End of the Line

by N. D. Roberts

  Sarah Jennifer released him. “I was thinking the same thing about you while I was taking the BYPS down.”

  “Will you have a memorial for her after you’ve told the pack what happened?”

  Sarah Jennifer nodded. “I’m going to name our version of Central Park for her. I don’t want us to ever forget what she did for humanity. What about you?”

  “I thought about what you said, that we need to forget the Defense Force ever existed. I’m going to honor Esme and Linda my own way.” His eyes misted over as he worked to contain his emotions. “I’ll spend most of my time in Arcadia until I know Adrien has things running right. Then I’m going into the world to find people who need a teacher. I’m going to found more cities and work to bring them all together.”

  The Enora landed, and the hatch opened. Sarah Jennifer glanced at the airship. “That’s my cue to say goodbye, kiddo. I’m going to miss you.”

  “Same,” Ezekiel managed around the lump in his throat.

  “Watch out for Laughter returning.” She took a small box from her pocket and handed it to him.

  “What’s this?” Ezekiel asked, taking the box.

  “The only tech I’m leaving behind. An Etheric comm.” Sarah Jennifer put a hand on his shoulder. “Keep it hidden, and don’t tell anyone you have it. I’ll have one eye on Earth, but I won’t intercede unless there’s no other option. If the threat from the Kurtherians resurfaces and it gets to be too much for you to handle, call me.”

  She pulled him into one last hug, then turned and headed for the airship before she started crying.

  Kain was sitting in the co-pilot’s seat when she walked into the cockpit. “How did it go?” he asked.

  Sarah Jennifer brushed his shoulder with a hand on her way to her seat. “About as expected. How about you?”

  “It was emotional, I won’t lie,” he answered. “But this is the right choice. Caitlin knows that. We parted on good terms.”

  “Are you ready to leave?” Enora asked.

  Sarah Jennifer nodded. “Take us out, Enora. Next stop, Promessa.”

  Kain took himself for a walk around the city to give Sarah Jennifer space while she broke the sad news about Esme and Linda to the pack. He had a credit app on a datapad that he’d been issued on arrival by a Were he’d been introduced to as Ace.

  His goal was to familiarize himself with his new home. He strolled along the streets, marveling at the thoughtful blend of technology with rustic architecture. His datapad had the location of the apartment he’d been assigned on the outskirts of the city center, yet he found himself gravitating toward the green space at the heart of Promessa, drawn by the scent of nature. He wanted to be alone to process the enormity of his decision, to get a feel for the people he hadn’t met, and absorb the mood of the city.

  He’d traveled plenty in his youth, more before WWDE, so city life wasn’t new to him. However, he’d never been in a large city that somehow still felt like a small community. Everyone knew everyone, and he was greeted numerous times by people wanting to introduce themselves.

  As he approached the park’s gates, he was hit with a sense of dissonance, of the familiar in an unfamiliar setting. “She wasn’t kidding about modeling this on Central Park,” he murmured to himself as he walked through the open gate.

  The pavers were pink, and the trees were a mixture of biological and artificial, but the paths ran in familiar routes, and the waterways were right where his mind expected them to be.

  A group of children ran across his path, some in human form, some on four paws.

  “Jody, no fair!” one of the girls squealed at the gangly wolf who tackled her.

  Kain smiled, wondering if one day he would get the opportunity to be a father. He couldn’t help imagining a couple of rugrats with his coloring and Sarah Jennifer’s eyes. He chastised himself for having it so bad. She had definitely warmed to him, but not to the point he should be picturing what their children would look like.

  He continued walking, following his nose to a scent he never thought he’d smell again. But there it was: fried onions, brine, and mystery meat. The smell was coming from a little cart whose awning promised the finest fast food in the city.

  “Hotdogs,” he murmured. “No freaking way.”

  Kain stopped to buy two with everything from the vendor before veering off the path into the tree-shaded undergrowth. He didn’t have far to walk before finding a shady spot under an oak that looked like it had been there for a hundred years. He settled down with his back against its trunk and ate his hotdogs in contemplative silence.

  His parting from Caitlin, Mary-Anne, and Jaxon had been more difficult than he’d admitted to Sarah Jennifer. He was certain she understood, however, having had her own goodbyes to say.

  Feeling full after the food, he leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes, imagining what his life here would look like a year from now. The Defense Force wasn’t for him. He had no wish to spend his life in the military. However, neither did he wish to while it away floating along the edges of society like he had done for so long.

  Give yourself a break, he told himself. The Madness didn’t exactly provide any opportunities to settle down and make something of yourself.

  He knew how he wanted to spend his nights, but that was entirely down to Sarah Jennifer. She was never far from his mind. His sense of self-worth wasn’t tied up in his usefulness, yet he knew he wouldn’t be happy unless he was contributing something to the colony.

  So, what was he going to do with his days? He had a yearning to work with his hands; he knew that much. Did they need carpenters here? Maybe all that was taken care of by the printworks he’d passed. Then again, mass-produced furniture lacked the loving touch of, say, a crib carved by hand.

  There he went with the baby thoughts again…

  Another familiar scent wafted toward him. He opened one eye and grinned as Sarah Jennifer walked through the trees.

  “How’d you find me?” he asked.

  She pointed at the datapad on the grass beside him. “Easy enough to ask Galileo someone’s location.”

  Kain sat up. “I’ll keep that in mind. How did it go with the pack?”

  Her eyes clouded with sadness. “Hard. We’re going to hold a memorial service in a few days.” She held out a hand. “Come on a hike with me? I need to run.”

  Kain took her hand and let her pull him to his feet. “Lead the way.”

  “You’ll want to shift. It’s a long way.”

  “I don’t want to scare anyone,” he told her. “I’m good until we get out of the city.”

  “Your choice,” she replied with a smile. “No one here is going to freak out at the sight of a Pricolici. Here, I packed for us both.”

  Kain took the adjustable harness she held out and examined the setup. “This is ingenious.”

  “It’s based on the one Sarai designed for me.” She turned to show him the smaller version she was wearing. “We have water and food and climbing equipment for the rock face.”

  “We’re going climbing?” He hefted the harness on and fastened the buckles.

  Sarah Jennifer nodded. “There’s a ridge in the mountains fifteen miles from here that looks out over the plain. We’ll be the first humans to set foot there.”

  She ducked behind a tree and came out a couple of minutes later in wolf form with her clothing bundled and attached to her harness.

  Kain waited until they reached the tree line that marked the city limits before shifting. Together, they ran through the arti-forest, across the plain, and over and around the rock formations beyond the agricultural sector all the way to the foot of the mountains before they shifted back.

  Sarah Jennifer pulled out her water bottle and sipped. She looked at Kain, whose attention was on the sheer cliff in front of them.

  “You don’t do things by halves, do you?” he commented, shading his eyes with a hand as he looked up.

  Sarah Jennifer laughed. “You’ll figure it out eventually. I’
m an all-or-nothing kind of woman.” She stowed her water bottle and emptied the largest pouch on her harness. “How experienced are you with free climbing? I brought a bunch of equipment to help you out with the ascent.”

  Kain grinned. “I come with equipment built in.” The next moment he was standing in front of her in Pricolici form. He wriggled his claws at her before leaping onto the rock face. “Watch me go, Princess.”

  Sarah Jennifer’s eyes narrowed, her mouth curving dangerously. “Oh, so it’s a competition you want?”

  Kain looked back at her, his eyes flashing with joy. “If you think you can keep up, then put your money where your mouth is.”

  Sarah Jennifer shrugged her harness back on. “It’s on, Player. Last one to the ridge has to cook dinner!”

  “You brought dinner?” Kain laughed. “Careful…that almost sounds like we’re on a date.”

  Sarah Jennifer grinned. “Maybe we are. Let’s see how you handle the mountain before I decide.”

  She sprang for the rock face as Kain pushed off with his feet and leapt for the next handhold.

  Kain had brute strength in his favor, but Sarah Jennifer had traversed some of the roughest terrain post-WWDE America had to offer and had experience on her side. The race was pretty even, and their easy banter flowed as they progressed past the sheer cliff and tackled the long incline leading to the ridge.

  Even with their enhancements, it was a solid four hours later when they reached the ridge. Sarah Jennifer hauled herself over the edge and unclipped her harness. She dropped flat on her back, her arms spread wide, breathing heavily.

  Kain flopped onto the grass beside her a moment later, and they lay in silence as the sun dipped behind the mountain.

  He turned onto his stomach to face her once he had his breath back. “Guess dinner's on me.”

  Sarah Jennifer rolled over and rested her chin on her hands. “Shouldn’t be too difficult. I brought MREs.” She sat up and reached for her harness. “I hope you like pasta. We have spaghetti and meatballs. Well, meatlessballs. They’re plant-based.”

  Kain raised an eyebrow, his mouth quirked to the right. “How is that date-appropriate? Don’t you know the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?”

  “Actually, the best way to a man’s heart is through the fifth left intercostal space at the midclavicular line.” The grass tickled her forearms, sending a shiver across her skin. “Besides, did you want to set up a field kitchen?”

  Kain laughed. “Spaghetti and meatlessballs it is, then. So, it is a date?” He didn’t bother to hide the hope in his voice.

  Sarah Jennifer looked into his eyes and nodded. “Yeah. This is a date. Let’s watch the sunset while we wait for the food to heat.”

  Kain didn’t care what dinner was. He only had eyes for Sarah Jennifer.

  Sarah Jennifer flushed, nervous again. “Kain… It’s been a long time since I had a date.”

  “It’s easy. You just scoot over here, and we watch the sun go down.” He lifted his arm, his easy grin putting her nerves to rest.

  “That I can do.” Sarah Jennifer smiled and moved to sit beside him.

  Food forgotten for the moment, she leaned into his warmth and focused on the stars appearing in the gradually darkening sky. The moons shone brightly overhead, turning the grass silver. Across the plain, the lights of Promessa twinkled in the distance.

  Sarah Jennifer slipped her arms around Kain and tilted her head to look into his eyes.

  “You good?” he asked, his voice low.

  Sarah Jennifer nodded, smiling. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.”

  All these months, she’d held him at arm's length, afraid to listen to her heart, afraid to take the risk it might get broken again. But tonight, here on their new homeworld, she couldn’t deny the feelings that had grown stronger with every day she’d watched him be the man she wanted by her side.

  He hadn’t pushed, hadn’t assumed she would capitulate to their mutual desire. He had just been there for her and everyone else around him, supporting, strengthening, and shining his light on every situation they’d found themselves in.

  Even now, he held his desire in check. She saw it in his eyes. He wanted to make her his world.

  Sarah Jennifer made her choice. She chose him, now and forever.

  She lifted her hand to cup his face, and without a word, they kissed under the light of the moons.

  Epilogue

  Bethany Anne had her own failsafe in mind. No one but Michael knew she was here on Earth, which was just how she wanted it.

  The sound of her heels echoed in the giant borehole she’d had dug into this mountain a lifetime ago as she made her way to Lilith’s cavern.

  My Queen, you honor me with your visit.

  Bethany Anne smiled at Lilith’s tone. Somehow the Kurtherian managed to convey her empathy with that digitized voice. She laid a hand on the casing of Lilith’s prison. “I wish it were a social visit. Sarah Jennifer wants me to make everyone forget her.”

  I have been part of her consciousness for over thirty years, Lilith told her. She yearns for peace, for love and family.

  “Everything she’s been denied up until now.”

  I will miss her greatly, Lilith admitted.

  “I’m not going to do it.” Bethany Anne told her. “You deserve to keep your memories. Just keep them to yourself.”

  I appreciate your trust, and I am glad that Sarah Jennifer has a chance to move on with her life.

  Bethany Anne was prepared to go to great lengths to make sure Sarah got her chance. “Do you have a secure compartment in here?” she asked, scanning for a suitable receptacle. Her eyes landed on a ziplock bag containing washers and nuts.

  A section of the wall slid back at Lilith’s command, and Bethany Anne glanced inside. “That will do.”

  What are you intending to hide? Lilith inquired, confused.

  “A Hail Mary. To be used only if the world is about to end.” Bethany Anne emptied the bag and opened it on the bench to catch the blood that poured from the gash she cut into her wrist. “Tupperware would have been better than this,” she grumbled as the cut healed.

  Lilith observed in silence, awed that she was to be entrusted with the Queen’s power.

  Bethany Anne sealed the bag and placed it inside the compartment, reading Lilith’s thoughts in the mindspace. “Ezekiel is young, and frankly, he’s an arrogant little prick at times. He doesn’t need to know about this until the world has knocked the chip off his shoulder.”

  I understand. Lilith was quiet for a moment. What about Laughter? She will be back.

  “I have Hyrrheim’s coordinates,” Bethany Anne told her. “Laughter’s facility will be a smear in the dirt by the time the Bad Company is done with that place. They owe Laughter an ass-kicking, and they don’t like to be in debt.”

  FINIS

  Author Notes - N D Roberts

  Written June 2, 2021

  I have a whole list of thanks to give but let me start by thanking you for sticking with us all the way to the end of this series. Sarah Jennifer may lack the snarky attitude that defines many of the heroes who make up this universe but she makes up for it by having the biggest heart. It was my absolute joy to see her finally let go of the past and open up to love.

  I have to confess, this was the most challenging to write of the three books, and not because it had crossover with so many other series’ from around the KGU*. While SJ was working to open up her heart, mine was in bits as I dealt with one of the hardest times in my life. Starting over is never easy. I’m so grateful for the good people in my life who rallied around to make rebuilding less painful. You all know who you are. I love and appreciate you more than I can ever say.

  This book also marks the end of my Kurtherian adventure for now. While I still have some input on helping Michael with Checkmate, I’m excited to be focusing on a new project in my writing. This is a whole new world! I’m taking my time to develop the story and putting everything I’ve learned about craft in
the last few years into practice. If you like superhero action and techy stuff it will be right up your street.

  It’s will be a little while before I have books to share in this new series. I’m sure Michael will tempt me with another shiny in the meantime...

  Back to Sarah Jennifer. This isn’t quite the end for her. I’m handing the Defense Force back to Michael and he will pick up around 70 years along from where I left off. The idea of having the pack placed on Mars was to have that first line of defense for Earth. I deliberately kept the development of the Mars location minimal to give him room to play. If you are all caught up on Endgame then you’ll know what’s coming. (No spoilers here!)

  Thank yous!! First, to Michael and Lynne. We have family we’re born into, and we have family we choose. To Kelly, Micky, and Elaine. Friends like you three are hard to come by. To Dan Willcocks for being such a good sport about me rearranging parts of his book. To Craig Martelle for kindly taking time to add a little bit to the scene where SJ calls her grandparents. To everyone in JIT who helped with the final polish of this book. If any oopsies snuck through they are all down to me.

  Once again, thank YOU for reading and supporting this series. Until the next time I write author notes, much love, and HAPPY READING!

  Nat

  ___

  * Crossover with other series’ within the universe.

  Age of Madness:

  -The Caitlin Chronicles: Kain, Caitlin, and Mary-Anne.

  Age of Magic:

  -Rise of Magic: Ezekiel, Lilith, Olaf, Mika, and Adrien. (Also Linda, although she was only mentioned in passing.)

  -A New Dawn: Selah, Margit, and Artemis.

  -Tales of the Feisty Druid: Alexander.

  Age of Expansion:

  -The Kurtherian Endgame: Bethany Anne.

  -Bad Company: TH and Char.

  Age of Empire (TKG):