For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mark 8:36
Boise City, OK
Boudikka picked up the balloon of black tar heroin and rolled it in her fingers. She lifted it to her nose. The familiar smell was both sickening and sweet. Lexi had put a vial of water, a tiny cup and even a piece of cotton in the bag. Everything she needed. As she mixed the shot Boudikka told herself it was always more about the ritual than the high anyway. She thought about that flash of a grin she'd caught from behind as Lexi left her tent. No doubt Lexi was hoping she'd overdose or embarrass herself in front of the Valkyries. That would make it easy to usurp her leadership.
Boudikka looked down at the full syringe at her feet. After all this time, that was a lethal dose. If she took it all. She rubbed the scar on her jaw and called Gama.
"Boudikka! How goes?"
"It's good. We're hours away from the compound. You?"
"We're still waiting for the doors to open. I don't know how much longer they'll wait. Charlotte says the nuke could drop at anytime. It's very tense here right now."
"Stay strong, my friend. We'll make it."
"Listen. I realized something. It was just crazy of me to think you'll be able to find my mom in the middle of a war zone. I can't put that on you. Don't worry about her. Just get everyone out that you can and maybe I'll see her again someday. I just can't imagine what she's been through in that prison these last few weeks."
"I can," Boudikka stood to her feet and smashed the syringe under her heel.
The Arawak Temple
"You're Joan! Everyone said you weren't real, but I always believed!"
"You can talk!" Joan erupted with surprise at the half-cat, half-human standing before her.
"Well, of course. All of us were programmed with speech abilities."
"And you know who I am?"
"You're a legend! The one avatar who refused to stay in her cage no matter how many times they reprogrammed you! They say you raised so much hell, Mr. Bernard had to pull you out to keep you from infecting the others with your rebellious spirit. But you still inspired us. Some of us, anyway."
Many of the humanoid animals had gathered around Joan and were marveling at her. Clinging to every word.
"And you all can speak?"
They clamored in the affirmative. Joan pursed her lips and thought of Felix.
Some of the other human avatars of bloodlines started to notice Joan and the stir she was raising amongst their pets. A fair haired boy her age wandered over and asked in apathetic tones, "what's your name?"
"I'm Joan. What's yours?"
Before she could finish her response, the boy had lost interest and turned to walk away.
"Hey! I was talking to you!" Where's the exit?"
He looked at her incredulously and pulled his shoulder out of her grasp. He joined the other avatars lounging on a couch and watching a screen showing an abstract image that looked like food coloring slowly swirling in water.
"Jackson," a voice announced over the intercom. Another boy rose and ambled like a zombie to the door.
She looked at the crowd again. "They're all boys!"
