Wildflower

11

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Air rushed into the link chamber as the seal broke, light peeking in through the cracks. Liza blinked, trying to figure out what just happened. One minute, she'd almost been kissing Vezo, and the next--

Grace grabbed her shoulders and hauled her out of the link capsule, the jelly-like interior squeaking against her skin as Liza broke free. "Are you okay? Where are you hurt?"

"What the hell?" Liza snapped. "I'm fine, Grace. Don't pull me out of my link like that."

"Liza, is your Avatar hurt." Grace said firmly, paying no attention to her fury. "We need to know where it is."

"My ankle is shattered, but I'm taking care of it. I'm in a safe place. I was fine, just let me--"

"No, Liza. You have to listen." Something in Grace's tone dulled Liza's anger. "That bomb was the start of something huge. The RDA is building a highway, and they're blowing up some of the forest to do so."

Liza stopped, heart plummeting to her stomach. "What?"

"We just received word this morning. Apparently, a small team of people approved it yesterday, but... most of us weren't invited to the meeting." Clearly, Grace was sore about this. "It's obvious why not-- it's a terrible idea, undoing almost all of the work we've put into making friends with the Na'vi-- but that didn't stop them. They sent out a broadcast this morning, apologizing for the shock but maintaining that they would continue to bomb and build." She took a deep breath. "It's not safe for us to be doing field work anymore. René and I went to Parker Selfridge-- you know him, the dickwad head of the RDA-- and told him to stay away from our school, but he made no promises for anywhere else."

Liza understood the "no field trips" part. But Grace clearly wasn't finished talking, and she had a sinking feeling she knew what would come next.

"This also means you can't take walks anymore." Grace continued, avoiding eye contact. "It's just too dangerous, at least for a little while. I don't know exactly what you do out there, but it's pretty clear that you're not just taking a little stroll around the school, so... we just need you to stay either at school or on Hell's Gate until construction is finished."

All the anger that Liza had managed to tamp down came rising up again. "Grace, you can't ask that. I can't be stuck here, not after knowing what life is like out there." She tried to erase the panic rising in her throat, feeling her stomach constricting at the thought of abandoning Pandora, abandoning Vezo.

"It's just for a little while, Eliza." Grace fired back. "That Avatar of yours is worth millions of dollars, and to us, you're worth so much more than that. You can't keep endangering yourself for the sake of freedom."

The words struck a chord in Liza, reminding her all too well of what Grace had accused Amelia of after her departure. She bit her lip, remembering her dream in the cave. Was that what was happening? Did Grace think she was becoming her mother?

René appeared in the doorway, looking regretful. "I'm so sorry. Parker says it'll only be a few weeks."

Liza sighed, finally submitting to the horror of it all. The humans were blowing up the forest. They were crossing a line, it was clear to everyone, and as a result, she'd have to give up everything. Even after she was allowed out again, nothing would ever be the same. She couldn't even speak, just nodding as René walked over and put a steady hand on her shoulder.

"So, I must ask you again. Where is your Avatar?" All of the bite had left Grace's voice, leaving only a hollow sort of sadness. "Is it truly safe?"

"It's still in the forest. I might be protected from explosions, but I should probably bring it back to the school." Liza mumbled. Grace and René exchanged glances, but nodded.