A “Dead” End

Chapter 14

It was two nights before my birthday, I was having trouble falling asleep because all I could think about what all I will do when I go out into the outer world. I finally gave up on sleep and decided to spend some time in the library…I was given open access to the library so no one would stop me but still it had kind of become a game for me to evade the guards so no one knew I’d gone there. Once I entered the library I could hear voices, since one of those voices was “his” I decided to leave as I did not want to invade “his” privacy. It was the next words I heard that stopped me in my tracks. The stuff they were talking about…referring to children as “assets”… that is when I found out what they were into… They bought or kidn*pped children… even hired wombs to carry certain “enhanced” embryos….

These children were trained from the moment they were born… I do not know if all children were kept isolated or if it was just me but the idea was to determine which children were “enhanced, special or average”, the chosen ones were put through a special training program based on their specialities while the average ones were treated like cattle that was being grown and fed for profit. The trained children were sold as “enhanced spies”, the average one’s organs were harvested and sold on the black market and those who turned out to have special needs or did not qualify as donors were kept as lab rats. I was considered a “special project” which will be auctioned off to the highest bidder, the day after I turn 18. 

It was imperative for me to escape before I turn 18 because on that day they would have inserted a “special chip” in my body. This chip is undetectable by all traditional and enhanced means. It would give them access to every minute of my life…if the “assets” try to go against them then the chip will explode inside their body, killing them right away. On the night of my escape I managed to download some information from their mainframe into one of my special creations..it’s my only clue that could take me towards my next step in stopping these monsters. I had planned my escape route very carefully after reviewing data from the satellite images and information of the landscape. 

I knew that despite all my precautions it was quite possible that someone will manage to follow me so I took that route Knowing that it offered me a slight chance of escape even if they caught up to me...and did they, catch up, Luke asked? Oh yes, it was “him” of all the guards, teachers, trainer... it was him... and he was gloating....how proud he was of me, how smart I was to do the impossible... how he would regret to lose me, especially as he had to have my mother murdered to get me in the first place. I was his special pet and he had hoped to achieve so many great things through me but still....he would let his investment go to waste. He’d sell my organs and this time he’ll choose someone he could mold into his own image....he’d never allow anyone else as much freedom as he did with me. 

I could not bear to be touched by him so I took my escape route and jumped into the river. I knew the chances of me surviving this trip would be slim but at least it was a chance... a big one though because even if I managed to land in Duncan in one piece then there will not be anyone to rescue me but I guess someone up there might have been watching out for me after all because the next thing I remember is meeting Hope in limbo and being the kind of person she is, she insisted on knowing about the reason for my distress and promised to find me and save me..... and she did....all of you rescued me...not just my body but my mind..my heart...my humanity and my soul. 

You kept on saving me by teaching me to trust and love and live. I had never known kindness before you...I never knew what it felt like to have a family till you came into my life. I may be an academic genius but I did not know anything about emotions and feelings.... togetherness all these were just words I had memorized from a dictionary. It is you...all of you who gave these words their meaning in my life. Today I am not just “alive” but I have “living”..... for the first time in 18 years I am living....I am breathing....I am free..... I want the other children trapped in that hellhole to know about these words, live them...experience them. I want to shut down this evil operation so no other mother ever has to lose her child...no other child has to grow up to be an emotionless robot. I do not know who all are involved or how wide spread this operation is but as long as I am alive I will keep hunting them and shutting them down......

Thank you Abby, I really appreciate everything you …everyone of you has done for me, specially you Hope. After being betrayed by the one person I trusted the most, I was suspicious of anyone…even all of you…the people who saved my life. I was aloof and unresponsive…cold towards all attempts you made to become my friend but you never gave up. You, with your stubborn and gentle nature forced me to accept your friendship. You taught me to trust again.. to believe in goodness and kindness and love. I thought you were foolish, wearing your emotions for all to see, hurt and take advantage of but I was the fool….a genius fool, if there is such a thing. It is because I love you….each and everyone of you that I can not bear to put you in danger of any kind. I was not going away because I want to, but being here with you would put your life in danger and  even in my wildest dreams I can not compromise with your safety and well being.

It was Hope who reacted first….you say we have helped you, saved you…what about the things you have done for me….you brought me back to life dammit….The first time I saw you in that place….in limbo, there was a fire in your eyes...it was that fire, that strong will that inspired me to make an effort and come back to my family. Listening to you talk passionately about your mission to save countless others forced me to think about my own aimless life. It was in that moment that your mission became my mission. That is the only thing that not only brought me back but inspired me to get better....to get in a fighting shape so I can assist you....work by your side. I may not be as gifted as you are but I am no slouch either. You will find a loyal friend, a competent comrade and a sister for life. With that Hope stood up and went over to sit besides Sarah…. declaring her intent…..

Abby….Susan…Luke, please say something…your silence is killing me….I….I… need to know if I have lost the only family I have known…do you hate me for staying quite….not alerting you of the danger I could be putting you all in….I am sorry….please forgive me…I admit it was very selfish of me but believe me I did not mean to take advantage of your generosity….I just did not count on falling in love with all of you…my plan was very simple, get better…stay aloof and leave as soon as I am able to but I could not stay aloof….Hope and you….all of you changed me… in fact it would be appropriate to say that the Sarah who was brought up in an underground complex, in the middle of no where died at the age of 18….this Sarah, sitting in front of you all was re-born….she was blessed with a kind and caring mother….a generous and loving sister and the best grandparents and protectors any child could imagine….

I know I should have left as soon as I could start walking without support but I was greedy….I kept telling myself one more day…. one more day and at the same time I was hoping that “one” day would never come. I know what I did was wrong, I just hope that you would not hate me…maybe even forgive me someday. Sarah was about to get up and leave but Abby stopped her….you have told us how you feel Sarah, Is it not unfair to leave without hearing us though….

I was broken and dead on the inside when my Hope was almost lost to me. The fact that you brought my baby back to me would have been enough on it’s own for me to help you in anyway I could but you did not just bring my Hope back from the dead….you gave her “life”…. a purpose and a will to move on beyond the loss of her friend. You have carved a place for yourself in all our hearts…not just because of what you did for Hope but because of who you are. You are a part of our family and family sticks together….. Sarah was sobbing by this time, please Abby do not make such a big decision without considering all the possible ramifications…. I am satisfied with your love and acceptance, you do not have to stand by my side…. in fact I would rather you not, I can not bear to put you in danger…any of you… it is better that I leave, now that you know the truth….you will be able to take all necessary precautions….

Wait…Sarah…wait for a minute. Do not go…not yet, give me 2 days…it was Luke who said this… if I am convinced that I would not be able to protect us from any danger associated with your mission then I will not stop you…but you have to promise me those 2 days…. Sarah, nodded finally…the look in Luke’s eyes compelled her to give her accent. She did not think there was any way her new family could help her without endangering themselves but for their sake she will stay for those 2 days Luke had asked for….and cherish them, for these would be her final days with her loved ones… Hope took Sarah inside after that. 

As soon as the girls left, Abby and Susan both broke down…. they wrapped their arms around each other, trying to give comfort to one another. Oh that poor child…she has endured more hardship in her young life than most people could not even imagine to endure in several lifetimes combined, Susan exclaimed. We can not let her go out on her own Luke…Abby said…. Knowing what I know, I would not be able to live with myself if I even think about abandoning her…how could I, she is become as dear to me as my Hope. Please Luke, tell me there’s a way we can convince her to stay….Luke let his gentle and caring wife take care of the emotional aspects while he focused on the security of his girls….. his family. 

Luke thought back to the time when he had just joined the Daniel household as their chief of security. Susan and him were never blessed with any kids of their own so they had been thinking about adoption but Susan did not want to be a single mother as his job took him into dangerous enemy grounds on a daily basis. As a commander of his special operations unit his life was full of danger at every turn…It was really difficult for his Susan each time he left on a new assignment… she was always fretting and worrying about losing him so when such a lucrative opportunity came he was quick to grab it….. compared to the dangers he lived daily it was be like a moon walk for him.

That day when they arrived at the Daniels household, it was to find a 17….almost 18 year old Abby crying her heart out. The girl had just found out she was pregnant and the “father” was a devil incarnate…. Susan’s tender heart went out to the young girl who had lost her own mother at a very young age… and just like that their first bond was established….it kept on strengthening as Susan became more and more protective of Abby. By day two of his new job he had realized that it was not going to be as easy and as straightforward as he had imagined it to be. Luke had already been working on liquidating all of the Daniel’s assets without leaving any paper trail as well as setting up new identities for the father and daughter duo when Mr. Daniel was found dead, under mysterious circumstances, right after Abby’s 18th birthday…. 

He did not waste anytime in moving them all to a new place overnight and activating the new identity he’d set up for Abby…. He was very carefully to eliminate any trail leading up to them… He had also arranged to have Abby’s face altered a bit…enough to that it would not be easy for anyone from her old life to recognize her, should they ever cross paths in the future. Abby had still preferred to always stay out of the public’s eyes. She took the wealth left by her father and created a huge empire. Along the way he did not even realize when he had taken over a fatherly role….. when little Hope came along, it felt like his family was complete….with his lovely wife, daughter and a granddaughter….. 

He took his role as a protector very seriously, especially where his girls were concerned… he looked right into Abby’s eyes and assured her that it will be alright…. he repeated his promise over and over again till it registered with her and she started to calm down enough to believe in him. I will leave for Duncan right away, Luke said, to look into everything myself… I know Jeremy already looked into it once but now that my family is involved I can not take any chances and will review everything myself to ensure there were no tracks left behind…I will not let anything threaten the safety of my family. 

Once I am back we will need to figure out our next steps… we all agree that none of us have the heart to abandon that poor girl whose been through enough misery to last her lifetime… we need Sarah to put her trust in us…. know and understand that she is family to us now and family does not abandon in times of need ….. if anyone can accomplish this task, it’s my girls….. my Susan, my Abby and my Hope so I expect you to have Sarah convinced by the time I return…..