Experiment X

28 | Rescued

AN: The next chapter will continue Emberly's storyline!:) - WordSpeak

28 | Rescued

Sera holds her breath, waiting in the intense silence that follows, but nothing happens. Not at first. There’s a strange gasping, but not from any of them, and confused Sera looks up seeing that both of the Enforcers’ faces are being contorted into a tortuous pain beyond their control. Their eyes are rolling back, and suddenly they’re both dead, sprawled out on the ground, their guns clanging onto the earth beside of them.

How can this be? The thought penetrates her mind, and she’s sure everyone else’s. They all look around in absolute amazement of what has happened. Sera blinks, her mouth falling open as this registers. Should they all get up and flee at once? Somehow that doesn’t seem quite right. Something caused this…Something supernatural…

Then their answer comes striding in from beyond, emerging from the cloaking underbrush of the woodland: three walking figures. When they come close enough in range to see clearly, Sera takes in their leader: a tall, willowy woman with long, blowing white-blond hair in the slight breeze, and piercing blue eyes. She’s suited in some type of travelling guise completed with a zipped-up tunic, dark trousers, leather gauntlets, and leather wrought boots. A hooded earthy-toned cape falls about her shoulders, flairs about her arms kept at her sides, and swishes about her lower calves. These clothes would allow her to blend into the surrounding environment seamlessly. The guards dressed in soft-plated armor and similar capes of common camouflaging earthy colors are both men, but one has long brown hair that is plaited back and tanner skinned, the other is pale with short, soft blonde hair radiantly shining in the falling sunlight.

Hope sweeps her beautiful blue eyes down upon them eye, and does something Sera doesn’t expect so readily: she smiles. It’s an honest, life-giving smile. “Hello all,” she says, her voice as light as summer air. “My name is Hope Novitatem, but you may call me Hope; and I’m here to rescue you. Take you to where the Resistance resides; you are not alone, not by any means. I take you to HOPE, of which I’m sure you’ve heard rumors about…The Haven of People’s Equality. We are all born equal, and deserve a just and fair government by the consent of the governed, but I’m afraid that has been lost…I hope you will join me in this cause. You will be taken to a place of safety, where you will be cared for…Teresa, there you are…” Hope’s voice trails off.

She looks to the red-haired woman who’s smiling, and steps toward her, and gently touches her face. “I have much to tell you of your daughter…”

“Have you spoken with her?” Tears are falling from Teresa’s widened reddened eyes, desperate.

“I have,” she says. “She’s alive, and very much well. But it’s difficult you see, where she is…The ones who have captured her, the Controller, and others have made it extremely difficult for outside sources to infiltrate, but I will do my best to reach her again. She must know the truth. Of you. Of what is actually happening. To her. Everything.”

“Thank you,” Teresa mutters weakly.

“No need to thank me, my dear,” Hope says grinning. “It is my duty…And that of which I do not take lightly. I will see to it, she survives, and returns to you.”

“Hope—my—my son, Teran,” she weeps, looking down at the sleeping boy, and his bandaged leg. “He’s severely hurt. I’m afraid he’ll die…Is there anything you can do for him?”

She pats her hand kindly, continuing to smile. “As a matter of fact there is…One of my guards will take him to be treated, and right away, I promise. While, myself, and my other guard will lead you all…And my goodness…” She erupts in a strange bout of laughter looking at them all who are completely numbed with bewilderment. “Please stand up…Please.” They all blink, and realize they’re still on their knees, and quickly stand upright facing her and her guards.

“Was it you, who did this?” Manu asks, pointing to the fallen Enforcers, and Hope turns to him, flashing her perfectly white teeth. “Oh no,” she says, “psionic abilities are Davel’s specialty.” She gestures a hand to the long-haired brunet, who quietly smiles at Manu, his dark green eyes alluring. “He can also produce illusions that will hide us all from any unwanted eyes. Actually, right now to anyone else we only seem like a patch of outcropping bushes.” She laughs again, clear as ringing bells, before saying: “Phanen,” she continues, waving a hand to the blonde-haired one, “can teleport, and his evasive abilities are unmatched. He will be the one taking your son to be healed, Teresa. I hope that is okay?” She looks to the woman, who nods emphatically.

“Please,” she nearly begs.

“It is done,” she says brightly, clapping her hands together. And Phanen offers a pleasant smile, before gracefully passing to Teresa. For a moment Teresa stares at her only son and leans down kissing him on the forehead, her tears splotching Teran’s cheeks. “I love you,” she says, and looks up the comforting eyes of Phanen. “I trust you.”

Phanen’s smile she immediately can tell is one that you can in fact trust, and this enlivens all of their spirits. “Goodbye all,” Phanen says lightly, after Teran is handed over to him, and he is holding onto the boy with a gentle cradling nature. Then in a blink of an eye he’s gone, just like that, and many of the group gasp in disbelief, especially Sera. Is this real? She wonders breathless.

“How can this be possible?” Manu asks the question all are impulsive to know at this point.

“It’s made possible by those who made us this way,” Hope says. “We are the ones who have escaped the government’s experiments over the years, as I am helping Teresa’s daughter who was captured and experiencing exactly the same unfortunate circumstance. She will have the supernatural similarity will all bare…That’s how it’s made possible, I’m afraid.”

Manu is stunned, just as they all are. It’s so difficult to swallow, especially for Sera who can’t really wrap her head around it. If she can’t, how would poor Brielle be able to, she wonders.

“Very well,” Manu says, and goes silent.

At this, Hope expands her face into a cheery expression. “As for the rest of us…We’re off to the North. It’s not but a day’s travel from here to the Underground Rail that will take us to the main city of Hope.”

The remaining members of the group stand around contemplating all that has just taken place, oddly baffled by the strange deaths of the Enforcers first, then the appearance of these characters, the disappearance of the one called Phanen with Teran, and most of all the uplifting reality of the place called Hope.

It’s real, they're not going to die...The place where they've been headed for so long, is real...And they're going to be okay now, Sera thinks over and over to make herself believe. And that’s where we’re all headed. At last.