The Alternate threads of fate ( ENGV of "les fils Alternatifs du Destin")

Chapter 23: Memories and Tension

Hi! Here is the continuation with the arrival in the unit 26 and the meeting between Delane and Tsylan. Don't hesitate to vote, if you liked it, or to vote.

Delane's point of view

I was walking to the lab, alone, in my thoughts. I was worried about Jake, who had left to join the colonel to talk about the Kelutral. I didn't like the fact that he was so open with Selfridge and, in particular, Quaritch. I didn't know what they were interested in for the Home Tree, but I had a bad feeling about it. I was reminded of Mother and Ben's terrible records of their targets. Some of them just had the misfortune to live in a coveted region or to denounce the vices of the GDR or the system. It was the return from a mission that created this rift between Ben and Mother. The latter always remaining faithful to her principles and to the society to which she has devoted her whole life and Ben, disillusioned by the cruelty of the life of an assassin and a spy, no longer wanting to have any connection with it. And I feared Jake would make a mistake, going about his mission like a good soldier, not realizing how many lives he was about to shatter. And that's not even counting the relationship with Grace and the other scientists, which was already precarious enough. Oh Jake...you are such a bore magnet...nothing was easy with you.

When I arrived at the lab, it was to see Grace without her scientist's jacket, having instead a khaki green coat; overhanging a white tee shirt, with grey pants, with Norm having the same clothes, almost. I could see them putting away materials, showing a definite departure.

Grace: There you are, Mrs. Kadon! Have you packed your things?

Me: Yes. Although I would like to know the reason for this sudden departure.

Grace: You should know. Since you are friends

Me: Oh...I see.

Well...the day was off to a good start...

Later,

I was helping Jake with Trudy, getting on his Samson, while Grace and Norm waited for us to finish. We sat him down in the seats and he started to put on his seat belt, while we carried his wheelchair inside

Me: Are you ok Jake?

Jake: How do you think?

Me: How do you think they would react, Jake?

Jake: How about you?

Me: You know my opinion on the matter.

I got up to sit in the seat behind him as the two scientists settled in. Norm next to Trudy in the left corner and Grace behind the pilot. The dark-haired Hispanic pilot took her seat, putting on her sunglasses before putting on her headset with microphone, followed by us.

Trudy: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Air Pandora; please fasten your seatbelts, we are about to take off.

Finally, we took off to Unit 26, to isolate ourselves from the nefarious influence of Hell's Gate.

The trip went smoothly, watching Trudy discreetly flirt with Norm, briefly letting him have the stick of the aircraft. Suddenly, the instruments started to go haywire, not reassuring me. This meant that we had to rely on Trudy's piloting skills.

Trudy: From this point on, we're VFR.

Norm: What does VFR mean?

Trudy: It means we're flying on sight.

Norm: But we can't see anything!

Trudy smiling: Yeah, that's what I'm saying, we're in trouble.

The fog surrounded our helicopter, making me nervous. Everything was in the hands of our pilot, who remained calm and focused, guiding her aircraft as if she knew where to go.