An Eternity of Change

Chapter 29

September 2, 1945

Adam hadn't meant to take five days to finally get to the meeting place, it had just happened. He was concerned when he got close to the hill and couldn't see anyone there, had Jaylyn left with Abe? Or had they never been here to begin with? Once he was at the top he found his answer. Jaylyn was lying on the ground, her wounds clearly infected and the blood was gel like, as he got closer he could see the faint rise and fall of his chest as she breathed along with near silent whispering. His son wasn't anywhere nearby.

"Jay, get up." He reached out and shook her; the limp form didn't move other than to roll flat onto her back. "Come on, wake up."

After shaking her a few more minutes her eyes finally opened, the green eyes were dull and didn't seem to completely see him. "A-Adam?"

Her voice was barely more than a strained whisper as she tried to breath and talk at the same time. Adam leaned a bit closer to hear her better. "Where's my son?"

There was a long silence and he briefly wondered if she had fallen back into subconscious when she finally answered with two pain filled words. "I'm sorry."

He knew then his son was gone. He backed away from her before noticing the graves, one had to be an adult, probably Marie; while the other one was smaller and less decorated making it look older... he walked over to it and knelt down beside it. Why had he lost his son? Fate was a cruel device to allow an innocent child to die. Luckily, he could avenge it. He would kill anyone who had any relation to the Nazis; his child wouldn't be forgotten. Adam glanced back over as Jaylyn gave a quiet moan and collapsed back onto the ground only to try rising again. She looked disoriented and was trembling hard, she wouldn't be able to travel; in fact the only reason she hadn't died yet was because she hadn't been moving. He could bet that given a few more days she would've died or fallen into a coma.

Adam moved back over to her, holding her down so she didn't try rising again. He no longer had his dagger but on the way to the hill he had managed to pick up a knife, which he took out and plunged into her chest, staining the blade crimson as he twisted it deeper. "I'll let your suffering end for now, just know not to fail me again."

Jaylyn went still before disappearing before him. He put the blade away before giving his son's grave one last look, perhaps it was for the best, it wasn't like he would've been a good father anyway... though that didn't mean he was going to leave his tormentors alone. No, he planned on making them suffer for the rest of their miserable lives; he still didn't understand how Jaylyn had befriended one. The thought made him scowl, maybe he should teach her a lesson too, for all he knew she'd let Abraham die.

He stayed there until she got back, which took about an hour, and by then he'd calmed down a bit... or at least enough not to blame her for his son's death. He still noticed her pause in hesitation as she saw him; her new outfit clung to her thin frame as it slowly dried. Adam stood and motioned for her to come closer, taking in the fact that she suddenly seemed afraid of him, as if they were back to the first few days when they'd met each other.

"Did you at least try saving him?" He asked; staring coldly at her, if she was afraid of his wrath he'd keep it that way for now. "Or did you just let him die at their hands?"

Jaylyn looked at the ground. "I tried, honestly, the fire... it got him first."

Adam forced her to look him in the face, satisfied as she flinched in his grip. "He was my son... I never should've trusted you to get him; I never should've trusted you to free us either. It was obviously just a trick, a mere joke, between you and that Nazi!"

Anger flashed in her gaze and she scowled at him. "He left when I freed his family, he was never a threat to us. The only reason you weren't out sooner was because Ripper got in my way."

"Did he stop you from running to save my son? I thought he left during the fighting." Adam looked at her calmly, enjoying his little game.

She however, didn't seem to be as she glared back. "I meant before then."

Seeing her growing frustration and anger he decided it was best to end the game for now before they really were at each other's throats. "Of course... I guess I couldn't have expected you to save him anyway, he would've starved or been eaten by animals before I got here considering you weren't able to get up."

He saw her visibly relax, though he swore there was a flicker of guilt and relief in her gaze. Still, he let the look slide, he couldn't afford to lose her and his son; she was still the only immortal worth having around... at least for now.

"Where are we going now?" Jaylyn asked, still slightly weary he might go into another aggressive fit.

Adam looked away and guided her down the hill. "Town, and from there far away from this cursed place. I hope to never come here again, though I may stay a bit longer to find my dagger."

"I hope we find it soon then." She whispered under her breath, just loud enough for him to hear.

He looked back over at her, was she really so suddenly fearful of him? Had she thought he would care this much over a death? Yes, he was furious that his son had died, but she looked at him like he was about to murder her. Then he thought back to the times he'd called her a traitor and realized that the only thing probably keeping her with him now was the fact she was loyal. Adam almost, not quite, regretted calling her a traitor. But now he could use this to his advantage, perhaps now she would kill for him, together they could get back at everyone who wronged them, they would kill all the Nazis and their families. If he could get her to obey him they would be unstoppable, especially after all her unused training went to use. Yes, he could see it now... the two of them were going to be the perfect team.

Adam pulled her closer to him, earning a cautious look from her as she relaxed. "It isn't your fault, my son had to die at some point so stop acting like the scared woman I first met. I want to see the one you've become, the one I traveled with."

All uncertainty left her features and instantly she acted almost like her usual self. He could still tell it was fake, which was fine for now, she would trust him again soon enough. He hadn't been changed into a monster, though at times when he was lying in that dark cell at night picturing creative ways to murder his enemies, that didn't make him a fiend, it was a normal response to what happened. Jaylyn was the one who was off, she killed only when needed in defense if Jack was excluded, it wasn't normal for one to go through what they had and not kill in revenge. Adam wasn't the one who was crazy; he was rational in wanting it... now he felt like he was trying to defend himself against nothing. He saw Jaylyn give her a concerned look before picking up his pace.

"Let's just hurry, I have plans to make." He muttered.