“I wonder what’s going on,” Alik mused.
“Me too, but for now, let’s just hurry up. I have the strangest feeling we’re being watched,” Dr. Andrews stopped for a moment, turned back and squinted in to the darkness.
“No arguments here,” Alik agreed, happy to see the house up close again.
From the darkness, Farrow grimaced painfully. She was furious at herself for getting shot. Even though the metas were right in front of her, she could not do anything to take them out because of her condition.
So, she had regrouped away from the St. Paul home and decided her best effort at this point would be to set some explosives on the road so anyone coming and going would trigger them. And if she were lucky, she thought to herself, she may just be able to pick off one or two of them before Dr. Williams arrived with the soldiers he told her he was bringing. What had he called them? His “perfecto rez?” Whatever that meant. She didn’t care what he called them. She just needed backup, and she needed it now.
She looked down at her stomach and stifled a moan. Blood was oozing through her makeshift bandage from the gunshot wound. She gingerly pressed her hand against her belly and curled up on the damp earth. Farrow found herself rocking back and forth, instinctively feeling some comfort in the rhythmic motion. And even as tears pooled and spilled over, she began drifting in and out of consciousness.
57 Changes
“Time?” Margo’s voice was groggy from her nap in the desk chair. She was rubbing her eyes trying to read the clock ten feet from her.
“Nine,” Paulie yawned.
“Vitals?” Margo yawned back.
“Stable. She’s looking good.”
“Is it time to draw another blood sample?”
“Nearly. Let’s give it another hour.” The scientist stood and stretched.
“You need to go rest, Paulie,” Margo patted her friend on the back.
“I think she’s out of the woods, Margo,” Paulie nodded slowly.
“I think you’re right. Thank God she’s such a fighter.” Margo reflexively reached out to stroke her daughter’s hair.
“She is one amazing little spit fire, isn’t she?” Paulie smiled widely thinking of the spunky teenager.
“She has so much life all packed into this small frame. She’s always been like this. When she’s awake, her personality just glows around her making her seem twice as large as she is, and then I go check on her in the night, and see her little body barely lift the covers off her bed.” Margo’s heart welled up with the kind of mother’s love that can’t be explained.
Paulie reached around his former student and old friend and squeezed her shoulder encouragingly. “You are a great mom, Margo. These kids are lucky to have you. No one could love them more. No matter what happens with that guy, Williams, you need to know you gave these children more of a chance at life than they would have ever had without you.”
“Thanks, Paulie,” she said. “For everything.”
Not being a man who discussed matters of the heart very often, Paulie shrugged and blushed before turning to head out of the lab. “Can I send in a fresh cup of coffee for you?”
“Nope. I’m good, thanks.” Margo smiled at her daughter’s still sleeping frame. “Okay, young lady. You have slept long enough. It’s time to wake up and get back to work.” She moved the sheet off Meg’s left leg and began rubbing it vigorously getting ready to start her daughter’s physical therapy. “Come on sweetie. We have to keep you battle ready,” her mom smiled.
Margo finished flexing and stretching Meg’s left leg, laid it back down on the bed and draped the sheet back over it before reaching for her daughter’s right leg to begin the process again. Her mind was wandering back to the days when the children were little. As a seven-year-old Meggie, loved to run around the ranch wearing shorts—only shorts, just like her brothers. She was fearless and headstrong with those large soulful eyes that commanded respect even way back then.
She finished working on Meg’s legs and rolled her chair around to work on her daughter’s arms. That’s when she noticed Meg’s eyes were open.
“Meg?”
Meg turned her head slightly to look at her mother with those beautifully dark, knowing, eyes.
“Meggie, it’s okay honey. Oh, thank God, you’re awake!”
Meg tried to speak but all that came out was a raspy croaking sound.
“Hang on, honey. Let me get you some water.” She hurried to retrieve a cup and slipped a straw in place just as she held it up to her daughter’s lips.
Meg looked very worried, but obediently took a few sips before trying to speak again. Her voice was still scratchy, but she was able to get her question out. “What happened?”
“Well, you’ve been very sick for about a week now. We were only able to isolate an antigen for your illness last night. We weren’t sure it would work but,” she grinned widely. “Look at you! You’re awake!”
“Sick?”