Eden (Secrets of Aurora Book 2)

by L. J. Higgins

“Yeah I am. I was surprised you picked me –“

  “It's a lot to take in I know. But I wouldn't have asked you to come if I didn't know you could do it,” he assured me.

  “I know. What I was going to say was… I was surprised, but I know I can do this. Especially with you by my side.”

  Dad beamed down at me. “Who would've thought hey? You and your old man going on an adventure like this.”

  “Mum would freak out if she were still here,” I said.

  “I wish she was still here, with every inch of my being. She wasn't just my wife, she was my best friend.”

  “I know, she felt the same way,” I said.

  “The other night I had a talk with Vega about all of the crazy things I used to get up to on Utopia. The stress and worry I put your mother through. But she loved me no matter what.”

  “You and Vega were close before you left Utopia, weren't you?” I asked.

  “We were. She was alone without family and I took her under my wing a bit. I wanted to bring her home with us, but your mother said she couldn't handle it,” he said.

  I looked down, my eyes watering. Mum couldn't handle me, there was no way she could've handled two fiery teens.

  Dad lifted my chin with his finger. “She did love you…”

  “In her own way,” I finished before drawing in a deep breath. “Just promise me you're not dragging me along because you think it'll make up for everything in the past. If I'm not the right person for the job, you need to be honest with yourself and me.”

  “That's not why I want you to come.” Dad placed a hand on each of my shoulders and stared me in the eyes. “I want you to join me because I don't trust any of the others as much as I trust you. You want the truth to come out as much as I do. Sure, they've all been training for years and trying to uncover it all. But after watching what they did to your mum, you know first-hand what you're fighting and why.”

  “What I said in there about people who thought they were doing the right thing, I didn't mean you…” I said.

  “Yes you did. And you're right. Lots of good men start out trying to do the right thing but temptation pulls them in the wrong direction. I was working with blinders on. Eye on the prize, trying to prove myself to the Elite. If I was truly a great scientist, I would've tested my theory, discovered the dangers and pit falls before they became a problem. I failed the entire planet, but if it's the last thing I do, I'll prove to you deep down I'm still a good man.”

  I let him pull me back in for a hug. I was so happy to have him back. The one person in my life who'd loved me and made me feel special and cherished. He may've done bad things, but he was my dad, and I loved him no matter what.

  * * *

  When Dad and I got back to the tent we'd explained our plans to the rest of the group. Vega was bummed we'd be hanging out of a helicopter by a rope while she was sitting on a bunk in a tent. A few hours before I would've told her she was welcome to the whole adventure, but after talking with my Dad I knew I was the right person for the job.

  During the afternoon, we spent time playing games with Alice who grew so bored of being with adults she curled up on her bed and went to sleep. I'd told Tyler and Maya I'd watch her while they stretched their legs and got some fresh air, and Vega, Braven and Dad had gone to check on Domino. I'd visited her earlier, and although she was pale faced and had a tube running from her arm up to a bag of liquid, she was in good spirits, but was disappointed she couldn't join us when Dad and I returned and we left the camp for Arcadia.

  Fletcher and I lay together on the single bed across from Alice. She slept so peacefully, despite everything she'd endured. I envied her ability to find the positive in everything around her. She hadn't complained once during our adventure, but I wasn't sure how much further she could go.

  “I'm worried,” said Fletcher.

  “I'm worried about her too,” I said. “I don't think she can travel much further. This isn't a life for someone so little.”

  “Not about Alice, about you,” he said.

  “Oh.” Suddenly I didn't have much to say.

  “Are you sure Vega shouldn't go instead? I understand why Braven needs to be here, and I'm not saying you aren't capable.”

  “I have to,” I replied.

  He rolled over and propped his head up with his elbow and hand. “Because your dad asked you? You don't owe him anything Aurora. He lied to you all those years.”

  I mirrored his pose. “I know. But he's trying to make up for it. He told me I'm the one he trusts the most. It's something I have to do. Something I'm supposed to do.”

  “Don't tell me you've started believing in destiny and fate?” He rolled his eyes.

  I shrugged. “Maybe. Don't you ever feel like somethings just right? Like you're on the right path?”

  He tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear drawing in a long breath. “Yeah, I think I know what you mean.”

  “Do you trust me?” I asked him.

  “Of course.”

  “Well trust I can do this. If you believe in me I know I can. I'll be back before you know it with the next piece of the puzzle and we can be off on yet another adventure together.”

  Fletcher reached down and took hold of my hand resting on the bed. “I do believe in you.”

  My stomach fluttered as we locked eyes. If he believed in me I could achieve anything. Once he'd chosen to stay on Utopia instead of coming with us. I was so grateful events had played out differently.

  “Fletch. Do you ever regret you had to come with us to Earth? Do you wish you could be back on Utopia?” It hadn't been his choice to join us. Fate had played a hand in bringing him to Earth.

  He thought on it for a moment, staring up at the tents sagging ceiling. I bit my lip wishing I hadn't asked. Why did I need to know the answer? He'd had no choice.

  “No I don't. I mean, I miss my mum and dad. But it wouldn't be the same up there without you. I didn't know it until we crashed landed on Earth and realised you could've died. Imagine if I'd stayed behind. I wouldn't have known if you'd survived or not. I wouldn't have known where or how you were, it would've killed me.”

  “Being here and knowing might kill you,” I chuckled.

  He laughed, his breath warming my face. “It's worth it.”

  “Aurora?” Alice's small voice sounded across from us.

  I gave Fletcher a smile and rolled over. “That was a huge sleep. Come here and sit with Fletcher and me.”

  I sat up as Alice wobbled her way over to me and I lifted her onto my lap. I could do this. I could hang from the bottom of a helicopter on a rope. I could climb through narrow dark tunnels. Why? Because Fletcher believed in me and I trusted him.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Walking along the path to the medical tent after breakfast, I made a mental checklist of the equipment I needed for the thousandth time. I'd kept myself up throughout the night worrying I would forget something important. That was in between the nightmares of being sliced in half by the rotors of a helicopter or plummeting to my death because the rope broke. Oh, and there were the visions of being stuck in a dark tunnel. I'd checked, double checked, and triple checked my utility belt to ensure I had what I needed. It must've been driving my dad nuts because he suggested I go visit Domino and Lark to say goodbye, if not to save my own sanity then to save his own.

  I ran my fingers over my belt once last time. Torch, check. Knife, check. Taser curtesy of Domino, check. And my hand ran over the pendant resting on my chest, check. They were the only items I needed and none of them made me more courageous about what I was about to attempt.

  Arriving at the medical tents doorway I drew in a deep breath before stepping over the threshold. I paced past a row of patients in beds being careful not to make eye contact and turned left when I got to Domino's bed. Her eye's smiled before her lips as she saw me approach and she nudged Lark awake who sat on a chair his head resting on her bed.

  “Aurora, I didn't expect to see you today.” Lark wipe
d at his eyes.

  “I think I'm driving Dad nuts so he suggested I come and say goodbye before we leave.” I shrugged.

  “I'm glad he did. It's getting a bit boring here without all of you,” groaned Domino.

  “You have me,” said Lark.

  “Exactly.” She pursed her lips.

  “Well, she's well enough to let me know when I'm not wanted. I'll leave you two to chat.” Lark rose from his chair and squeezed my shoulder before leaving.

  “Lark told me what you and Benjamin will be doing. I thought we'd done it all but apparently you're about to take it one step further,” she said.

  “Yeah, that's what's freaking me out,” I confessed.

  “You'll be fine. Lark wouldn't have let your father pick you if he didn't think you were capable. It'll be good for you both to spend some time together.”

  “Yes, because nothing bonds a father and daughter more than hanging from a helicopter by a rope.”

  “Exactly.” She laughed.

  “Before I left I wanted to thank you.” My gaze dropped to my hands resting on the side of her bed.

  “What for? Dragging you down to Earth and almost getting you killed a hundred times?”

  I looked back up at her with a smirk. “No. For taking me in despite not knowing me. For trusting me, and training me, and saving me from the Utopian Guard. You've been more of a mother to me in the past few months than my mother was to me in sixteen years. It means a lot to me.”

  “It was my pleasure.” She reached out and squeezed my hand. “Please don't tell me this is some sort of goodbye speech in case you don't come back? Because I want to hear all about it. I haven't been to Eden, it's supposed to be super fancy.” Her eyes widened at the thought.

  “Fancy?” I asked.

  “Oh yes, they love their fashion on Eden. Make-up, hair dye, specially made clothing. How you look is everything. It's the city who use to make our clothing. Surely your father told you?”

  “I don't know if you've noticed but there's a lot of things he didn't tell me. And apparently one of those things was the people who make all our boring clothing keep all the good stuff for themselves. Why did we have to wear such ugly attire when they got to look pretty?” I groaned.

  “I didn't take you for much of a fashionista,” commented Domino.

  “Well, I'm not. But it would've been nice to have a choice.”

  “Too true. For some reason Utopia is run different from the other floating cities.”

  We spent the rest of the morning talking about some of the hilarious fashion Domino had heard of from people who'd visited Eden. Bright colours, strange makeup, she promised the people I would see would make the hair dye and makeup Vega use to wear look boring. It was relaxing to talk with her so candidly, we hadn't had the chance since we'd escaped from her home through the trap door in her spare bedroom floor. Dad was right, the distraction was what I needed.

  * * *

  After talking with Domino until Lark returned and told me it was time for lunch. Then spending the hours between lunch and dinner pacing through the tent, then being kicked out for a walk around the compound by the rest of the group. Then not being able to stomach dinner with the way the anticipation made my stomach clench and twist, I'd given up on Dad and I leaving for Eden.

  “Aurora, you have to eat something,” said Fletcher holding a bread roll towards me.

  “I can't. I'm not well.” I rested my hand on my stomach.

  “Mr Adams…” Fletcher called out.

  “Benjamin, call me Benjamin,” Dad replied.

  “Benjamin, Aurora's not well. Maybe you should take Vega after all,” said Fletcher.

  Vega's eyes widened with excitement.

  Dad waved him off. “She's fine. She's nervous. Nerves are good, they get the adrenalin pumping.”

  “If this takes any longer I think I'll be all out of adrenaline,” I groaned.

  Dad laughed. “I think once you climb into the helicopter you'll find some more.”

  Everyone finished dinner and we made our way back to our tent. Alice was asleep on Tyler's shoulder by the time we arrived and we fell silent as he lay her down onto her bed. He bent down and planted a light kiss on her forehead before noticing all of us looking at him.

  “What?” He grimaced.

  “It's cute that's all. We all need a bit of cute in our lives at the moment.” Maya nudged him lightly with her shoulder.

  They exchanged a smile and it warmed my heart a piece of the old Tyler was shining through. He'd done something unimaginable, but he was finding his way back from it. If he could survive all he'd been through, I could hang out of a helicopter… right?

  “Should I be worried about those two?” Fletcher whispered beside me.

  “No. I think they're exactly what each other needs.”

  Fletcher looked towards his sister once more before his eyes shot past me towards the doorway of our tent. Richy appeared, panting, calling for Dad and me to follow him immediately.

  “No time for goodbyes,” he barked.

  I exchanged a look with Fletcher before Dad placed his hand on the small of my back and led me out of the tent. As we followed Richy through the compound, I ran my hand over my utility belt and my pendant a few times until we came to the gate we'd entered through when we'd arrived.

  Richy produced two harnesses for us to put on and helped us climb into them before speaking to the guards stationed either side. The guards opened the gates wide enough to let us slip through. Outside the whipping of a helicopters blades grew louder as Richy led us along the fence line towards the back of the compound.

  I'd expected a helicopter to look much bigger up close, but it appeared much less frightening on the ground than the one hovering in the air over the rainforest trying to find us. The wind from the blades whipped sand and dust up all around us and as we approached Richy handed each of us a pair of goggles that I happily slipped over my face. It didn't stop the stinging of the sand against my skin, but at least I could see where I was going.

  He mouthed words I couldn't decipher over the ruckus of the helicopter but he motioned for both of us to duck low and we did as he asked. Following him we approached the open door on the side of the helicopter and he helped Dad inside before taking my hand. I gripped onto the doorway above me and let him push me up inside. Richy climbed in behind us and slid the door shut before motioning for the pilot to take off.

  The pilot turned around and offered the three of us head pieces which we put over our head and ears, tuning out much of the helicopters sound.

  “Welcome on board,” the cheerful voice of the pilot sounded in my ears. “We're about to take off so hold on tight. We have a little way to go to get to our rendezvous point so relax and enjoy the view. A little way up I'll need you to put on the oxygen masks hanging beside your seat. This chopper might be modified to reach new heights, but your bodies are not.”

  The helicopter rose into the air, my stomach dropping into my bladder for a moment before returning to its rightful place. Dad patted the hand I'd been griping onto his leg with and I loosened my grip returning it to my lap.

  Peering out the small window beside me I didn't dare move any closer as the helicopter tilted to the left. The ground below us was bathed in darkness, obscuring any view.

  “The moon's not very bright tonight,” spoke the pilot. “You'll have to enjoy the view on your way back.”

  At least he was optimistic we would be going back.

  As we ascended into the sky, the helicopter moved to and fro as though it was struggling to keep balance.

  “Is that normal?” I asked Richy, not realising my headphones were relaying everything I said to the pilot.

  “We're in good hands,” replied Richy.

  “You sure are ma'am. Don't you worry about this baby, I've got her under control. Look ahead and you'll see the base of Eden.” He pointed towards the front window.

  Leaning closer to Dad to see, I ran my eyes over the shiny metallic
base of Eden hovering effortlessly in the sky. My entire life I'd lived on a floating city and hadn't questioned how it managed to float in the sky without plummeting back to Earth. It just did. But seeing Eden, its huge form floating in the air like a leaf on a stream, it defied all logic.

  “How does it float?” I asked, my eyes wide.

  “It's complicated, but basic at the same time.” Dad beamed as he explained his creation. “It's all magnets, thousands of them lining the base of the city and also embedded in the Earth's crust. It's a delicate balance, but it works.”

  “Wouldn't it effect the helicopter?” I asked.

  “It sure does,” replied the pilot. “We've made modifications of course. But still makes it a bit of a bumpy ride. Time to pull on your oxygen masks,” instructed the pilot.

  Richy pointed out a plastic mask beside me with a canister attached. I copied as he slid his own over his head piece and secured the straps tightly at the back of his head. Once the mask was secure over his nose and mouth he twisted the canister and gave me a thumbs up. The smell of plastic made it hard to breathe and I fumbled to tighten my straps. My chest grew tight as I gripped the canister which released with a small hiss. With a deep breath my lungs relaxed and I could breathe easy again. Turning to Dad he gave me a thumbs up which I returned.

  “Prepare for rendezvous,” said the pilot.

  I looked to Dad for reassurance as my heart began to thump out of my chest.

  “Are you sure this is going to work?” I asked, my vision a little blurry and my voice echoing in my mask.

  “You're both good to go. Who's going first?” asked Richy.

  “I'll go first to be sure okay?” replied Dad.

  As we drew closer to Eden a wall of dark metallic silver filled our view until a panel lowered revealing an entrance and a man.

  “There's Vault,” said the pilot.

  “Vault will be helping you onto the platform,” said Richy.

  The pilot's voice sounded over the headset. “Almost in position. Right, open the door and do your thing.”

  Richy clipped himself to a rail on the inside of the helicopter. Dad removed his headpiece as Richy slid open the door. Wind rushed in pulling at my body and limbs as though wanting to rip me from inside the helicopter and throw me back down to Earth. I planted my feet firmly on the floor and gripped the edge of my seat. Dad stood and stumbled a little before Richy grabbed a shackle on the front of Dad's harness and attached it to a rope that ran up to a pulley system on the roof of the helicopter.