Up From the Slums: Genesis

Genesis

"It's a girl." He laughed, wrapping her in the softest blanket he could find. I was in so much pain, I could do nothing but laugh.
"You should be so proud."
"Thanks for helping. Sure as hell couldn't have done it without you." I panted, propping myself against the bed's head. "Let me see her."
With a smile like a proud dad, he passed me my baby. Her cheeks were so small and round and flushed a gorgeous shade of rose. And even though she hadn't yet opened her eyes, I had a feeling they were going to match the sky.
"She's beautiful."
"Just like her mother."
"Alright, smooth-talker." I chuckled, my eyes never leaving her face.
"Hey." He whispered, turning my head towards him. Then before I knew it, his lips were pressed against mine, and we were locked in a kiss; one I never wanted to end. His lips were so soft and supple, and he was so gentle. I wished he would wrap his arms around me and hold me close, but right then he pulled away, his eyes sparkling with longing.
"Why'd you stop?" I asked softly.
"I didn't." he lied.
"Well, neither did I." I smiled, moving towards him. He made no protest as we kissed again, my heart soaring with a passion I couldn't show, lest I drop my daughter.
"Hey, Henry! We gotta go, man!" Zak's thundering voice came from outside, snatching us away from the heavenly bliss we'd just discovered.
"Zak? What's happening?"
"The Sentinals, they're... oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me! A baby?!"
"Not like I planned it, pal." I groaned, hoisting myself off the bed.
"Well, at least the stomach's gone. It'll be easier to run, then."
Confusion came crashing down in waves until I looked down at my perfectly flat stomach. "Oh shit. Sweet."
"Now, speaking of running, the Sentinals are currently handing our asses to us, so we need to go." He urged, beckoning us out the door. Henry and I followed him into a horde of rebels retreating into the woods, illuminated by the lights of the Sentinal torches.
"Come on!" he roared, racing to a wagon parked nearby. The others were already piled in and beckoning like madmen. We ran as fast as we could, with Henry launching himself in first.
"Give her to me!"
I passed her to him, then hauled myself up after. The minute my feet left the ground, the wagon was moving, with Jacob urging the horses on as fast as they could go. Henry passed her back to me, and we watched on as rebel after rebel fell to the Sentinals. We travelled down the road at full speed, and the Sentinals chased for a while, but eventually, their suits became too much of a burden, rendering them exhausted. Every rebel in the vicinity let out a sigh of relief when the enemy turned around, but even then, we travelled at full tilt for the rest of the night, and well into the day. Then for the rest of the journey, we walked.
"So?" Ronan suddenly asked when things had calmed down.
"So?" I mocked in response.
"What's her name?"
"Oh. I don't know yet. To be honest, I'd barely given it any thought. You know, getting chased and shot at, and whatnot."
"Yeah, yeah."
"What about Genesis?" James suggested.
"What?"
"Genesis. It's a cool name, and it's the name of the rebellion."
"Hm. I like it." I smiled. "You know, every so often, you have a decent idea, James."
"Thanks, boss."
"So Genesis, huh?" Henry questioned, leaning so close I could feel his breath on my cheeks.
"Yep."
"Oh, I see." Ronan said slowly. "You two are an item."
The carriage immediately erupted into a chorus of whoops and cheers, with a symphony of catcalls coming from the rebels outside us.
"Okay, okay. Enough from the peanut gallery, thanks." I laughed.
"Well?" Henry huffed jokingly.
"Well, what?"
"Are we? A thing?"
In response, I leaned forward and kissed him, which aroused the peanuts even more. And for the rest of the ride, we laughed. Genesis stayed quiet the entire ride home, but right on the final stretch, something wonderful happened. She opened her eyes, and they were an exact reflection of the Earth's ceiling shining over us.
"We're here!" the call came from ahead as the wagon turned down the familiar road.
"What do you think Carmen's gonna say when she meets Genesis?" Zak chuckled, smiling down at her rosy cheeks.
"Don't know, don't care." I sighed, letting my head rest against Henry's shoulder. After everything we'd been through, I was ready for a meal and a nap. But those things were gonna have to wait, because the minute we got in, we were dragged to Carmen's tent.
"What the fuck, Ivy?" my sister groaned as I walked in.
"Don't ask."
"Oh, I'm gonna."
"You wanna know who's behind this one? Mother."
"You're fucking kidding me."
"The technology is worse than we thought. They grow the babies for three months before putting them in a host. And now, they can program it to grow two months an hour."
"Is that how that happened?"
"Yeah. And she's a girl, and her name is Genesis."
"Oh my fucking god."
"Look, Carm. I know. But remember what you're always telling me?"
"You gotta roll with the punches. I know. But this, Ivy. You're eighteen. You shouldn't have to be worrying about parenthood. You should be blowing shit up!"
"I know. But maybe it'll be good for me to take a break. I mean, let's be honest, it's not like this rebellion's going anywhere."
"Actually, we are. We're moving to Site B. We're in open war with the Citadel now."
"Fucking what?"
"That battle was just the beginning."
"Does this mean you're activating the Prometheus Regime?"
"Yeah."
"Fuck."
"I know. I'm sorry, Ivy, but it has to be done. You can take Genesis, but it's going to be that much harder. You all leave for the cabin in the morning. I'm sorry."
"I know you are. But at least hold your niece once while I go brief the boys."
"Of course." She smiled sadly as I passed Genesis into her arms. But the minute my sister laid eyes on my daughter, all traces of stress and pressure evaporated, and were replaced with something I hadn't seen in years; a genuine smile. I quickly raced outside to brief the boys of the storms that were coming.
"Hey boys."
"Where's Genesis?" was the first thing they wanted to know.
"Relax. She's with the boss."
"Okay. So what's happening? Breakfast, bath, and bed? I think we deserve it after what we've just been through, you especially." Ronan smiled, rubbing his hands together as he mentally planned his vacation.
"Sorry boys, but not even close. Carmen's activating the Prometheus Regime."
"Are fucking kidding me?!"
"Come on!"
"Seriously?!"
"We're in an open war?"
"What's the Prometheus Regime?"
"The PR is a plan that was devised when the rebellion first started. Basically, when we declared open war with the Citadel, the rebellion would relocate to Site B to stay safe. Everyone, except us." I explained. "We're being located to Prometheus Point, which is a cabin on the lake north of the Citadel. It had everything we need to start a guerrilla warfare campaign against the Faculty."
"Basically, we're the ones who are gonna start pokin' holes in everything the Faculty's built and make way for the main body of the rebellion to come in. Open the sewers, removing citizen chips, establish connections, that sort of thing. Anything we can to put a spanner in the Faculty regime." Jacob concluded.
"Okay. When do we leave?"
"First thing tomorrow." Carmen's voice came from behind. I whirled to see her emerge from her tent, Genesis giggling in her arms. My heart soared when I saw my sister; her wrinkles were gone, her hair had regained its fiery colour, and so had her cheeks. The bags were gone from under her eyes, and her infamous sparkles had returned to her two pools of ink.
"This is going to be big, boys. It's the first stage of taking down the Faculty once and for all. But you are the only ones for this job, and I know you'll succeed. Ivy, I think you might wanna keep a close eye on young Genesis here. There's something special about her."
"No shit, sherlock." I chuckled, taking my daughter back.
"Good luck, Scumbags. Behave, don't die..."
"We know the drill." We laughed as we watched our boss disappear into the rebel throng, the biggest smile we'd ever seen stretching across her face.