The Cure

XXI

"I hope you know I've risked everything – that is, my life – by telling you this." Reese stares at his hands folded tightly in his lap and refuses to meet my gaze. I don't blame him.

"How cam I believe you?" I persist. "You're a liar, you said so. Give me a good reason to believe your story." I wait.

"I don't have a good reason. You're just going to have to choose You want to risk what little life you have for a better future or do you really want to live this way, as you are now, in fear of death, forever?" Reese finally looks up and meets my stare head on. It's the first time we've actually looked straight into each other's eyes and held them there. Suddenly, I'm breathless.

I have seen pure beauty. Think of everything that is beautiful in this world and put it all in a pair of eyes. Those eyes will belong to Reese. You have not lived until you have seen Reese's eyes.

"I believe you."

He smiles. The first smile I've ever seen that is genuine and full of relief.

I hope I made the right choice.

I don't know how he managed it, but Reese finally got the little boy talking. Ciel is rather quite the chatterbox when you get him going, I discovered and Trio, the girl, is quieter, but that's probably because she can't get a word in edgewise. 

"We're part of an infiltration team," Ciel tells me. 

"When they ran away," Reese adds, "Haim and the Guards came and interrogated us. We convinced them however that we knew nothing and they believed these two were the only 'traitors' per se, and that the rest of us Growers were still on their side. This allowed us inside access without suspicion."

"We sent the Growers all the information we gathered," Trix continues, "and no one checked to make sure they weren't conspiring."

"We have alliances outside the domes, naturally," Reese says. 

"Ciel and Trix were given access inside and, being small, easily made their way through various shafts and vents to see what was going on inside these places no one is allowed to entered."

"So what is it like?" I ask, eager to know the greatest mystery of our country. "Is it true what they say, they make clones and robots and stuff?"

Ciel laughs. "No, of course not. But actually, it's worse in its way. They're still killing you, but not in a manner anyone would think to suspect."

Trix interrupts to continue with, "even though our job was to infiltrate the factories, we heard rumors of plant life inside the fence, and naturally, that held more weight than anything else we'd originally come for."

"That's why we sent for Reese."

"Wait," I stop the conversation. "I want to know why you two, only eleven and twelve years old, were sent to infiltrate all these factories. I mean, hello, I know that's not as easy as you make it sound."

"Haim personally selects all of his Growers," Reese reminds me, "just like he selected me."

"They put us through tests," Ciel says. "To see how smart you are."

"Generally, though, he can just tell you have the ability to be intelligent, without knowing hardly anything about you." 

"Unfortunately," Trix gives a wry smile. "Haim's greatest comfort is turning out to be his greatest threat. That's why we were sent to gather information. Ciel and I, we're smart. We know how to figure out the impossible." 

Ciel grins. "Reese here s the smartest, though."

"Far from it!" Reese defends.

"It's true! Reese knows more about the plants than anyone else in all the domes. That's why they sent him when information on the plant reached their ears."

"Yes, but I also came here because, something you two don't know yet, suspicion has been stirred up by the factory and their rebellion. Haim's afraid this will lead to other marks of treason, and he's right. Oh, and have you two forgotten you're in the news everywhere?!" Reese actually looks mad again but it's a different anger, a worried anger rather than malicious. I'm struck by how he actually cares about these two children as if they were is own brother and sister.

"We tried to be careful," Trix pleads for them. "It was factory nine. They wiring system we crashed was rebooted and they almost caught us."

"And got our faces on camera," Ciel admits sheepishly. 

I stop their scolding time and return to the matter at hand, and yes, all my questions. "If you work in the domes," I address Reese. "How did you manage to get here, as a Guard?!"

"My brother."

"You said you never saw your brother again."

"No, I said I thought I'd never see my brother again. There's a difference. Besides, we both work with Haim, I as a grower and him as his personal secretary. You may say my brother is the favorite but he has a more mathematical brain than I ever had. Anyway, my brother actually had a debt towards me and this was his way of paying it back. He hacked all the systems and everywhere, as hard as you may search, I'm simply Reese Ivans, a Guard. Always have been, always will."

"Whoa, he can do that?" Ciel gawks. 

"Yep."

"Cool."

"We've over stayed our visit, though," Reese reminds us. "We need to head back now, before we're caught and there is no going back. Now that we've found the plant and the first factory has had held it's own, it's time to move on."

I stare at the floor and begin to feel groggy and woozy. "But what do I have t do with all this?" I plead. "I don't want to get involved in a war, you understand."

"No, but you want to live and this is the first step. We're not forcing you to come with us. It's your choice."

I watch as Reese leads Ciel and Trix to the front porch and as I watch them slip out the door I head out the back and to the woods, my sanctuary where I can think alone and solve things for myself. 

I find my log by the stream and lean upon it, my throat choked with tears as I sob my heart out. I'm not ready to be part of a rebellion. I don't want to fight in this civil war. I don't want the country to be torn into to sides fight for control. I don't want to hear any more about Haim. I don't want to listen to Reese. 

I do want to live, however. But is this the only way? I continue to cry as I watch my ragged reflection in the water. I used to be so confident of whom I was and now I'm changing before my eyes.

"If only Griffin was here," I think. That's it. 

I can't go on. I feel lost without Griffin. His guidance, his absolute confidence in everything he believed in. I grow less sure everyday and I know it's because he's not here.

And it's all because of Reese.

As if by magic, he appears on cue and this time I don't great him with any wry smile.

"You," I cry. "If you want my help, you'll do one thing for me. If you do this one thing for me, I promise, I swear, I'll do anything you want to help this insurgence." 

"What is it you want from me?" he asks carefully, wisely. They are smart, aren't they?

"Let Griffin go."

Reese is startled, obviously not anticipating this is what I would ask.

"Please," I continue to beg. "He's on our side. He helped plan the factory riot and he wants to see Haim brought down, too. Whatever reason he's held there, it's without just cause, I know. Griffin hasn't done anything...please." I wait. Tears streaming down my face, ready for his answer, whatever it may be. 

"You ask too much," and Reese turns around and walks away.

I'm left on my knees, hands in the dirt, cursing Reese Ivans.