Salvation 2035

Chapter 57- Family (Part One)

『Naomi』

     If I had a dime for each time I crossed the border within the past two days, I'd have twenty cents. That's not a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. I know Lindy and Richard are expecting me down there, but I just can't go right now. I finally know where my brother is, and I have to go to him. It's been about half a day since I crossed paths with Keisha, and couldn't stop thinking about how close I was to seeing Tsuki. Lindy and Richard will definitely understand it, so there's no issue there. I guess I was just a little scared about seeing him again. It didn't feel like the right time, but is there ever a right time for anything? Well, what's in the past is in the past— I just have to work on the future.

     I arrive at the familiar gates of Project Salvation and am promptly let in. I shoddily park my vehicle and hop out.

     "Naomi?" one of the staff greets me, confused with my presence, "I thought you were going to be gone for a little while."

     "Something came up," I quickly dismiss, and get on my way.

     I run over to the residence building and begin my search. There shouldn't be many people staying here, so it won't be too difficult to find him. I survey the first floor and only find the staff. I'm moving too quickly for any of them to ask me what I'm doing. I go to the second and am greeted with nothing but the sight of empty rooms. Next is the third, and I continue down the hallways, looking for signs of others.

『Abel』

     Project Salvation certainly is a fascinating place. The staff said it was alright for me to roam around as I please, so I've been taking full advantage of that. But mostly, I just like to go outside and take a walk around the lake. It's a nice, calming change of pace. Every now and then I run into Tsuki and Keisha, but I mostly leave them to their own devices. We see each other at meals and whatnot, but I'm sure they have plenty to keep themselves busy without me.

     I've just returned from one of those said walks. Strange, there's a woman pacing up and down the halls. She seems quite determined too. Wait a second, is that...

     "Elpis?" I call out to her.

     "Ah, Abel," she pivots to face me, "I'm sure there's a lot of things you want to ask me, but there's something urgent I've got to tell you."

     "No worries, go ahead," I prompt. Come to think of it, I do have a lot to ask her, mostly pertaining to visas and other technicalities of comfortably settling in Canada, but they can wait.

     "Listen, I didn't exactly call you up here for your medical skills. In fact, it really didn't play a big role in it at all," she confesses. "So there isn't a guaranteed job for you at Project Salvation or anything like that. My reason, admittedly, was pretty selfish."

     "I'm a little disappointed, but please, go on," I reply.

     "I know that you know someone named Akatsuki Fujimoto, and that was why I was interested in you," she explains. "I thought that you could lead me to him, and I was right, wasn't I?"

     "Yes, but..." I trail off, remaining a bit wary of her intentions. "What do you want with him?"

     "He's my little brother," she tells me. "My name isn't Elpis, it's—"

     "Naomi?" Tsuki's voice comes from behind her. I can't believe I didn't notice him.

     "'Naomi'?" Keisha repeats. I can't believe I didn't notice her either.