A “Dead” End

Chapter 16

No one talked about the elephant in the room, as if by tactical agreement they all decided to push back the ugly for one last night…. to feel peace, even if it was a mere illusion, one last time before they start dealing with what needs to be done. It was mostly Susan and Hope that kept the conversation light and lively and managed to divert everyone from thinking about all the horrors they must face in order to eradicate that evil organization from its very roots. Luke had always known that Susan was too good for him and he thanked god for whatever good deeds he had done in whichever lifetime that made someone so undeserving get the greatest of all gems…. his wife…. his partner…. his life…. his love…….

Abby thought about everything she had learned today and could not get the images out of her head. The brutal experiments – how they were being conducted upon helpless children, the kind of genetic mutations they were doing…. playing god with innocent lives…. She couldn’t help but think about those anomalies in Sarah’s blood, what else have these monsters done to this poor girl. She needs to work harder and faster at solving the mystery behind this…. for Sarah’s sake as well as other innocents that are still trapped in that hell hole….. she needs to determine if these changes in Sarah’s blood indicate that she has been experimented upon as well, if so what exactly has been done to her…….

Sarah was soaking up all the love and laughter….. the experience of being with a family, sharing a delicious meal with all her loved ones…… for she knew that this might very well be one of the last meals she will be having with these wonderful people, she had come to love and trust.

She thought back to the day she had planned her escape, it seemed so bleak… like a Dead End. She knew that the chances of her survival were very minimal but being the fighter that she is, she still wanted to take a chance towards life and if death comes.... it would be her choice, on her terms…. She may have unwittingly lived as a victim but she will not die like one.

When she faced him, Sarah knew that her time was up…. that death was imminent…. In that moment she decided to jump from the cliff to embrace an end she had chosen rather than allowing him to take her. She knew that there was a very good chance that she could just crash on the rocks below and end up being a mere splatter….. but if she landed into the river then she still had a chance of survival. As soon as she jumped into the water, she wished she’d been a splatter instead because the cold water hurt her skin like thousands of needles pricking at the same time. The wild flow of the river was lifting and throwing her body against hard and sharp rocks…… it felt like nature was playing a game of table tennis with her bruised and battered body….. lifting and throwing her like a tennis ball. It seemed that her end was near but she did not want to die. There were many things she needed to accomplish. She has to save those innocent lives trapped inside that hell… she has to avenge her mother’s murder… she has yet to live and enjoy her life… it was with these thoughts that she went into sweet oblivion.

They say that “The most precious light is the one that visits you in your darkest hour”, that “Hope begins in the dark” and it was at the zenith of darkness that Hope came to her…. her saviour….. her inspiration…… her precious sister. It was only because of Hope that my life, which was at a Dead End took a detour towards life….. I got a new beginning. Everyone, including Hope, thinks that I saved Hope….. brought her back to life but the truth is that Hope saved not just herself but me too…. It is Hope who came to save me from the clutches of death….. who made me trust again…. It was Hope who gave me the first semblance of life with a family…. That is why I need to protect my precious Hope and my new family……

Hope wished there was a way to make the past go away, so Sarah could start a new life with them….. a clean slate….. no worries, no missions….. nothing that would bring such sadness in their lives. She knew everyone, including herself, was thinking about Sarah’s revelations….. everyone wished it would all go away but at the same time no one could turn their back towards such horrors without attempting to stop it…. stop them, those monsters. She too wanted to support Sarah, fight by her side but she didn’t want her family to be in danger so she understands Sarah’s concern but to fight evil they would have to rise above such concerns. They will have to make sure that they plan their each and every step meticulously and tread with caution.

“Okay everyone”, Luke said, bringing everyone out of their musings….. “I wanted to keep things light tonight but I guess that’s not gonna happen so we might as well talk openly so we all know where we stand”… “that’s a great idea dear”, Susan said… “let’s all sit in the family room”. As everyone started getting up from their chairs and moved towards the living area, it seemed like teams were already formed. Sarah and Hope, Abby and Susan with Luke…. leading them all.

“So”… Luke continued once they were all seated…. “we are a family, and family always stands by each other in thick and thin. Sarah you have become a member of this family… we would always stand by you in your causes, especially this one…. so do not even think for one minute that we will abandon you or let you slip past us”. Susan laughed and said “you listen to him baby girl, his grip is tight…. really, really tight…. caught me 28 years ago and hasn’t let go till date”.

Sarah, the robot, was taught since childhood that emotions were a weakness…. they make you loose focus, falter and make mistakes….. they can lead a person to death and destruction…. The new Sarah…..Hope’s Sarah, has learned to embrace emotions. It was emotions that made her understand the value of human life and relationships, love and togetherness. She understood that these emotions have become her strength and are fuelling her to move forward with renewed energy and zeal towards her mission.

“Tonight we will all rest, knowing we are a family and together we are strong and unbeatable” Luke added…. “tomorrow we will share our ideas about how to beat this enemy. Abby, you will look into the medical aspects of what they are doing and how to stop them….. Sarah, you know them best and you have the most training and knowledge out of all of us put together so come up with some plans we can discuss in the morning….. Hope you will keep an eye on your sister to make sure she does not escape during the night…. Susan, you as always are the thread that ties us together…. Love us and keep us together, like always….. meanwhile I will reach out to some secure contacts of mine and work out a few angles”… with that he bid everyone goodnight and left for his cottage with Susan…….