by Jill Cooper
“Sell it,” Jane whispered. “To the highest bidders, and there were quite a few, or so I hear.”
Tears welled in her eyes. Why was there so much pain and suffering being caused over her, and her baby? Wendy never wanted that. She thought the world would come together because of him. That long rifts would be healed. Her chin quivered. “I was such a fool. To think...” Her voice trailed off and her fingers dotted at the tears on her cheeks.
Jane pointed to the monitor. “There he is. Your son.”
“Is he okay?” Wendy asked. For a moment, she didn’t care at all if he was all right. All ready he had taken so much from her, even if it wasn’t his fault. Even if he didn’t know.
“Vitals are all good. Movement too. If we can get enough fluids in you to stop your contractions, I’d say we’d be in fair shape. Then we can just worry about you.” Jane gave her a pleasant smile. “I’ll just be a moment.”
Wendy watched her go, feeling the pulsating kicks from her baby. She closed her eyes, and heard Jane tell something to the driver. “Put a little umph in it, would you? She’s deteriorating.”
Her eyes snapped open. Would anyone would ever tell her the truth again? Shivers ran through her and Jane returned with a blanket, as if she expected Wendy might be cold. “Thanks,” Wendy couldn’t keep the anger out of her voice. “I’m tired. Sorry.”
“You’ve been through a lot. It’s all right.” Jane smiled. “I don’t have much, but here’s a juice box. We’ll be at the compound in thirty minutes. We’ll make you more comfortable there.”
Wendy accepted it because she was thirsty and because she didn’t want to talk anymore. She shielded her eyes as a blinding light filled the van from the front.
“Brace yourselves!” Jane shouted.
Jane leaned onto Wendy as the van crunched forward and collapsed onto itself, like an accordion, before spinning out of control. Wendy screamed and flew up out her gurney on impact before the van came to a screeching stop. The medical equipment and machines slid into her, bruising her legs and smacking her head. Horns blared, but there were no screams or voices. Whoever was driving the van was unconscious or dead.
“Jane?” Wendy whispered, her hand bloody and cut from the metal from a machine that punctured her. She used it to pat the doctor’s back, hoping to arose her enough to get her to talk.
The doctor moaned and struggled to lift her head. “We have to move, before—” The sound of the rear door being forced open cut her off. Blinding headlights filled the van and Wendy cupped her eyes to make out the silhouette of a man holding a shotgun over his shoulder step into sight.
The closer he got, the easier his features were to make out. “Well,” said Thomas Crane, forehead spattered with blood, with a whistle through his teeth. “What we got is a pickle here, ladies. We better move.”
“She can’t be moved. She has to go with me!” Jane snarled and pushed off Wendy with a grunt. No sooner did she grab her gun, than Thomas aimed his. They were locked on each other and the elder doctors gave the assassin a cold glower, revolted and unwavering.
Wendy looked between them, her eyes wide with fright. She pulled the blanket on her higher and wanted to slide underneath it.
Thomas chuckled. “Think we both know you won’t shoot me, but nice show. Seems I teamed up with the wrong medical professional. I think I’ll be taking you with us, being that this one looks about ready to pop.”
Wendy clutched her belly. She bit her tongue to keep from moaning as her uterus contracted tight. It lasted longer than before and she had to blow out a slow breath, with her eyes closed, to keep herself from groaning.
Jane’s eyes never left their assailant. “She needs a fully stocked facility. If she doesn’t receive full medical attention, I can’t say for sure either of them will survive.”
“I seem to see enough equipment here. I think you can make do with the supplies I already have. Grab what you need, and remember if you try to run,” Thomas stood closer and placed the barrel of his shot gun against Wendy’s temple, “I’ll cut the baby from her dead womb myself.”
Wendy closed her eyes and trembled. She wasn’t ready to die, but she didn’t want to go with him either.
“That’s not going to happen,” Jane said defiantly. She raised her gun a little higher and fired at Thomas Crane right between the eyes.
He lurched backwards. His gun went off, the shot going wide and shattering the front windshield. Wendy screamed and shielded her face while Jane lowered her gun. “Show him to mess with a Morgan. We always fire first.”
She stepped over him and unstrapped Wendy from her gurney. “It’s not ideal, girl, but we have to get out of this van and into his truck. You think you can walk?”
Wendy didn’t, but she nodded yes. Jane took one of her arms and slung it over her shoulder, helping the girl out of the van. When Wendy’s foot hit the pavement below, she struck a rock and nearly fell. She grimaced and tightening quickened in her belly. “I’m not gonna make it, am I?”
Jane didn’t answer as they hobbled to the truck. Their breath was both taken away when they saw its condition. The headlights were crunched and the truck bed was crushed into the cabin. The metal was disjointed and twisted as if melted by molten lava.
How Thomas had planned on getting them out of there as anyone’s guess, but maybe he was the type who did things on impulse without a plan.
“Shit,” Jane swore and strengthened her grip on Wendy’s waist. She studied the horizon and then brought up her PDA. All Wendy could feel as pain surging up her back and then shooting down her legs. She tried to steady herself on wobbling legs.
“There’s a restaurant less than a mile from here. Down Route 22. If we get there, we can radio for help.”
Wendy’s face scrunched. “I can’t!” She sobbed, and wanted to fall over. If one more thing went wrong, she wasn’t sure she could continue on. Jake was supposed to be here. That was the deal! She never wanted to do this alone.
“Hey!” Jane said sharply, forcing Wendy up. “You have to be strong for yourself and your baby. It is going to have a hard path in life, understand? You think this is hard? This is nothing. And your son will only have you to protect it. Only you. You must be stronger than this. Must.”
Her face was hard and her stare was icy. Wendy tore away from it. “Jake—” Wendy trembled.
“Isn’t here.” Jane was solemn. “He may never be here again. As unfair as it is, you are the one held responsible. You are his mother. So pull yourself up, ignore the pain, and let’s get you out of here as fast as we can. Failure is not an option. Tell that to yourself, until you start to believe it.”
Wendy nodded, sucked back her tears, and stood straight again. Jane took her by her side and they continued down the road. It wasn’t until Wendy doubled over with contractions that Jane would allow them to slow down. Then she would rub the girl’s back and while she was comforting, she never offered false platitudes. “The lights are getting brighter, we’re getting close. C’mon, girl. I’ll buy you something cold to drink.”
It sounded good to her, and they continued down the dirt road until they came upon some trees and the bright shine of streetlights. Right in front of them as a gas station attached to an old diner named Silver Train. The inside was brightly lit and Wendy could smell beef. Oh, the beauty of red meat.
“Not far now,” Jane said, but a surge in her abdomen caused Wendy to double over, grabbing onto a payphone to steady herself. Jane rubbed her back. “Breathe through it. Breathe.”
Wendy tried, but she couldn’t remember how and could barely remember what Jane had said. Her entire belly hardened; it felt as if it was contracted in a vise. Something inside her changed. She felt an intense pressure buildup and then a pop, almost like a balloon bursting. Wendy moaned and felt a heavy tinkle, then a gush of water pouring down her leg.
“Oh mercy,” Jane muttered. “We need to get you off your feet. All this walking is doing more harm than good.” She propped her shotgun by th
e front door and they stepped inside.
Almost at once the waitress, the short order cook, and two people sitting at the counter turned. Wendy could barely stand up and felt herself going slack against Jane’s strong grip.
“Do you ladies need something?” The cook asked from his spot at the pass, a toothpick twirling in his mouth.
“An ambulance. We had a wreck. This girl’s in a bad way.” Jane said as she helped Wendy to a booth.
Every step caused her pain. Wendy could barely speak as she sat. All of her limbs relaxed, falling outward, and she leaned her head back against the red vinyl cushion, closing her eyes. She felt so hot and knew there was too much sweat across her brow.
“I’ll call them.” The waitress went to the phone.
“Much obliged. A glass of water for the girl, if you could?” A moment later Jane fed Wendy a few delicate sips.
“I’m so hungry,” Wendy said.
“Sorry, but you can’t eat. Not if you’re as close to giving birth as I think.”
Wendy squeezed her eyes shut. “Will he be okay?”
“I wish I could make promises, but right now, let’s focus on getting you through it first, all right?”
Jane stood as the waitress approached. “Ambulance is coming. Should be ten minutes to get out this far. There’s a cot in the back, if she wants to lay down for awhile.”
“Thanks for your kindness. Wendy, come.”
Wendy groaned as Jane tugged on her arm and was slow to get into the back, but she appreciated being able to lie down on the cool pillows. Even the lumpy mattress felt good. She took long breaths out her mouth and Jane waited for the contractions to pass before checking her. Wendy screamed, grabbing the side rails as she felt Jane’s hand probing her insides.
“Eight centimeters. Looks like it’s almost time to start pushing.” Jane sighed. “That ambulance might not get here in time.”
“I really didn’t want to have my baby in a diner,” Wendy said with a laugh.
Jane grinned. “Keep your spirits up. It’ll help.”
Wendy groaned, leaned her head back on the pillow and breathed deep with all her might. Jane rubbed her inner thighs to try to relax her, but still Wendy gripped the side of the cot like she might bend it in two. “Oh my God,” she whispered and her teeth chattered uncontrollably.
“You’re in transition. For some people, this is normal. Breathe through it,” Jane instructed. “At least you have me. I was alone. Living in seclusion and I was afraid if the baby wouldn’t come naturally I’d die.”
Wendy looked at her as the contraction ended. “You?” A glistening baby? “Your daughter, Ms. Morgan?”
Jane nodded. “One mother to another, I’m sure you’ll understand. We keep each other’s secrets.”
Wendy was shocked and didn’t understand. She thought she was special, that her baby would change the world. Jenna Morgan hated glistenings and hunted them. If she was a glistening and did all that, what hope of changing the world did her baby have? Had she gone through all this pain and suffering from nothing?
“My solution was to go on my on. To hide. Yours, well was very brave.”
“Me?” Wendy asked incredulously.
“You faced your dilemma straight on. Went for help. It opened quite the can of worms, but you couldn’t have known the hate that glistenings inspired, not with being raised in New Haven all your life. The coalition will see your safe, and this baby, but first, we got to get it out of you, okay?”
Wendy nodded. “I bet Rebecca’s drafting her press conference already.”
“Twice.” Jane smiled. “I’m going to go see if the ambulance is here yet.” She stood, then froze. Wendy watched as she slowly raised her hands and a man with a gun shoved her back into the room.
“You’re the lady on the news, I reckon. The one worth a lot of money. So I don’t think an ambulance will be coming, after all.”
Jenna throttled the stick shift and switched into second gear. Outside was dark and her eyes, while better than a regular human’s, saw nothing but open road. They were on the service road, but most businesses wouldn’t be open for hours yet. A few cars were on the road with them, but she passed them with ease.
Her phone rang again. Jenna held it up dismissively and saw for a split second it was Dirk, before sliding her thumb across it to avoid his call. It was like he and her mother were tag-teaming her, and she didn’t want to talk to either of them.
Jenna loved her mom, she did, but her decision to shack up with a glistening, to want to “cure” them as though they had the flu, was crazy to her. Jane felt the same way about her, Jenna knew that, but there wasn’t much she could do about it. After everything, Jenna couldn’t change her core beliefs, and wasn’t about to. Not even if her Mom and stepfather begged her too, for the hundredth time.
Jenna glanced down at her phone and the tracking software she had opened. She was getting closer. She just had to pray they wouldn’t smarten up and remove their bracelets. They wore them all their lives and she had to hope against hope that they wouldn’t even think of it. She just needed them to stay together in a single group. And so help them if they were feeding when she got there…
Jenna slowed down the van as she drove past a grocery store. It figured that the glistenings would flock to somewhere so suburban, so domestic. What was more small-town than your local fast food burger joint? Nothing she could think of, and that’s where she parked the van, close to the back exit of the kitchen so they could sneak out the staff. After that, if she blew the entire place to Kingdom Come with herself inside, Jenna wouldn’t care. She was tired of the fighting, the hiding, the lying. She was ready for it to be over. So if one of those glistening bastards got her before she ended him, Jenna was going to make sure no one got out alive.
Through the back of the van she went, picking out a gun and a grenade. She snapped it on the belt of her jeans and desperately tried not to think of her team. Jameson, the one who betrayed her, and Dirk, the one who never would. She hated the idea of losing them. No matter if she never said it, she needed them.
But that was over now.
Jenna marched toward the restaurant and knocked on the metal door leading into the kitchen once before pulling it open. She was met with surprised faces. Some were older, but most had the pimply sheen of teenagers. She flipped open her badge. “New Haven Police. On official business. Everyone out.”
“No time for questions. Unless you want to end up mulched beef.” They ran outside like frightened children.
Jenna surveyed the kitchen and headed toward the counter. Ducking down beside the deep fryer, she saw a bunch of men and woman clustered in booths. They talked in hushed voices, warming their hands on cups of coffee. From the way they shifted in their seats, Jenna suspected they were second-guessing their decision.
There were children sitting in the corner, munching on French fries. They were talking excitedly, like they were on a field trip. She hadn’t thought of children, but they were all monsters. They all were responsible for the deaths in New Haven, whether they had been part of it or not. She also knew that the dozen she saw out there, weren’t all that escaped. There were others, out there, and she needed to find them all. A scared glistening was a dangerous glistening. Plus, Jake Monroe wasn’t part of the group. Wherever he was, Jenna had a feeling others would be.
Her stomach tightened at the thought of seeing him again. She wasn’t sure what the right move was, but knew somehow he was important. Could she kill him? Should she?
Maybe instead of thinking, it was time to act. Jenna stared at the gun in her hand. She firmed her grasp on it, turning it over. Could she really do it again? After all those sleepless nights when she promised herself she never would again?
Jenna stood, took a deep breath. No one saw her yet. Not one twitched muscle in her direction. She raised her gun, her breath was hurried and her hands shook, but still she aimed her gun at the back of a little girl’s head. It was better to take the young ones out first
, get the hard stuff over with.
The bell jingled at the front door. Glistenings screamed and Jenna saw Dirk charging her. She aimed her gun at him. “Get out of here, Dirk! What the hell are you doing here?”
“Looking for you, since you won’t answer your phone. What the hell, Jenna? This is your answer, to go crazy again? After all the shit we just went through?”
“It’s not going crazy, it’s called vengeance. Now get out of here before you’re too involved to step away.”
“I’m all ready too involved.” He stepped forward, hands up. “I won’t let you do this. Throw your life away again, for nothing. They are not worth it, but you are. You get me? You are worth a lot more than a pile of dead glistenings.”
Jenna laughed but it felt bitter. “How can you say that? You know what’s in me? I’m no better than they are.”
He shook his head, tears in his eyes. “That’s not true and I think you know it. You might not believe in you. But I do, Jen. Always have. Even when you left, with no word, I always knew, you were the one for me. Don’t blow our last chance away on them.”
She lowered her gun, lip trembling. “So you’d really be able to look past me, what’s in my blood, who I am?” She punched him in the chest. “Don’t you dare say that, Dirk. Don’t you dare! If you say that, and I walked away for nothing, for nothing…”
Dirk stepped in front of her and took her gun. She stared up at him, his kind eyes, and felt the pull to kiss him. Like she always did. But she didn’t fight it, like she usually did. This time she leaped at the chance, leaning forward until her lips met his. Hungrily he kissed her back and for Jenna, it was as if all the walls between them were gone. She could hold him again, be with him, and she did. Jenna clung to him like her life depended on it and felt warmer, more whole. It felt as if part of her healed just because he loved her.
