It had only been a few hours before an apologetic Theo gently shook her awake. "As much as I want to stay here forever, we need to go back to the mess hall, love."
Hera's head rolled back against the bed, and a laugh escaped her lips. "How are we supposed to do that without looking guilty?"
Theo shrugged before getting up and redressing, turning his back so she could do the same. Hera appreciated his chivalry, despite seeing most of her naked body already. "I have a few ideas I need to share with my aunt and dad before we turn in, though..."
As she turned to face him again, a raised brow greeted her. "Might make it more difficult to pretend we were innocently training in here..."
A blush burned Hera's cheeks, " I'll go by myself and let you know about the plan after, okay? You can just go to the mess hall and set up our cots?"
Theo smiled widely, and she knew what was coming next. "Yes, ma'am!" He opened the door and saluted before marching down the hall. A small laugh escaped her lips as she rolled her eyes and thought warmly, you are such an idiot.
She briefly sent her energy out to locate Jackie, surprised to see her and her father in one of the interrogation rooms. She jogged there and was annoyed when she found the door locked.
"Hello?" she yelled through the door and slapped her palm against the glass.
Her father rolled his eyes at her as he drew the door back. "You are supposed to be asleep with everyone else, Hera."
She frowned, peering in and spotting a stressed-looking Jackie reviewing piles of paperwork and floor plans. "What are you doing in here?" She barged past her father and sat opposite Jackie. She heard the door get locked behind her, and Joseph pulled up another chair beside her. "Coming up with different plans to keep you safe."
"I thought we already had a plan. So why are you making these in secret?"
Worried eyes met hers, "You are the most important person in the world to me, and we can't let Panacea get you. No matter what." Jackie said then. "We have no idea what we will be facing when they get here, love. So we need a plan that doesn't involve you. Just in case."
Hera's mouth dropped open, and her anger began to rise, "no offence Jackie, but fuck that!" She gently rubbed her hands together to stifle the frenetic energy crackling across her fingers. "I have a plan too."
Jackie opened her mouth in protest, but a look from Joseph shut her up, "Tell me your plan." He spoke then.
"Okay," She drew in a deep breath. "Is it possible for you to take a bunch of people's Mojo at once?" Hera directed her question at Jackie, who looked back quizzically while nodding.
"How many?"
Jackie stuttered out, "uh, well, the most I've tried was like eight..."
"Could you do more?"
"I don't know. Probably. But, there needs to be balance, Hera. I can't just keep on taking, or it would be like overcharging a battery, I guess."
"That's perfect!" Hera looked at her dad excitedly before turning back to a sputtering Jackie.
"How on earth could that be..."
"Listen," she interrupted. "When the time comes, this is what I need you to do..."
...
When Hera left the room, it was the early morning. It took a few hours to organise everything, but the three left feeling a sense of calm, determination and pride. Hera could not let the others fight and die because of her, and she knew this plan would have the least casualties on their side.
By the time she reached the mess hall, everyone was snoring soundly. She found her cot between Theo and Jean and collapsed on her back. She barely had a second to rest her eyes before she felt two pairs of eyes staring intently at her. She sighed as they said in unison, "so...?"
She stifled a laugh at their eagerness and relayed the plan as briefly as she could, trying not to wake the others. She could sense their unease and placed a hand over both of theirs. "This will work okay."
Theo frowned, "I don't like how you're doing it all alone." Jean nodded in agreement before squeezing her fingers tightly. "We will be there with you."
Hera went to protest, "you need to protect the others through the tunnel!"
Theo cut her off, "You are insane if you think you are going to do this while we are running away. I'm not leaving you behind, Hera. No way."
"Then who will make sure everyone escapes?"
" I will, little one," Zeke came and sat down next to the trio. "Everyone will get out safely." Hera loved how he would flit into her life at the perfect moment. His warm presence always put her at ease.
Hera smiled warmly at Zeke and took a deep breath. "Well, I guess that will work. Theo, if I needed to give an order, would you be able to send it to everyone's minds?"
"Does a snake have two dicks?" Jean muttered, then snickered to herself. Everyone paused for a second, and suddenly a snort of laughter escaped from Hera, setting everyone off in a silent laughing fit. Tears filled her eyes, and she fanned her face to try to stifle the giggles.
"Alright then, fucking hell Jean." Hera gasped out. "I'll try not to ask you any obvious questions in the future."
"I can't believe you snorted." She cackled back. Everyone's faces were aching from smiling, and Hera was about to retort when she heard footsteps coming down the hall. The group quickly rolled over, pretending to be asleep once her father walked into the room.
As she lay back with closed eyes, pain formed in her chest, and Hera realised bitterly that she had finally found the people she belonged with, and it was all about to be taken from her.
A tear escaped her closed lids as she fell into a dreamless sleep.
YOU ARE READING
Evolved
Fantasy"Do you know what you're doing to me?" He leaned his head forward and buried it in her neck, inhaling deeply before peppering kisses along her sternum. She was on fire now. Her energy had a mind of its own, intertwining with his and causing them...
