Breaking out of Eden.

Genesis Files

After another huge and pointless argument, the room quieted down and all eyes turned to look at Jacob.

"Even if they are real, which I'm not saying they are, why would the Council need them?" I looked to Faith who was a white as a sheet. Before Jacob could say anything I thought of something, something so terrible and inhumane that I didn't want to be the one to have to say it out loud.

"Eden lives on." I whispered

"What? That has nothing to do with anything, Valery are you all right?" Peter gave a concerned look.

"But it does." I argued "It has to do with everything. Think, why would the Council need something that could wipe out millions in the blink of an eye?" The others at the table gave me blank looks but I saw Jacob catch his breath.

"Valery, you're not thinking what I think you are, right? Because that's just insane."

"But it's not Jacob, is it?"

"Can somebody please tell me what the hell you guys are talking about?" I looked over to Faith and the others; I had almost forgotten they were there.

"What do Adam and Eve Eden always say at the end of every speech they ever give?" I looked around the room waiting for an answer and Phillip, who was usually so quiet at the meeting, gave it.

"Eden survives."

"Exactly, Eden survives. What if that were true, what if Eden was the only place that held life on the planet? The Council wouldn't have to worry about Exodus anymore because what would be the point in fighting for a world that no longer existed. And the Council would have reassurance that the outside world wouldn't rally against them because, well, it wouldn't exist."

The silence was deafening, I was waiting for someone to object but on one did. I looked around the table to see grim, determined faces. If I was right and that was the Serpents plan, then we had bigger problems, bigger than the petty, everyday problems of the people, war was coming, and coming fast.

"There is some hope though." I looked up to see Jacob reaching down to his coat sitting behind his chair.

"What hope is there? If they find the Genesis Files then this is over. We're done." I had never heard Faith talk like that, like there was nothing anyone could do it was like she thought the Serpent had already won.

"Your wrong, Faith, there is always something we can do." As Jacob said this he pulled out a small, rather fragile looking red book and set it down on the table. "I need to know if I can trust any of you."

"Is that-?"

Jacob cut Faith off before she could say anything, holding up a silencing hand and the room fell quiet again. "I am going to ask each of you to step forward one but one and place you hand on the book and repeat after me, I swear by my life, that I can be trusted and that my intentions are pure and just. You guys think you can do that?"

One by one we all said the words each person, as they came into contact with the book began to shake slightly and ripped their hand away as soon as possible with a sick expression on their faces. When it came to me I have to admit I was terrified. What had the made the others look so scared?

As I moved closer I began to hear faint voices, no more than whispers, calling to me from the book. I couldn't make out what was being said there were too many voices all speaking to fast and all at once. I repressed the urge to put my hands to my ears to block out the sound. By the looks of it, nobody else could hear them, the voices.

I placed my hand on the book and my arm instantly froze, a burning pain began to spread through my body. I began to see images, flashed of people I didn't know and places I had never been. I saw pyramids being built, a giant horse made of wood, I began to remember battles I had never heard of. I saw empires rise and fall, murder, deceit and hate growing and destroying.