence: “I heard them say something I did not understand”

George went back to look at his daughter and then asked her: “What did you hear?”

she tried to stutter a bit and she says: “Things about planetary flights and the like, I did not exactly understand what”

George returned to sit in his place after he lost his strength “Well go now, my little girl and never tell anyone what you saw or heard”

Angel nodded and then headed for the door to get out and close it behind her.

She had a satisfied smile on her face Then she sighed with satisfaction. she did not think that destroy Violet would be that easy, so she added some of her imagination to finish her definitively and guarantee the result. All she had to do was to exploit the previous incident. she knew the previous time that the subject of the planets had provoked her father’s anger and made him angry until she knew that Violet’s absence in that period was not coincidental. She knew that this was a dangerous secret behind him and that Violet had approached From the restricted area, she used that lie as an experiment. she did not know if it would hit or not, but it seems that her expectations have not been disappointed and now she has only to sit in the first row to see what happens.

Chapter 31

G eorge asked Bernard to bring all the officials together this morning for a very urgent and important matter. Bernald was not very sure of George’s seriousness but reluctantly agreed to George’s claim that it was impossible to postpone it, it’s about life or death. It was nine o’clock in the morning when all the officials were in the same room as usual. Everyone was wondering about the reason for this meeting in this early morning they were not accustomed to holding urgent meetings early in the morning and this not happened for a long time and in rare cases.

George became more emboldened and then shouted after he got up and took the position of attack: “I think this time is not the time of joking, and while you are sitting in your homes, I believe that there are many things happen from behind us so that we will find ourselves falling into the abyss. But if you do not care, I am different and I am not ready to lose everything, Violet violated a forbidden act and left the city border with that young man and they plan to leave the planet. We are being betrayed and rebellious while we do not know anything about what is happening “

Alfred’s eyes widened as he felt that his heart had fallen out of his chest. He could not believe what was being said.

Everyone was in a state of shock and disorder, but Bernald began to question George’s credibility because of his anger at not taking his opinion into account every time, especially when he refused Leonardo’s presence, to said: “ and how did you know?”

George replied: “My daughter saw them with her eyes as they left and she heard them talking”

Bernald looked at him disapprovingly and then said sarcastically: “And since when was your daughter named a spy we have to believe everything she says? Everyone knows that your daughter is jealous of her shadow and when she is jealous you first know what she capable of doing”

George looked at Bernald with strong displeasure, and then said: “You know perfectly well that the previous story was not a lie and then my daughter is no longer a child to behave these behaviors, here is the device in front you, make sure from the record to know who went out and noted that they took advantage of the holiday where the control is completely disabled”

Bernald did not hesitate to open the device in front of him to verify the subject and only minutes to close it excitedly it was clear that he did not see what pleased.

“Did you know about it?” Said Bernald, looking at Alfred with fury.

Alfred was in a state of extreme turmoil and wished to disappear with magic or miracle “Never,” he answered with one word with his voice shaky.

“I trusted you and betrayed that confidence. Can you protect us now from what will happen to us if everyone knows about it?” bernald said.

Alfred was humiliated and lost his dignity and pride in front of everyone. trying to justify and absolve himself of that charge” But”.

Bernald interrupted his sentence and he looked at him scornfully and then said: “ I suggested that you get rid of her a years ago, especially as she became part of our society and there is no risk of getting rid of her and falsifying the cause of death, but you refused that you said that you can maintain control of her and now we pay for your stubbornness, but now there is no way to refuse either to kill her calmly or we will do,”

Alfred could not feel anything as he listening to Bernald except the coldness of his unusual body.

Sandra approached Violet suddenly and then said: “Violet must leave immediately, do not have to stay here, they will kill you”

Violet turned to her and then said in a melodious tone, “Why did they kill me? What did I do? Why they leave me to live among you if they wanted to kill me?”

Sandra felt very hurt as listening to Violet’s questions, she could not protect her little girl.

“Nineteen years ago, a spacecraft landed on Earth and no one knew where it came from. Then the officials feared from the scandal But I insisted on Alfred convincing them to keep you alive and live with us. So they agreed and now they think that you will destroy everything and because you left that day outside the border, they were sure of their doubts and asked Alfred to get rid of you he was here in the morning looking for you,” Sandra stared at her and then grabbed her hands and followed her. “Do not wait, run quickly outside the border with that young man and do not come back heard? Never come back “

Sandra could not stop herself from crying as she says those words to Violet she asks her to move away with her full will, but this is much less than her death before her eyes. she knows what they think and knows what they can do without hesitation, no one can deter them if they decide. She never thought that she would taste anything of their brutality.

Violet could not understand what her mother had said, although she had been shocked before and heard what Alfred had told Daniel, she could never convince herself that Sandra was not her mother. She had always loved her. She gave her compassion and care perhaps more than a real mother. She just felt like her mother But this is all a nightmare, everything is revealing its falseness now, but what made it more shocking is the fact that she did not belong to the entire planet.

“I love you so much and you will always be my mother you the only person I love in this world “ She whispered to her then start crying,

Violet turned away from her and then said with a muffled voice: “I’ll come back wait for me”

Sandra’s breathing accelerated and she felt that her spirit was leaving her body completely and she was watching Violet saying her last words, to leave without return, yes without return,

Leonardo did not expect events to happen in such a way, Instead of seducing Violet, she had come by herself. Violet had to tell him everything that had happened to her and ask for his help. They left the city in a hurry before officials broke through the system, which is partially suspended on weekends so they can’t stop them from leaving, they Heading for Albert’s house, which is located in the forest, He did not know what to do and found himself asking Violet, who sat silently on the sofa: “What are we going to do now? Do you have any plans?”

Violet was staring into the void. She could not really concentrate or think. Maybe this was a very natural thing for someone who turned his life upside down on one night.

“I want to live with my mother, but they want to kill me for no reason. They push me away from me against my will,” she said, with a broken voice and a severe pain on her heart.

Leonardo could not stop those tears that rushed into his eyes and he listened to her. She is missing her mother as he does. He is burning with the desire to see her again. since he was nineteen years old. Perhaps he was lucky to be a child who could easily overcome the pain.

He was feeling lost and pain did not know what to do is in front of a very difficult decision. He heard a voice and began looking for the source of the sound until his eyes fell on his arm. He raised his arm in horror and there was a ray of light from under his skin, which was only a few seconds and he stared with shock and confusion until the light of the rays increased and the voice of Victoria appeared “I warn you to leave your site or allow the girl to leave, or you will never see your mother”

Leonardo’s last hours were like a slow death, but he simply found himself smiling mockingly. He ridiculed his naivety when he asked a ridiculous question. He wondered how Victoria was able to observe all his steps, but what a question! Now he realized that Victoria was not leaving such gaps, he found himself aware of how sinister he was and his selfishness.

He was looking at Violet’s sad face from time to time, It is a slow death for each of them, but only Leonardo who despised himself while he is waiting to present Violet on a plate of gold to Victoria,

Victoria has tied him up with iron chains that he knows are fictitious but he can not be free of them. his mother Inside her prisons, whom he thinks he can easily sacrifice anything to get her out of there, to found himself wondering about the truth of that possibility.

his body trembled when he heard the sound of a sudden movement from outside, He did not move from his place trying to act as if he had heard nothing, Violet was not aware of what was going on around her, not even hear the voices coming from outside. She was an unconscious person. Leonardo’s heartbeat accelerated and he looked at the clock after realizing that it was the time of the arrival of the vehicle and that it was only a short time before he found someone pushing the door firmly until he opened, Violet trembled and has widened her eyes as she looks at the men armed with guns felt as if her heart had fallen from her ribs of panic, One of the men looked at Violet and said: “You will go with us”

she raised her eyebrows with disapproval without realizing what was happening, so she did not know who they were talking to: “Who are you to leave with you?”

“No matter who we are, the important is that you will leave with us”

she turns to look at Leonardo, who stood silent as if he was invisible, and Before Violette said something, one of the men looked at Leonardo and then grinned at him to say “Victoria bless you, your success in handing over the treasure,” he said, referring to Violet.

Violet’s expressions were frozen and her body was confused to look at Leonardo’s disbelief. She felt that her body had robbed all her remaining energy while she felt that her mind was no longer receiving anything at all. The man’s words were like the poison that he had grown and started to take effect all over her body.

Leonardo watched the steps of Violet, who decided to leave simply. What would happen worse? There is nothing left to lose at all. ended her life as a girl enjoying all kinds of luxury living in the finest places on earth, now everything is over.

Violet’s last look at Leonardo made him crumble hard, she trusted him but! But he betrayed her confidence.

All Leonardo could do was observe the vehicle leaving the planet, He tried to suggest to the two guards accompany him, but they denied the possibility because of the small size of the vehicle and cannot hold more than three people, He hated himself completely and did not believe he was a coward for the first time, Violet’s eyes and her looks never left his mind, Until he almost became a curse will not be separated and found himself coming out of the house and heading towards the vehicle which he took from space, It was broken and the crafts coming to Earth were often disrupted. This is what Albert told him, As soon as Albert’s name jumped to his head, he remembered his presence and almost forgot it, He is the only one who can help him catch up with them before Victoria hurt Violet and that is probably the most likely.

He went back to the cottage again and before heading to his phone to call Albert, he saw Violet’s bag on the couch and was surprised to forget her here, he opened the gray bag medium size with some hesitation.

The first thing his eyes caught in the bag was a picture that was placed carelessly over some clothes and objects, Took the picture and then began his eyes wandering details until his eyes widened and shocked, The picture was for three people, but he notices only one person, a man like his father, Remember when his mother gave him the picture of his father stealthily before she disappears, believes that he will have the opportunity to find his father.

He turned the picture in a spontaneous way and his eyes fell on what was written on the back of the picture, he wrote on the right side where his father was “your father’s friend” and in the middle “your uncle your father’s sister” and finally on the left side “your father”.

He discovered that Violet was the daughter of his father’s friend and that his mind was not to understand, He went back to read what was written down until his face was marked by shock and disbelief. He wrote in bold: “Your mother is Jennifer, the daughter of Victoria, Governor of the planet Gliza”

This was not something he had ever expected. It meant Violet was Victoria’s granddaughter, but what did she come here for? And what makes Victoria send him on a very secret mission to find her? She did not want it because she wanted to find her granddaughter if that was what she really wanted, so why she asks me to lure her like a monster or even when she sent men with guns to accompany her.

Is it conceivable to be unaware of being her granddaughter or to be all that was written false nonsense? Things seemed quite complicated and he found himself call Albert without waiting any longer.

The first thing Violet saw when the door opened was a strange woman’s rush, she smiled as she looked at Violet, who could not absorb her reaction, Victoria did not believe what she saw. The arrival of the girl became a dream for her. Eventually, everything came under control and her property returned to her. This is the moment she have been waiting for years, and very soon the earth will be at her disposal. Violet was watching Victoria’s facial expressions, maybe she found something familiar, her clothes and her hairstyle all looked like historical pictures of women’s fashion. The era of the monarchy.

Victoria tried to curb her Beatitude and asked the guards to leave in a way they did not get used to hearing from Queen Victoria herself. Violet remained in her place, staring at her. Victoria sat on the couch and asked her to sit down but did not respond to her request and remained completely rigid.

“I do not want to sit,” Violet said as she looked at her disapprovingly.

Violet said stammering after I noticed her silence and her hand trembling: “What do you want from me? Why did you bring me here?”

Victoria looked at her coldly and she relaxed on the comfortable couch and put her head on the back of the couch after she closed her eyes with indifference and she says: “you will do a simple mission and then I will leave you to your path”

Violet’s trembling and her heartbeat accelerated with fear and distress. Victoria’s calm and coolness did not comfort her but made her nervous and upset. She said with a rush, her tone rose slightly, yet she looked very faintly frail “I will not do any mission, I want to go back to where you are, to the Earth”

“If you do a small request for me, you will get your freedom and I will make sure to take you back to the Earth”

The headquarters of experiments and research in the basement of the palace in a state of alert, everyone was preparing everything as requested by Queen Victoria, they have been working for a while to try to identify the system of action ball crystal, which turned out to be working on harvesting energy in a negative way contrary to what they knew about Harvest energy through math activities. This has led to death, according to studies by some private scientists on how the device works. The first step to be taken was to analyze DNA because the crystal ball would not harvest anyone’s energy. No one knew the truth of the matter and what Victoria expected. they carry out their orders without understanding the importance of DNA testing.

Violet was in one of the closed glass rooms waiting for what she did not know. Victoria declined to disclose what she wanted and Violet found herself not caring much. She did not know what was going on inside her, that feeling killing her, she was trying hard to get out of this situation or even find a rope of hope related to him, but all her attempts failed. She could not lie to herself anymore, but there was one thing she wanted to do, a desire to go back to where she was to see her mother again, even if it cost her to pay her life with a bullet from Alfred pistol.

A woman’s approach to her awakened her from her exorcism. She wore a white uniform like the one Daniel used to wear in the university lab and for a moment she found herself staring at the woman

“It’s time,” said the woman after she was surprised by her exaggerated stare.

Violet did not understand her words. Everything was anonymous, she was just walking without knowing where her feet lead her and what would happen, so what made her easy prey without resistance? Perhaps because she finds herself helpless in front of the concept of resistance at the moment. She did not imagine for a moment that she will be so weak like that.

They inserted it into an area in the middle of the place surrounded by glass. They asked her to sit on a chair and her eyes fell on the glass ball, which stretched out two strips they were planning to put on both wrists. Everything in her head was about to be killed by injection,

she felt for a moment that in another world she was just watching their movements without being able to absorb their words, not knowing what had hit her mind might have stopped working, Where was she and where is she now? She was unknowable and her mind could not find any answer of what exactly happens to her? They asked her to put her palm of her hand on the crystal ball, Everything was like a dream. Nothing made her feel conscious on the ground and she found herself surrendering easily to this nightmare without resisting or inquiring as usual.

Victoria could not take her eyes off Violet, watching all her movements and even being surprised by her total surrender. She seemed to her very tired and as if she was not conscious,

Violet is watching the crystal ball and the light is running from her bottom to her head. So maybe she knows a bit about what’s happening now. “The energy harvest.” she studied it in school and it was something that could be applied at the earliest opportunity. extraction energy from humans through motion! did they bring her here just for this? is she the only ones capable of harvesting energy?

She did not feel fine as the time progressed and that process was going on, she was slowly feeling her body and bones being eroded, causing her some pain. Feeling dizzy and headache is exacerbated, it wasn’t feel good it meant that there was a reason for her choosing maybe that’s will kill her.

The last thing she felt was her warm tears on her cheeks after she struggled to lock her in her eyes. She could no longer hold on. Perhaps her negative energy helped her surrender faster and once she closed her eyelids until everything stopped, the crystal ball stopped and her light went out as if the light never emitted.

Victoria was staring at the void while her mind was in disarray, Why she have to face failure on everything that came close to success? After Violet lost consciousness, the ball was completely extinguished The percentage was “75%” and then returned as it was still.

When she returned to the book it became clear that the subject is associated with the fact that the baby is a twin and not a single child. This means that energy is taken from both and not from one of them, especially since they are identical twins, making things more complex than they are.

Victoria asked her guards to come immediately and as soon as they arrived, she began to say, while her eyes filled with anger: “I want you to find that girl’s twin.” She paused a little, then said louder as she pressed her teeth to try to curb her rage “ you must find her”

While everyone was in a state of shock and distraction from that totally impossible request, one of them said with some hesitation: “Do you allow me to say something?”

Victoria looked at him with rage and anger, she thought he was interested in objecting to what she said, and with a loud voice, she replied: “What?”

He replied before her fury grew “There is a girl on the planet Kepler like that girl a lot in the features of the face and the color of hair and eyes I mean that it is similar to it if not different external body and length of hair”

This guard was one of those who were deported from Planet Kepler in the last installment, he saw Violet and was struck by the similarity between her and Erura,

Victoria’s eyes glowed and she had the same feeling when Albert came to tell her about Violet and she came back to feel triumphant. She said an attempt to curb her desire to learn more: “What do you know about her?”

It was clear to the guards Victoria’s facial expressions turned and reversed after the guard sentence and her sharp tone changed to a relatively calm tone.

“she grew up in the training camps with the boys and was said to be under Mr. Joseph’s protection. No one dared to abuse her, even though she was the only girl.” A little silence followed after jumping something he thinks is important for Queen Victoria and making her get rid of her crazy orders “She had a close friend named Thomas”

Chapter 32

T he stability of the vehicle on the planet Gliza as the dream for Leonardo When you live in a painful nightmare is your only dream is to wake up and for Leonardo access to the planet Gliza is his dream. He hopes to get rid of the scolding of his conscience and also hopes that he will not be late and something has happened to violet.

Leonardo was in a state of exhilaration to leave the vehicle until he was stopped by Albert and had to admit inside him that he had to talk to Leonardo a bit before he does something reckless. “Do not make everything you did go down,” said Albert, looking at Leonardo deeply and seriously,

“What I did will not be lost, but will be valuable because I will not be cowardly today and I will not make that chain go on. The series of victims who pay the price for the mighty” Leonardo said sharply.

“What about your mother, was not your first goal, will you sacrifice everything?”

Albert’s words caused a deep chasm in the heart of Leonardo, and he found the words emitted from his lips in a vulgar way: “Maybe she has not been alive since I lost her, maybe she no longer exists and they did all this to gain what they wanted and soon they will throw the truth in my face without care, but I did all this because I wanted to believe that she was alive and my mind did not want to Accept the possibility of her death”

“I’ll talk to Victoria and maybe I can find a solution and maybe you can find her,” Albert said.

Victoria thinks of how he can destroy everything as he said, but he can not do anything. Surely she is the strongest and the most powerful and no one can ever surpass her.

“do you want everyone on the earth to know that you just about to break in, You know, maybe they are taking caution and equip the weapons and the military waiting for your majesty, And then I do not want to describe to you how much humiliation will get when you lose the war like your ancestors, you will become the queen of the humiliated,” Albert said.

“how you think yourself to talk to me that way, you’re just a scum like your people” But did not complete the series of angry insults until he interrupted by Albert as he laughs sarcastically: “ slow down honey, I’m not finished yet just save your insults until the end there is worse” he silence a little and the followed “ What do you think, for example, that your daughter knows your devilish actions and your dishonest plans to pay your granddaughter for it? Would you be proud of being a loving grandmother? “

she failing to find a response or even to demonstrate its pride and influence But he knows and can do what will actually destroy her.

“So let us abide by our limits, you will not touch Leonardo or I will not hesitate to destroy your bright hopes. I will not interfere with how you have carried out your demonic plan as long as this is far from me and Leonardo and the people of the Earth.” Albert said.

Victoria did not hesitate to arrange a quick trip to the planet Kepler had to deal with it herself and others cannot deal with the likes of Joseph, It was not ruled out that he deliberately concealed the subject Since when girls were allowed to start training in camps, and the funny thing is he was protecting her.

She knows very well who Joseph is and how he thinks he never offers free services.

She did not drop her conversation with Albert away from her mind. She felt angry and resentful whenever she remembered his protested, but she knew that she would make him pay the price sooner or later.

As all these thoughts flowed, Victoria suddenly found herself emerging from that vortex with Joseph went into the reception hall after she waiting for him for almost half an hour.

“I seem to be dear to you,” Joseph said as he approached where Victoria was sitting, while Victoria was just sighing, without showing any friendly reaction and how to do it, as all that is inside her it drives her to kill him.

“Tell me why you put girls in training camps,” Victoria said.

Joseph’s heartbeat accelerated as Victoria’s words caused him tension to replied: “ since when are you interfering in my own affairs? Is this not my kingdom and my people whom I judge? “

Victoria raised her eyebrows sarcastically and then replied: “What do you think if I told you that you have certainly one of my private people?”

“I will say that who tell you is a liar”

“Listen to me, Joseph, you have half an hour, only half an hour to give me the girl immediately or you will be deprived of everything that I offer you, to realize your failure and to see yourself as a failed ruler, Think well and put the girl in your hand and your devastation in another hand. Who do you choose and I hope you will act smartly for the first time in your life? “

Blood is frozen in Joseph’s veins and he realizes that there is no escape from the enslavement of Victoria to him.

Joseph called Erura, He looked at her seriously and with sharp eyes, which seemed to her angry or upset or perhaps she did something that angered him.

“Victoria wants you in something that does not bode well, you will be in danger if she reaches you,” Joseph said to Erura after he had stared at her for a long time without saying anything, This was the first time she felt that Joseph was speaking very seriously while she did not understand what he said without introductions, Victoria? Danger? Words were in her mind without meaning. What makes Victoria want to reach her?

she headed immediately towards Victoria who remained staring at Erura after feeling that she had found what she looking for, It was not difficult for her to notice the resemblance between her and her twin sister, despite the different body and hairstyle that made Erura lose much of her femininity.

“I will never mind if you put shackles on my hands to leave this place as soon as possible,” she said urgently as she extended both hands toward Victoria, waiting for the shackles to wrap around her wrists, but Victoria continued to stare at her with shock at her actions. And with pride, Her eyes began to move towards Joseph, who stood frozen motionless beside the door and his mind was not aware of the speed of Erura’s action without even consulted him.

It did not last long there, Victoria guards escorted her out of the palace after Victoria simply leaving Joseph under shock.

Victoria told the guards to stop after approaching the vehicle while she was standing at close range. She points out to one of the guards standing in front of the vehicle, and when he got closer he looked familiar to Erura As he approached he was increasing her fear she did not want her expectations to be true, Her body trembled and she felt cold when he stood beside her, it was him.

“Put those shackles around her wrists,” Victoria said, looking up at Thomas with a gruff stare.

He approached her and looked at his eyes, it was telling a lot and a lot of words that their tongues could never pronounce.

Erura had no desire to resist Victoria’s guards to take her out of the cell, Thomas’s looks were still in her head and something inside her drove her to fear. Is it conceivable that Thomas was serious about what he said about her twin? Her mind did not understand what he had ever said, how she could understand what he had said and had been raised alone on Kepler’s planet without a family.

she woke up from the whirlpool of her thoughts when a woman wearing a white dresser asked her to sit down. she looked at the chair and its surroundings. It was a steel chair that looked as terrifying as it was surrounded by wire, she can not allow them easily so she refuses to sit on the chair, Victoria asked her guards to intervene and force her to sit down, he no longer has time to politicize. She loses the opportunity every minute of her delay and is no longer willing to lose at all costs.

They began to put the tapes on her wrists after they tied both her arms firmly and then put her hand on the crystal ball until the light began to radiate.

Victoria feeling more satisfied as was watching the ball, She realized she was about to finally succeed, but that feeling did not last long, she was terrified by the sound of screaming coming from outside. He pushed the door with a force that frightened her and made her turn to see what was happening.

Her heart fluttered violently and trembled as she watched the door with great dismay, It was her daughter, Jennifer, who pushed the door and noticed her red eyes and the disturbance of her breath. she looked at her sharply,  and a gun in her hands. It was the same gun that she gave her to kill Edward.

Stop what’s happening right away, Mom, “Jennifer said with extreme weakness and refraction that did not reflect her sharpness.

She wanted to make an impact on her mother may retreat from what to do, but Victoria has maintained its steadfastness to answer with confidence: “There is no chance of a retreat, Jennifer. Everything has come to an end forever, and then all our problems will be solved by returning to Earth.”

Jennifer’s heartbeat increased and she looked at the glass room that contained her daughter, who thought she was fighting death.

she rushed towards the glass of the room and began to hit him with both grips as she screamed and cried madly, she remembered Edward, who killed him with her hands, who turned out to be innocent of what his mother had accused him.

She turned behind her staring at her mother, who did not move a finger or even stop what happened that she does not care about her or her pain. All the negative thoughts were in her head with her painful memories.

“do you not gonna stop them?” Jennifer said to her mother with complete calm.

Victoria stared at her daughter without answering. Victoria’s eyes began to move between her daughter’s face and the brightly lit ball. Everything was coming to an end. There was no point in going back now. “It’s too late,” Victoria replied coldly.

Jennifer raised her hand with the gun and pointed at her mother while the shock marks on Victoria’s face.

“Stop them or,” she said as her hand continued to hold the pistol and then tried to control herself. “I will press the trigger of the gun”

“You will not do my little girl and you do not have to do it. It is only seconds and everything ends. After we return to the planet, I will compensate you for everything.” But she could not complete her sentence until Jennifer raising her trembling hand with difficulty to attach the gun nozzle to her head. Victoria began to get very confused as she realized that somehow she will going to press the trigger.

Victoria looked across the glass façade to signal them to stop, but before that happened, the ball light went out, meaning that everything was really over and there was no chance of retreating.

Victoria was really afraid of her daughter’s reaction when she realized that what she wanted was impossible and too late.

She was about to squeeze the trigger but one of them pulled the gun from behind as carefully as possible. William was her son who pulled the gun from her hands, Jennifer frozen on her place, she felt as if she had robbed her last hope and the chance of her escape from the war of torment she was suffering from.

Inside the glass room, there were signs of surprise on the faces of the doctors and the existing laboratory scientists. The effect of the energy harvest on Erura was not as it was on Violet.

Both Leonardo and Albert entered the laboratory, followed by Thomas, while Victoria’s features became more and more distraught. Things seemed to be completely out of control without her being able to move a finger.

Leonardo managed to escape from prison with the help of Albert and Thomas after things got complicated and Thomas’s entry as a third party in the case increased Leonardo’s motivation to pressure Albert by disobeying Victoria before the mission was completed,

Leonardo approached Jennifer with rapid strides, and the expressions of tension and disturbance were clearly visible on his face. He looked at her and said with troubled breaths: “Your other daughter is still alive you should go to her, you must press on your mother to reveal to us her place, she is in a dangerous situation”

Jennifer felt her heartbeat, which was about to break her chest. Her mind did not understand everything just happened,  All this because of her mother Is this true? Her mother caused and will cause her torment to such an extent. She found herself scattered and did not know what to do, help her daughter who was behind the glass room? or her daughter who does not know her place and situation?

What about Erura? Thomas said bluntly and his eyes went around the place looking for her but he could not concentrate.

Jennifer looked at him in surprise at having talked about her daughter, all those people knew her two daughters very well and she is their mother and she did not even know their names.

Jennifer looked at Victoria and whispering to her mother as she approached her “I want to know my daughter’s place or I will “

But Victoria answered her immediately without bothering and she looked at Jennifer coldly and did not accept the threat of her daughter for the second time in that way: “I do not care about them anymore, I have achieved my goal, you do not have to threaten me anymore, I will allow the guards to guide you to your daughter’s room” she looked sharply at her and then followed,” Do what you want with her”

Leonardo, Albert, Jennifer, and William met in one of the palace rooms and Violet was seated on a large bed. Jennifer sat in front of her daughter on the bed while she holds her hands.

Leonardo was sitting on a chair next to the bed, not with the audacity that drove him to be somewhere closer to her. The feeling of remorse and pain still doubles in his heart. Perhaps Violet will not like to see him when she wakes up. He is not worth it. Jennifer looked up from her tired daughter’s face to look at the doctor and her eyes were full of tears. She said with a broken voice: “When will she wake up?”

“I can not be sure, she is very stressful”

“Will she will be okay when she wakes up?”

The doctor sees her with despair and frustration and then sighs to says: “I can not say exactly that, but the hope is small. Unfortunately, I can not offer anything more than what I have given.” A little silence tries to give Jennifer a chance to respond. “I was very impressed by the energy harvesting process, but it was not alone that caused it, Is a big factor, but I have to say that Violet was suffering from depression  and that made her situation more hopeless “

“And how about Erura? Jennifer said in a very choking voice. Her question was an attempt to tear her heart with her hands.

“Erura’s is fine, she only needed some health care and a little rest, I expect to wake up as soon as she is healthy and her energy was easy to compensate”

Jennifer felt a little rest but her nerves were still very tense and she was waiting for Violet to wake up as she waiting for a miracle.

It took several minutes before Eyelids Violet moved several times before she could completely open them, she was not aware of the number of faces that were around her, faces she knew and faces she did not know and were not familiar at all. She did not feel fully conscious, she felt as if she were living a dream.

A great feeling of joy struck Jennifer as she watched Violet awake. She felt as if her spirit had returned to her body again. She could not express her great happiness. She continued to stare at her daughter as she clasped her hands more with both hands. She wanted to make her feel that she was here, somehow wanting her to feel she is her mother without uttering.

Violet could only remember her house, her room and then her mother, but she was not really able to remember what had happened. Did she sleep on her return from university? Did her mother forget to wake her up on time? she was not able to perceive what is happening around, why is she in this room? And who are these people?

she began to wander their faces until she saw Leonardo and Albert, She looked at Leonardo with surprise and said: “Where am I? Why am I not in my room?

Leonardo stared at her without being able to believe what she was saying. The signs of tension were clear on his face. He could not understand what happened to Violet, how could she forget everything that happened?

“We left the Earth Violet, do you remember?” He told her hesitantly, not knowing whether to remind her or not, and perhaps his biggest concern was remembering what he had done.

Violet looked at him disapprovingly and then went back to trying to remember what had happened, her attempt to remember increased the pain of her head. It was not easy for her to retrieve the events and what brought her here.

She remembered what Alfred had done, her last moments with her mother, her tears on her neck, her long hug and bitter weeping. She remembered the last two words she told her mother: “I’ll come back wait for me”.

“I want to go back I’ve done what you want from me I need to go back,” Violet said, Although she felt that her lean body would never let her go back, her mind never stopped calling her mother, who wanted to see her hard and be beside her now.

Leonardo did not know what to say. She thinks he is the one who wanted to exploit it as Victoria wanted.

he wished that she knew that he had thrown all his hopes to see his mother just to save her, he was unable to answer her because he did not know how to heal her wound,

Jennifer said without thinking that she holds her daughter’s hand strongly to convey her feelings to her: “I am the heart that has searched for you for years, I am the soul that withered as looking for the fragrance of your soul, I am your mother”

Violet looked at her as if aware of her presence just now, without ever realizing her words. Jennifer’s words did not touch anything inside Violet as Jennifer had expected to do.

Violet’s tears were on her cheeks, she was very tired and she was not sure of her feelings or what she was saying. She was not aware of what was happening and all she felt was the coldness of her limbs. Her body relaxed and then returned to her head on the pillow she could not stand.

Jennifer looked at her sadly and her heart bursts. She was very tired. She examined the pallor of her face and the color of her lips. She did not know what to do, she thought for a second before looking at her son, William, and she said in a very broken tone and her tears fell from her eyes warmly: “Bring your sister Erura here right now”

Albert and Leonardo could understand what Jennifer was in her heart and what she wanted.

Jennifer thought that this was the only and last thing she could offer her daughter and her heart, who wanted to live by gathering the twins who had broken up.

Violet’s condition was getting worse every minute while Jennifer’s pain doubles, she felt as if her spirit had come back to life again and was gradually withering again.

The entry of Erura with William and Thomas the room moved something small inside her. she watched her silently without being able to give her a strong hug,

Erura approached with hesitant steps from the bed and then her eyes fell on Violet’s weary face, she sat beside Violet while she continued to stare at her and her features. She felt as if she saw a reflection of herself that was different from her body, but they have the same features. It was as if she had found someone who had always looking for, part of her.

Violet opened her heavy eyelids and was overwhelmed by a feeling like a feeling of Erura as she was looking at her, she did not feel fully conscious or maybe she was in a dream that she would never wake up from, Erura held Violet’s hand without hesitation, something very deep inside her, pushing her to give her whole attention to Violet, and without the slightest will, her tears ran down her cheeks.

Violet’s hand slipped into Erura’s hands as the other fell on the bed. Erura began to feel Violet’s coldness, making her freeze without any reaction. She did not want to assume any assumptions, but Jennifer’s cry woke her from her freeze and made her release Violet hand from her hands. She got up from the bed and her heartbeat accelerated as the tears in her eyes prevented her from seeing clearly. Jennifer was lying next to Violet’s body, crying madly, unable even to let her hand.

Leonardo jumped out of his place and wanted to get close to her and shake her to wake up he was never ready for such thing, she can’t die and leave him alone tormented forever, she can’t die before apologizing to her.

Violet died as the Violet rose died from the harsh winter. She died because of her longing for her mother,

He found himself coming out of the room after he had lost his stamina, He stopped at the end of the corridor and then began to cry very hard. He was leaning back against the wall, wanting to disappear. He was not able to bear the pain.

“it’s not your fault” Albert whispered to him as he patted his back. Albert felt the feeling of fatherhood toward Leonarda as if he was his son.

He was quite aware that Violet would die and that her death would have a strong impact on Leonardo, which made him refuse to leave him alone,

“Violet has died because of me, she will never forgive me,” Leonardo said with a muffled voice.

“Violet did not die because of you, not because of what Victoria did. First of all, it was a factor, but it was not a major cause. Violet was subjected to many shocks because of the government of the Earth that exploited her first and then separated her from her mother and instigated her father To kill her “

Albert’s words were not calmed by Leonardo’s disquiet and his painful sense of guilt. Nothing compensates him from Violet’s death.

Chapter 33

T hree days have passed since Violet’s death, The calm on the palace did not resemble any calm before, The Victorian authority did not exist anymore, and it began to equip the departure dirigibles very quietly away from the palace, The armies of hundreds of men were preparing to leave with their weapons. they were signs of war, A new war that has terrified the citizens of Gliza, who began to pack their bags according to Victoria’s orders.

Leonardo, Albert, William, Erura, and Thomas gathered in one of the palace chambers. They’ve been meeting a lot lately without talking together, but they kind of shared the same sadness, but they all really share their desire to stay away from Victoria altogether.

William was the youngest trying to help his mother overcome her pain and remove her from the dark room where she locked herself. He was not so much affected by the death of his sister that he only knew her in the last few hours of her life and he really wished he did not know her at all.

Erura meeting with Leonardo after a long period of time shocked her by the fact that she did not expect her to meet him in such circumstances. Nor did she know why he was so sad about Violet’s death, is he knew her? but she was on Earth as she understood and Thomas told her that he was the one who knew she and Violet were the daughters of Jennifer,

Today was the day of departure of spacecraft away from the territory of the planet Gliza perhaps forever while Victoria organized some vigilante groups to stay with the inhabitants of the planet Gliza until they get a signal from her to come to Earth after taking control of it completely, It will not be in her interest to her people arrived before they have full control.

They all met at the dining table for the first time after Victoria had gone with her spacecraft, they shared the same frustrations and despair. The expressions of their faces, as if they were clones, were sitting with their heads lowered without speaking, staring at their dishes without being able to eat anything.

Your father, Erura, “said Albert, referring to Erura.” Edward, who has falsely admitted that he killed you and your sister, do you think he did this for nothing? Do you think he died for nothing? Did not he want to protect you and your sister from the evils of Victoria? Would you give up because you can not stand up to Victoria? “

The expressions of Erura’s face were frozen without answering, but this was the first time she found herself unable to respond. Although she did not know anything about her father, his sacrifice meant much to her. He paid his life for her, Her sister died because of Victoria, although he did what he did to protect her from Victoria.

“John’s father of Leonardo, also sacrificed his life in order to make you live Erura and I also think he was looking for the safety of Violet, so Victoria would not get what she wanted and to protect us from the darkness of war for as long as possible, and I lost my family because I tried to save Violet from a certain death” Albert said while Leonardo tried hard to hide the tears that gathered in his eyes, he felt that everything around him was pointing to him and to what he had done with a great sin against Violet, whom his father had protected before.

The signs of panic were visible on the faces of all the officials gathered in Bernald’s office as Bernald’s body was sweating profusely. He was unable to do anything or even talk, They were told about the storming of the Earth by several huge spacecraft a few hours ago until they broke into many areas and took full control of them. Several police officers were killed in an attempt to prevent them from breaking into the areas, but their strength and number were much higher, Bernald could do nothing but fortify their city, the city of dreams, and even if it fortified it would not last long.

“It’s over,” said Bernald, with a muffled voice and a desperate tone, his forehead resting on his hand.

Everyone was looking at him with great fear, they start to imagine they terrible end at the hands of the intruders or even the general public. That was their biggest nightmare.

Only George who stood up from his chair madly and his body trembling while his eyes were very red and his white hair scattered carelessly to say with a loud voice and high tone: “It is impossible to give up so easily, Do not you know what will happen to us if they can break into our city? Our fate will be death. We should not end this fast” He continued, his voice growing louder. “ What will happen to our families and our children? We will live humiliated we will lose everything “

None of them could say anything. They knew what would happen to them anyway and did not need to hear George’s abhorrent words.

“We have to do something,” he said with great irritation, cuz their silence killed him.

Bernald raised his head in surrender and he replied coldly: “And what do you propose to do?”

“We must equip the military to attack, we must defend ourselves”

“And do you think that our soldiers can stand in front of them, even their number is not enough?” He replied coldly.

George’s enthusiasm has increased and he says tight-fisted: “But do not forget that our weapons are stronger than their weapons and know that their weapons are primitive, they do not have Bombs”

Bernald’s eyes widened for a moment and he was eagerly listened to, but as soon as he returned to his consciousness to say with disapproval: “The bombs will destroy a lot and then you forget that the enemy settles in our areas, we can not shoot them so easily”

“But none of us stays in those areas and the people in which they are just ordinary people have no value, “he said sarcastically, then smiled.” Since when have we been attentive to the public? One blow from our defenders will end everything and wipe out our enemies, and the citizens will be proud of their blood that was wasted for the homeland “

He finished his sentence to make his sarcastic laugh while There were signs of relaxation and rest on the faces of those present who had not disliked George idea.

“So let us thank the loyal citizens in recognition of their wasted blood for the safety of the nation and the safety of the nation’s rulers,” said Bernard sarcastically, as he was impressed by George idea To share with him the crazy hysterical laugh.

One of the planets of Gliza landed on Earth’s territory, Specifically where Albert’s secret place is. It was not difficult for Albert to convince everyone to leave the planet Gliza and the walls of the Victoria Palace, which was gripped by sorrows and painful memories. The process of persuading Thomas and William was the easiest and none of them liked to stay that way.

There was one goal that unites them, which is to stop Victoria, but Albert still aspires hard to avenge the government.

Everyone sat in the small Albert hut to begin to discuss exactly what they should do.

Albert said after lifting his eyes on the computer screen: “The news says that there are several areas occupied by the soldiers of Victoria” a little silence and then follow the “I fear that the government will behave madly”

“what do you mean?” Thomas asked, watching the confused features of Albert.

“I know them perfectly. They will not wait long for Victoria to take on everything.” Albert shied deeply then add “They’ll be crazy and they will not even care about the number of casualties. If they do, this war will never end.”

“What should we do now?” Erura said wearily, she was enraged by his puzzles and she did not understand anything of what he was saying.

“We must definitely stop them” Erura looked at him disapprovingly and then said:

“We Six Will Stop Them,” Erura said Sarcastically.

Albert ignored Erura and answered seriously: “I suggest that we separate into two groups. I am not sure that I still have the ability to enter the region of the government of the planet. Maybe they will not be able to see my existence anymore. I hope that this is possible.” he silences a little to think then followed : “We have weapons that we brought with us from the palace, so we can break into the headquarters of officials quietly, They will not care much about guarding their headquarters if they tighten the guard on the outer border and once we enter we will pass the stage of danger”

Leonardo just nodded to Albert to continued: “I think it would be appropriate if I, Leonardo, Thomas, and Erura went on a mission to storm the headquarters of the officials and then we would try to find out what was going on in their heads and we would prevent them from doing anything crazy, and William and Jennifer, I think it would be better if they tried to influence Victoria, I think William can affect Victoria or even deter her from doing anything harmful so we can act “

“But how can we affect my grandmother? You know very well that she did not care for anyone when she hurt my sister and hurt my mother,” William said sarcastically. Albert’s suggestion was not logical to him, if his grandmother cares about him they will not be here trying to save the planet.

“Your mother is still a strong point of influence on Victoria, she cares and gets so shocked when your mother found out the truth, and almost stopped everything so that Jennifer would not end her life, You are also her grandson, Carrying the royal blood,” Albert said.

William sighed, staring at the floor, could not find an explanation for his grandmother’s contradiction and how he could affect her.

“So I’m leaving now with William and his mother to get them to the nearest location where Victoria is now and have absolutely no one gonna hurt them because the place is surrounded only by Victoria’s guards who can identify William and his mother. The rest will wait for me here until I come back and then go “

Albert was the only one who planned and presented plans while everyone continued to listen to him in the hope that the war would end, but this did not limit the fear of some of them.

The employee looked at Thomas and Erura while she was busy watching the computer screen in front of her and only a few minutes until she looked at them to say: “I can not let you in now. I did not find any date for you with Mr. Bernald”

Thomas sat on the chair in front of the employee’s office and then said in a low voice: “We are here in a secret, necessary and very urgent order that will certainly anger you Mr. Bernald if you do not let us enter his office now”

The expressions of the employee’s face were a little confused, but she returned to say in confusion: “But Sir, I do not have the authority here, no matter what the reasons”

Thomas tried to maintain the coolness of his nerves as says to her smiling: “Do you allow me to call him and ask him for permission to enter”

The employee’s features were muted, but she only picked up the phone and started pressing a few buttons and then waited a little while to get a response.

The employee closed the phone and then said with confusing features: “I apologize but I have not received any response that seems have a meeting now.

“Madam, please be aware of my existence and purpose of coming here, it is very urgent for the difficult circumstances we are going through” a little silence and then follow “ tell him that I have serious information about Albert”

The employee was very confused, she could not know what to do, but if what came to him this young man is very important and she doesn’t tell Mr. Bernald, it will cause her a lot of problems, she got up from her chair and then headed to the door of the office to knock and then waited for a little until the permission came.

Bernald was sitting with the officials at the meeting table. They had to plan a lot of things, while Bernald looked at the employee very angrily and then said with a loud voice: “How many times do I have to tell you not to interrupt my meetings?”

The female employee shuddered to answer him with a stammer: “Sorry, sir, but there are two people out there in the entry who say that they have serious information about the current situation and news about a person named Albert”

Bernald’s limbs froze and remained staring at her for a few minutes and then answered eagerly: “ Let them Enter”

The officials kept silent as they watched Bernald and his reaction.

Thomas and Erura quietly entered and waited until the female employee came out and closed the door and then approached the meeting table confidently.

“In fact, I have a very confidential and very dangerous information Sir Bernald”

Bernald’s eyes brightened as his heartbeat accelerated and he waited for what Thomas would say.

He said to him with impatience: “Come on tell what you have quickly”

“Do you allow me to approach you, Mr. Bernald? I want you to hear alone what I will say, I want to whisper to you in your ear”

“Come closer,” Bernard said without thinking. His nerves were about to burn. He had no patience to endure a new tragedy, Perhaps it is useful news.

Thomas approached him and then bowed his ear and before he uttered anything he pulled a knife out of his pocket and placed it in front of the neck of Bernald. As soon as he did so, Erura took out her gun and pointed towards the head of the Bernald.

“Damn,” he said in a loud voice, very angry. He was so surprised by what just happened.

Thomas whispered in his ear immediately “tell your friends to get rid of their weapons and don’t move, or it will cost them this life of their president”

The color of Bernald’s face changed and he trembled as he listened to what Thomas said as his limbs froze and he felt the knife cold on his neck and he barely swallowed his spittle: “Do not move and throw away your guns”

Fear and terror appeared on the face of the five officials and then threw their guns away.

George’s body trembled as he felt the nozzle of the gun as he approached his head. He simply decided to remain silent. None of them was ready to lose his life. They were afraid of death, especially if he was assassinated or killed.

you will call now all the staff and order them to leave and leave the gate guards opened” Bernald’s facial expressions are confused as he listens to what Thomas says, that means their loss, he can not allow this or approve his request.

“I can not do this” Bernald said

Erura looked at him sharply and then said sarcastically: “Really, do you care about that more than your life?” Followed by a sharp voice “do what we told you without discussion or ...”

Before Erura completed her threat near Thomas knife from the neck of Bernard and pulled his neck back, while he grabbed the phone with his trembling fingers and ordered the employee to ask all staff and gate guards to leave immediately.

It took about half an hour for all the staff and guards to leave. Thomas and Erura waited a long time until Albert came and broke into the meeting room in such a way that officials thought that someone had come to save them and that what happened was just a simple rebellion, they never expected this.

You, “he said in a vulgar tone, expressions of anger and intense anger on his face, When will it end this nightmare?

“Yes I am, I am the young man whom you thought you would easily get rid of, and now I am back again because it’s time to pay for all your crimes without exception,” Albert said, looking at them with great hatred.

He took out a gun that he had put in the pocket of his coat and then they pressed the trigger quickly after he turned the gun nozzle towards the head of Bernald. He was not aware of what had happened and did not have the ability to stop himself. Only the echo of the sound of the bullets was heard, and the features of the officials trembled and the shock on the face of Thomas and Erura.

“Well, “said Albert, trying to catch his breath. Then he looked at Thomas, who had fallen away from the body of Bernald, then said, handing him the rope in his hand.” I want you to tie them in their chairs to leave them here waiting for their painful fate “

and when both Erura and Thomas started to tie them to the chairs next to each other, George began to begging in a broken tone: “Please, I am just a servant, I do not have authority, please forgive me I do not want to die”

“You have to convince yourself with this talk before all this and now you will pay the price all of you to participate in all these crimes and only minutes to leave you here in the dark and closed the door of this office and then let you burned and to experience the fire that burned the hearts of your victims and The torment that you caused them “

The officials turned to beggars and began to wail and ask for amnesty from Albert, believing that he would burn them in the closed office room as they tied, but all Albert wanted was to leave them bitterly waiting for the torment.

The place was full of officers, traffic and noise, and the bombs were lined up next to each other in a row. This was a great gathering on the border of the city overlooking the areas acquired by Victoria. The moving cannons were also present and equipped to start the war. The officers were dressed in gray suits, each carrying a rifle on his shoulder.

“We need to see the commander,” Albert said after one of the officers stopped him.

“Being here is forbidden, as the commander is busy, you have to leave here immediately,” said the officer with a frown. but Albert said, “The chief of staff, Mr. Bernald, died”

Changed the features of the officer immediately and has shown him confusion and panic said before rushing to leave: “Stay here I will tell the commander to come to see you”

The officer asked one of his colleagues to stay with them until he returned. Thomas was in a panic of being in this atmosphere and was afraid of what would happen when the commander came.

It did not take long for the leader to come forward. It was a huge body walk towards them and then he said: “Why you came here, what do you want?”

Albert said steadily and he looked directly at the commander’s eyes with his cold face: “Mr. Bernard was killed and he asked me to tell you that he ordered you to stop the attack on the occupied territories”

Thomas and Erura were looking to each other, and the expressions of fear on Thomas’s face began to flare up as soon as the leader appeared. He was surprised by Albert’s courage to talk to him as if he were imposing his words.

“I have not received any information or confirmed orders so I will not be able to stop and then what is your evidence of this information, or are you a spy or a traitor?”

“Bernald died and your order is no longer work. You have to stop this process immediately,” said Albert emotionally, without thinking, and was very angry with the officer commander and wanted to kill him.

“I do not want to hear anything else. I will ask the officers to take you to jail to make sure that you are not spies or traitors” Then he shouted at some guards and asked them to move them away.

The commander pointed out to the officer who stands next to Leonardo to throw him in the jail but soon as that officer touch Leo until he gets a punch in his face, the officers pointed the guns on Leo’s head, Albert knows that he intended to kill Leonardo so he shouted: “are you want to kill him now, because he is trying to save you from the enslavement of the government?  You are the officers who carry out the orders, if you kill him now, they will destroy the areas where your families live, will all die and you will be killed by your hands “

The officer listened to Albert even though the orders to shot him, but the words shook him from the depths and it’s the truth he knew and tried to ignore because the orders prevent him from objecting and being killed if he objected.

The commander looked at the officer angrily and shouted at him: “What are you waiting for? Kill him immediately or I will kill you both”

The officer got a bit of panic and went back to pointed his gun at Leonardo’s head in trembling hands.

“Are you going to stay enslaved like this, your families will die and the government will control you?” Said Albert excitedly, trying to influence the officers again, and his heart beats faster, fearing that Leo would be killed without being able to do anything.

The commander was very angry then took out his gun to point out  towards Albert and said with a sharp voice: “I will make you shut up forever”

The commander did not notice what happened behind him until he felt the gun nozzle touches his head.

“Do not try to shoot or move, Or I will press the trigger and finish your life, sir,” said the officer, who pointed his gun at the leader’s head.

The leader’s body trembled and felt that his heart had fallen from his place. It must be just an annoying nightmare. He said with great anger:” What is happening?”

The officer whispered coldly to him and the leader felt his angry breath: “A Military coup, Sir”

A military coup means that everything is over.

“You will very regret what you do, especially when you realize your loss of everything by following those fools,” he said with great fury after throwing the gun at the order of the officer.

One of the officers approaches and says, He looks at the commander with great grudge while tightening his grip firmly. “The only thing we will regret it is our delay in this coup and bear the torment that we have suffered from you and the government for years”

the commander laughed and then said: “Nothing will change, is only a short period and you will find those who enslave you if you did not stop the arrivals who occupy several areas will torture you in a way worse than before”

Leonardo was unbelievable how he survived his hands for the second time, only one step away from death, but this time he wished only that the officer had pressed the trigger of the gun without hesitation. Yes, he wished to become a victim instead of being a selfish and unjust criminal. Albert’s appearance in his life save him from inevitable death more than once

The officers quickly approached the honorable president and threatened to kill him. They began explaining to the other officers what had happened and that they had to stop. Most of the officers were from families living in those areas and were forced to launch guns for fear of what the government might do to them and were happy to free them from the enslavement of their leader and bosses.

One of the officers came running from afar and he was gasping, and then he said, he barely picked up his breath: “a calamity! The enemies are approaching here and they are trying to break into the place by attacking the officers who guard the border, we must act immediately”

Albert realized that the war was not yet over and that they still had a great disaster called Victoria. If Jennifer and William can’t stop Victoria, how Albert can stop her?”

Jennifer was staring at her mother for a long time before saying in a broken tone: “Enough Mom, Enough”

But Victoria did not say anything Perhaps her arrival on the planet has increased her insistence and her daughter’s words no longer affect her much, She was very close to acquiring the main and most important area of the planet and then became the official ruler of the Earth.

“My grandmother must stop this immediately, you must stop your guards and prevent them from killing the soldiers of the Earth,” said William,

Victoria looked at him then said:

“Listen to me Walim, you are now the official heir to our royal family and you will be the ruler sooner or later, I do not want you to be emotional as your mother,  Put passion aside and think of the power”

Jennifer shook her head and then smiled sarcastically and tears filled her eyes and said as she was staring at her mother with great fury: “Do you want him to become like you, without a heart and without emotions, do you want him to kill one of his grandchildren in cold blood for the sake of power?” If you could control my life without my consent, I would not allow you to control the life of my son,” she approached her and then followed. “ I will not allow you to turn him into a monster “

Victoria stared at the expressions of her daughter angry and tense and then said: “Do you see your mother trying to secure your future this way?”

Jennifer tried to control her nerves and she says squeezing her teeth angrily to mute her crying: “I see you worse than this, I see you the mother who deprived her daughter of her happiness deprived her husband who loves him and her two children, deprived her of making the basic rights to make a decision that like, Are you happy now at the expense of my happiness? Did you achieve your goal and enjoy the joy of victory? “

“I had an intention to make you happy, I thought you would thank me when I brought you back to your native country to enjoy a happy life and yet you did not recognize this virtuous”

Jennifer knows at the time that there was no hope from her mother, no matter how much she sought her, she would always insist on her opinion and position.

One of the guards was running away with all his might until he arrived where Victoria stands with a group of guards. He approached and he gasped then said and he tries to catch his breath:  “Misfortune, Madam, misfortune”

Victoria was horrified by what the guard said, and she said emotionally, and her expressions changed: “What happened?

“There was a coup, Mr. William was standing with a young man and a girl and they were inciting the guard to get a coup against you and they agree with them”

Victoria’s blood froze and she felt cold, she did not know how to act. they will inevitably kill her she felt stupid.

She will lose her pride and will humiliate Queen Victoria herself. She tried to control her nerves and then looked at the guard with eyes that were angry and said sharply: Take one of the guards with you and I want you to shoot them both the girl and the young man, but do not inflict a fatal injury on the girl “

Victoria thought that firing on both would make the guards come back to their senses and remember who she was and how much of her strength she would last.

she felt someone close to her and then something pressing on the side of her head turned a little to hint a gun at the tip of her eyes. Her heart fell from its place and she could not understand what was happening.

“It’s all over, Mom. I’m sorry you did not leave me another choice.” Jennifer whispered to her.

Victoria was on the verge of madness, but Jennifer did not stay long until two men advanced and grabbed Victoria’s arms. She saw her own guard group had also been tied as she knew that no hope to win this war.

“How could I have done this? Do you point the gun at your mother’s head and help those fools to betray me?” Victoria said in disbelief.

“I decided to draw some cruelty from you and you did not leave me another option, I tried to stop you in various ways but you did not care,” Jennifer said while The two men started to pull her away and she almost got mad.

“That will not change anything, will you hear, Jennifer will not change anything? Your daughter will be killed and you can not do anything.” She smiled madly and then followed. “I sent those who kill her and you will not be able to see her again.

Jennifer did not know if her mother was meant what she was saying or what she was just provoking her, but start running to where her daughter was and her heart beats madly.

“You shot the young man and I’ll shot the girl,” the guard said as he looked closely at Erura, who stood with Thomas with a group of guards.

“Well, but remember not to be a fatal injury” The guard put his hand on the trigger of the gun while he hoped that Erura did not move any movement until the bullet hit her shoulder.

Jennifer screamed from afar after hearing the sound of gunfire as she ran the lever of her long dress. Everyone began to approach Erura, whose shoulder began to bleed profusely. Her balance shook and began to wither. But before the gatherings increased, another bullet was fired and the guards and officers stood up and started looking for the source of the bullets.

The bullet hit Tomas’ chest to throw him to the ground, it was so painful that he could not balance or stand on his feet and began to lose sight. He felt blood flow from his body and this increased his fear and pain.

Jennifer approaches Erura as she cries hard and her nerves have completely collapsed as she sees the blood flowing from her shoulder. The noise grew very loud and everyone gathered around Jennifer and Thomas. Thomas was standing next to Erura before the shooting, which made her look around for him, especially after hearing the sound of shooting again. she looked at Thomas, who was lying on the floor, tears falling on her cheeks. The pain of her shoulder and Thomas blood caused her to cry.

She crawled on her knees, leaning on her right hand and approaching Thomas. She crying and then she said with a loud voice: “Thomas”

She fixed her eyes on the location of his injury, increasing her fear, watching his dark blue shirt, which increased the blood of his color. she yelled at the crowd and forgot to be infected: “We must stop his wound immediately, let’s put one of your shirts on the wound”

“Erura,” said Thomas with broken breaths, “I do not need to know I’m going to die, I see death in front of me as I see you”

she looked at him and she felt great pain and then she said angrily: “You will be okay”

Thomas’s sense of pain doubled He felt that the place of injury was burning, He wanted to comfort Erura but could not speak as if his energy was being carried out.

“Erura,” he said painfully, and then closed his eyes in pain to add “Do not cry”

He also wanted to tell her that he was suffering a lot more when she cried and that he wanted freedom for her always not for himself, He wanted to tell her that his intention is was to protect her always, protect her because he saw the family he lost, a friend of the path that accompanied him since he was a child but could not say all this, He could only close his eyes to avoid the pain, but he found himself so helpless that he can’t open them again. He only hears the cries of Erura, which fell on his chest and made the left of his soul a harder and more painful thing.

Her cries began to grow louder after she realized that Thomas was gone forever as Jennifer tried to comfort her and convince her of the importance of healing her wound as soon as possible.

Albert kept his eyes away from Erura, who continued to cry he turned to watch the sun disappear away between the horizon while the calm that had settled in the area was only flawed by the sound of her screams and cries, he realized that the sunset is only a sign of the absence of everything related to the past and tomorrow when the new day comes, everything will start again in a new future that is not like the past.

“The night is long and dark, But the sun will shine someday”

THE END