Serene

27

"It's done, Ma'am. " Jen says with confidence. "The explosion went off five minutes ago in a log cabin the group rented."

"And did Madeline look for me?"

"No, Ma'am."

Amber's face falls. Her daughter doesn't want to see her. She quickly sits up and shakes it off. No matter. She doesn't need her daughters anyway.

"Find out. I want to know who's alive, who's in the hospital, where they go. It'll be easier to track them now with them in pain."

Jen nods. "Yes, Ma'am."

"They'll run to a Government official. I want to know who. And I want to know what they tell them. We cannot lose everything we have over young women who want to be heroes."

Jen smirks. "You got it."

She walks and meets up with Greg.

"You better hold yourself together, lover boy. We've got more work to do."

***
"Gabby?"

I choke out the words, blinking the tears from my eyes as the monitor shows the slow beating of her heart.

Odeo's arm is around my shoulders, his face somber and silent.

Val's face is in her hands, the bandages on her arms and head visible. She shows no sign of pain however, as she cries for her friend.

Gabe is here, and so is Carlos. They stare at the wall, no words can make anyone feel better.

Gabe's face though, has changed. He no longer looks like the excited and quick thinking boy I knew. He looks wiser and yet lost.

We all have our injuries from the blow. Miguel lies in a bed beside Gabby's. His hand holds hers as he weakly sits up to look at her.

Miguel got the worst next to Gabby. His skin has burns that show a bit of bone. His face is- too hard to explain. But his eyes, they still show the care and love he has for Gabby.

"Gab-" He wheezes, and Val is fast enough to go to his side and shush him.

"Miguel, shh. Rest. She'll be okay. You'll both be okay." Val whispers.

Miguel lies back down, silent tears streaming down his face.

The door opens and we all look as the doctor comes in.

"I'll just be checking her." He says softly.

I turn away as he examines her.

"If she does make it, what kind of life will she have? Will they both have? They can't go back to what they're used to." I whisper.

"Not if, when. Have faith." Odeo replies, squeezing my shoulders.

We watch as the doctor treats them both, nodding and writing things as the nurse comes in and reports.

"These two will need more time in the hospital. The good news is, the bomb has been examined." He says, facing us. "It is not the usual bomb used in war or creating a terrorist attack. This bomb was designed to shock the person from the inside and those in nearest contact, and to burn through the skin. The worst would be a third degree burn. The frequency however, is enough to cause a terrible headache as well as trigger sensitive wiring. I don't know how or who created such a device. I also think with the larger size of the bomb planted on Gabrielle's pants, the effects of the bomb were greater."

"So, what happens to them?" Gabe asks, a scared tone in his voice.

The doctor sighs. "We don't know yet. We'll have to wait and see."