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“I wish there were more lights on in here,” Nova whispered to Arrow as he followed her. They made their way through the dark and dirty train cars one at a time. She was happy to find this train was much like the one they had just been on. Her grasp of the layout was better, and it was easier to navigate in the dimly lit interior.
As they trotted along, she noted that the only difference between Frigate and the other trains was, this one was bigger with more cars. That and it was also strangely empty. All the items that might have been on it, had been unloaded. Train car, after train car, they walked past different-sized empty crates or huge metal boxes with nothing in them. With every door they passed through, she hoped they would reach the passenger cars, but they kept hitting cargo.
She turned around when Arrow slowed down. He stared at a forgotten sign on the ground. It read, “This is not a sign.” He glanced up. The flickering low lights from the floor gave his face a sinister look. She shook off the feeling of foreboding, which started to steal her nerve, and pressed on to the next door. She hoped by the time she got to the private rooms there would be better visibility.
“Finally.” She exhaled with relief when she opened the next siding door. They were now in the area with private rooms on both sides.
The hallway had lights overhead that tinted the walls yellowish. On both sides of them were doors exactly like in the last train.
“We have to check all the rooms for Dawn and Dan.”
Arrow stopped her with his hands placed softly on her elbows.
“I don’t like it here.” His voice held notes of trepidation. She understood. She felt anxiety in her gut also. There was something wrong about this train. She gently brushed his hands off of her. This was no time to get panicky. She was probably imagining her fears anyway. She was rarely balanced after all.
“It only seems weird because it’s empty. We’ve gotten used to the noise.” Nova was whispering, but she didn’t know why. She tried to speak at a regular volume. Her shoulders relaxed. “Now, all we have to do is check the rooms for Dawn and Dan. If we find them, then we help them. I can give Dan CC.”
“And if we don’t find them?”
“We wait on the water base until the other trains come in. We check them all if we have to. It’s too late to back out now. Besides, if Dan is hurt, then we have to help him. I owe it to Clare not to get cold feet now.” Nova was determined. That determination must have come through in how she spoke because Arrow inclined his head.
“If your feet are cold then I’ll warm them up.”
She realized she didn’t want this to end. She didn’t want her trip with Arrow to be over. They stood there. Finally, she clamped down on her worries for the future. There was no point in thinking about that. She tried to open the first door to her left. It was locked.
“I guess we need a key.”
“We always need a key.” He chuckled. The light notes of his voice instantly made her feel calm.
“We check them all, just in case one’s open.” Nova turned to gaze at the front of the train car then the back. She didn’t know how many passenger cars with private rooms there were.
“They say, ‘It’s all inside.’ We’ll get in.”
Nova laughed. “They don’t say that. That’s a J.C. Penny advertisement. I think you picked up slogans harvesting.”
“Who’s J.C. Penny?”
“Never mind.” She started down the hallway and tried one door after another. Most were locked. Only two opened. The rooms they inspected confirmed there were no cots or beds, which signified they might be on the right train. They moved on to the next passenger car. As they did, she called out for Dan. Arrow joined her as they walked. Every so often, they would call out both Dan’s and Dawn’s names.
They had just opened the door to the second car when in front of them they heard a rattle coming from one of the rooms. A few feet ahead of them, Nova saw a tiny woman step out of one of the private rooms. She didn’t look like a harvester. In fact, she looked like a female from a water base. Her pale-blue slacks and orange sweater had flowers crocheted on the front. Her curly black hair was back in a loose bun. Other than the fact she was delicate looking, the only feature Nova noted was a scar along her neck. The mended flesh looked like a necklace.
As soon as the strange women took a step out from the room, Nova felt Arrow grab the back of her coat. His grip stopped her from advancing. What was his problem? This woman wasn’t Dan or Dawn. She was also non-threatening. It was impossible to be frightened of someone with crocheted flowers on their shirt.
“Hello, Weaver.” Her voice was casual with a light Spanish accent. She rolled her “r’s.” Her smile at Arrow was a minor lift of her lips.
“Teagan,” Arrow replied.
“It’s nice that you finally joined us.” The woman nodded “Mother and I have been waiting all day. She expected you sooner, but no worry, she brought your antidote.”
Nova turned around then frowned at Arrow with confusion. Was this his sister? His sister’s name was Dawn, not Teagan. Teagan had referred to Mother. Was his mother here? Was she family?
“This way.” Teagan motioned to the door she had come out of. She didn’t acknowledge Nova in any way which added an unreal feel to the situation. This woman was so tame, like a beaten down animal, yet she made warning bells go off in her head.
“Here, Weaver.” The little woman waved when neither of them moved. Reluctantly, Arrow stepped around her. This time it was Nova’s turn to grab him.
“Arrow, wait.” A huge part of Nova nagged that this was dangerous.
“It’s okay. I know her. This time I really do. She knows me.” He gave her a reassuring nod, but it did nothing to waylay Nova’s doubts. “It’s like they say, ‘Just do it.’ I’m going to take a chance.”
“Great, now we are on to athletic shoes.” She let go of his arm so as to not get into an argument. Together they moved closer to the private room.
Nova’s growing apprehension expanded like a balloon in her belly. As soon as she peered into the private room, she understood why. Inside her head she could hear herself scream. No sound came out, but her eyes widened. The sight before her stole her breath.
On the floor of the private room was a woman who looked much like Arrow. She had the same hair and eyes, but she’d been beaten. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were tear stained. Her tan skin looked ashen. All over her face, bruises stood out. She knelt on the floor with both hands shackled to a huge clear container. Inside the plastic box was a comatose man folded into the fetal position.
Gaping, Nova realized the battered figure in the box was Dan. She would’ve turned to run, but as she took a step, she spotted another box directly behind her. In the plastic holder was Archer similarly arranged. She recognized him instantly. Vomit rose to her throat. Both men appeared dead. She tried to take a steady breath so she wouldn’t hyperventilate.
Nova spun around as her eyes flipped to Arrow. He did the same thing she did. He stared at Dawn and both the men smashed into boxes.
“What is this?” he asked the woman he’d called Teagan. He took a step toward her menacingly. “Let my sister go. We’re leaving.”
Teagan didn’t back up. One dark eyebrow rose. “We have your memories. Don’t you want them?”
“Fuck my memories.” Arrow reached out to grab Teagan but before he had a hand on her, a voice stopped him.
“We’ve been waiting for you.” A different woman came through the door from the toilet room. This lady was in her early forties, Nova guessed. She was dressed in a simple green floor-length skirt and a matching sweater. Her face was both vacant and aware. She was both robust and fragile.
Nova had the feeling she was meeting a real live chameleon who could change for whatever setting.
“You’re from my dream,” Arrow whispered.
“Mother.” Teagan gave a bow. The young woman gave the impression like a queen had entered the room.
Arrow glanced at her, but Nova didn’t understand much of this either. The only thing she had figured out was they were trapped. Teagan stood in front of the only exit.
The woman referred to as “Mother” gracefully stepped in front of Arrow.
Teagan grabbed Nova’s shoulders. Her grip was like iron. The little woman pressed Nova close to the box that held Archer. There wasn’t much space in the room and she stumbled, but Teagan’s hold was firm.
“Let go of Nova.” Arrow reached for Teagan, but Mother slipped between them. He hesitated.
“Get off—” Nova couldn’t finish her demand. Teagan let go of her shoulders and wrapped one hand over her mouth. The other arm wrapped around Nova’s body. She squeezed.
Powerlessly, Nova stared as Mother produced a needle from her pocket then inserted it into Arrow’s neck. His hands came up for a second like he might stop her, but then they dropped to his sides. Confusion was written on his face.
After Mother drew the needle from his skin, she wiped her hands on a piece of fabric from her skirt pocket. Daintily, she tossed both the fabric and the needle to the floor.
Teagan was slowly squeezing the life out of her. Nova shoved the woman’s hand off her mouth. She struggled to blindly throw herself from the room, not knowing what to do, but Arrow got her attention.
He placed his hand on his neck. His eyes closed as his fingers covered the injection site. He looked like he might be dizzy. He swayed.
“Arrow?” Nova saw blood on the rag. Again, she tried to bolt. She reached out for Arrow desperately, but Teagan wouldn’t let her touch him. Teagan wrestled both of Nova’s hands behind her back. Teagan’s hands were so strong that it felt like she might crush Nova’s wrists.
Mother wasn’t paying any attention to Nova’s inept fight. Instead, she looked at Arrow as if he were a small lost child. She began to pet his hair. Her other hand reached out to steady him. Her features were serene and caring.
Nova tried again to get out of Teagan’s iron hold. Desperation made her yank with strength she didn’t even know she had, but it was no use. Dawn began to cry. Arrow’s sister shrank back.
“Arrow?” Nova called out to him again. Now he leaned heavily on Mother. He wasn’t pushing her away. Why wasn’t he fighting her? Why wasn’t he helping them escape?
“No, please,” Dawn wept. Arrow’s sister tried to stand. Dawn’s struggle caught Mother’s attention. She gave a smile to Dawn, then let go of Arrow. Arrow leaned heavily on the wall next to the door. Nova tried again to grab him. Teagan bent her arms back until Nova thought they might break.
“Shhh, now.” Mother reached out to pat Nova’s cheek. Mother’s eyes were full of a dark fascinating haunted wisdom. She could have stared for hours. With an unhurried movement, Mother lifted chains much like the ones on Dawn from on top of the box that held Archer’s limp body. Mother handed them to Teagan. Teagan forced Nova’s hand out in front of her. With a sickening click, Teagan secured the cuffs to Nova’s wrists.
Nova’s eyes dropped to the metal which dug into her skin.
“You see, we must do what is best for the world. The H.S.P.C. is our doom. When they rule us fully, only misery and perversion will be left. I see the future. The Originals must have the cure to Snow Flu. The H.S.P.C. must not have it.” Mother, being slightly taller than Nova, tipped her head down showing off two gold front teeth.
While Nova was distracted, Mother hooked the chains on her wrist to the clear coffin that held Archer. Mother’s actions brought Nova down to her knees. When she tried to stand, Teagan kicked the back of her legs, making them buckle.
“I don’t understand. You can’t do this to me. Arrow?” She called to him again as she wrenched on the cuffs. “You can’t do this.” Angling herself around, she tried to see if Archer was alive. Terror took over her brain. She yanked with every ounce of strength she possessed. Her tugging did nothing but make the chains rattle. “Arrow, help me.”
Mother, with that same bland smile, slapped her across the face. Nova saw stars. The pain silenced her. Strangely, focusing on the blood in her mouth helped clear her head. She had to think. Of all the times not to lose her cool, this was the one.
“Shhh now.” Mother smiled like Nova was a naughty child.
Nova ripped at the chains. Short loops hooked to the container keeping her on her knees. She was stuck bent over the clear coffin, exactly like Dawn.
“What the fuck is this? Let me go.” She looked around. Why wouldn’t Arrow do something? “Arrow, what the hell is wrong with you? Help me!”
Arrow leaned on the wall until Teagan came over to yank him into her embrace. She held Arrow like his weight was nothing.
“Weaver, are you feeling up for a walk? We’re going to the water base to rest. Then we’ll go somewhere safe.” Teagan talked to him in quiet tones. He blinked twice as if waking from a dream.
“Mother?” His eyes looked around the room with a general sweep. They landed on the woman in green.
“We missed you. Now that you’re here, we have much to do. I’ve good news. Your sister is no longer needed.” Mother straightened to her full height.
Arrow nodded his agreement. His eyes jumped to the boxes.
“We don’t need Dawn?” His eyes fell to his sister weeping softly, then to the chains. Nova couldn’t believe he was so relaxed about the situation. His demeanor spoke of not caring about anything.
“We don’t need her anymore. I realized she causes more problems than it’s worth. I’ve found another full-blooded American Indian like you.” Mother’s voice held absolute authority. “Our new member will help us fulfill our destiny.”
Her pleasant actions were at odds with the entire bizarre conversation. Nova tried not to hyperventilate.
“Arrow,” Nova snapped. How could he ignore her? He should be fighting to get out of this room, not standing there leaning on Teagan. Couldn’t he see what a horrible position they were in?
Arrow’s eyes dropped to her. His brow crinkled in confusion. A lost puppy look was on his face. That dopey lost look she recognized.
“We’re leaving Nova?” He addressed the question to Mother, not to her. Again, Nova tugged on the chains. The chains made a scraping sound on the thick plastic. If she were free, she would hit him. Hard.
“Yes. We must leave them like I always do,” Mother stated simply. “The men have Snow Flu. Now is the time for us to go.”
Nova gasped. Did Archer and Dan have Snow Flu? The thought was gruesome. Who in their right mind gave someone Snow Flu, then stuffed them in a box to die while locking another person to the container. She couldn’t believe they planned to leave her here. She was also stunned that Arrow was in complete cooperation. His eyes seemed glazed over. Maybe he didn’t understand her plight. How could he not understand what was happening?
“I’ll explain it all in great detail once we are on our way. Soon you’ll be feeling like yourself again,” Mother soothed.
Arrow, to her overwhelming shock, nodded his agreement.
“Arrow, you can’t leave me,” she yelled at him, losing her barely grasped control. Inside her heart pounded at the idea he planned to leave her chained to Archer. She didn’t even know if Archer was dead or passed out. “Arrow, you can’t do this. You love me.” Tears stung her eyes. A single sob escaped her lips.
Arrow’s eyes leapt again to Mother for direction.
“Come along. I’m excited for you to meet your match. Your conpar is everything you’ll need. We’ll have our cure.” Mother motioned to the door.
Arrow leaned on Teagan. Teagan wrapped her arm around his waist. With her other hand, Teagan plucked the sack off of Nova’s shoulders. Nova’s muscles screamed with pain. Teagan handed the pack to Arrow. Arrow smiled like he was getting a gift. He hugged the backpack to his chest.
Without another glance at her or Dawn, Teagan took the duffle from where Arrow had let it fall to the floor. She put the duffle on her back. Again, the whole thing felt insane to Nova.
“Arrow?” Another sob passed her lips. He didn’t even look at her. “You can’t fucking do this. What the hell are you doing?” Nova yanked at the chains. They rattled again. This couldn’t be happening. She started to scream and curse at him. Anything to get through to Arrow.
Dawn placed her head on the clear box. She whispered nonsensically to Dan. Nova briefly looked at her container with Archer squeezed inside. The rise and fall of his chest signified he was still alive. She pressed her lips into a grim line as Arrow followed Mother and Teagan out of the room. The door closed.
“Arrow.” She screamed his name again and again until her throat was raw. She strained to listen for sounds of them out in the hall. She expected him to reappear. He would save her.
When nothing more happened, and it was clear he wasn’t coming back, she felt like time stopped. Her brain, not able to handle the enormity of the circumstances, quit processing. She shouted for help while she jerked on the cuffs.
She was losing her voice as she tried to pull as hard as she could on the chains. Blood began to drip from her wrists down her arms. Red drops smeared on the container.
Feeling defeated, she finally collapsed to the floor. After crying for what felt like years, a mumbled sentence from Dawn caught her attention. Nova lifted her head.
“No one is going to get on this train. No one’s going to hear you.”
Nova glared. Her fist swiped at her tears. There must be a way out of this. She had to get her head together. She wished she could ask Dan or Archer what they would do. They would have an answer.
She used her hand to bang on the lid.
“Archer!” she yelled. “I’ll get you out.” She needed to open the box. Her head bent to look at the lock and the hinges. Her fingers tugged at the seams. “Wake up!”
“Don’t,” Dawn begged. Nova glanced up at the pleading in her voice.
“They might have an idea. I might be able to wake him.” Nova pulled again on the metal cuffs. She tried once more to open where the box was sealed. “I’ll get them out.”
“If you open the case, you’ll release Snow Flu into the air. Before Dan passed out, he made me promise I wouldn’t let the boxes be opened. He told me he could accept his death, but not mine or that of others,” Dawn explained through more tears. She sputtered out the last of her sentence.
Her explanation slicked through Nova’s brain. Nova was immune to Snow Flu so she hadn’t considered what it would mean to open these boxes. Now she understood.
“Why would they do this?”
“If we open the case, we release Snow Flu on this train.” Dawn’s words slipped from her lips between sobs. “The virus will kill us, and all the people who come in here to help us. The flu will be in the air. It could spread to the water base. Who knows how many will die then? If we don’t open the case, then the person inside dies when they run out of air.” Dawn caressed the top of the case.
Nova looked down at Archer. So, her brother would die in there, or she could let him out and everyone would die. And if he was given Snow Flu, he would die no matter what. Snow Flu didn’t take long to kill someone. Nova thought about how fast Snow Flu could spread. She kept her eye on his breathing, but it was hard to tell how much air he had left. He was scrunched into the clear container. His knees were in his chest. She felt the lump in her throat.
“Why would Arrow do this to me?” Nova’s voice was a harsh whisper. She didn’t think Dawn heard her, but Dawn answered her with a scathing response.
“Mother does this because it buys her time to get away. She leaves her victims with the unholy dilemma of kill others or let someone die. And Weaver,” Dawn spat. “I don’t know what game he was playing with you, but he’s a terrible person. He was probably using you to get here. He, Mother, and Teagan, consider themselves Official Family. They’re the leaders of The Originals. He’s their American Indian, Mother is English, and Teagan’s from Spain. The Originals all have different bloodlines to make perfect people.” Dawn said the word “perfect” with venom.
“But you’re his sister? You’re his family, not them.”
“I’m nothing to them.” Dawn wiped some tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. “I haven’t seen Weaver for most of my life. We only lived together when we were young. Our mother was Sioux and our father was Navajo, but even if they were both American Indians they had nothing else in common. They were constantly at war with each other. They could barely communicate with us. We had to learn to speak Navajo to talk to our father. Our mother spoke only English.
“When we were ten they split up. I lived with our mother until she died two years ago. Weaver lived with our dad. I didn’t know what happened to Dad or Weaver. In fact, Weaver showed up only a short time ago. Mother had a plan to take over the H.S.P.C. She needed me as well as Weaver. She says she can see the future, but she’s insane. And Weaver, he’s a willing puppet. They kidnapped me because Mother needed another American Indian.”
“He wouldn’t do that.” Nova’s stomach rolled.
“Yes, he would. After they put me in a cage, I fought. Mother had Teagan create a memory drug so I’d go along with them willingly. They thought they could control me better if I had no idea who I was. The day they were to give me the drug, I wrestled with Mother. I got the needle. I injected Weaver. Teagan grabbed me, but then Dan burst in. He fought Teagan. He saved me.” She gave a heartbreaking smile at Dan unconscious in the case. “Mother and Teagan got away. Dan trapped Weaver and left him in the cage I’d been kept in. I’d hoped Weaver was dead.” The anger and pain in Dawn’s words were palpable in the air between them.
Her story painted a distorted picture of the man Nova had met and fallen in love with.
“But Weaver didn’t die. He got out of that locked room.” Nova was painfully aware of the role she had played in that.
“Yes. He got out somehow. Mother and Teagan couldn’t go back to where he was so instead they used this other agent as bait so Dan would come for him. His name’s Archer.” Dawn nodded to the box Nova was attached to. “They made sure it was easy for Dan to find Archer. When Dan and I showed up to help Archer, they trapped us. Mother and Teagan knew Weaver would look through my eyes and follow the one thing he recognized. Mother could see it in the future. They counted on it.”
“I can’t believe this.” Nova felt ill. This was wrong. Dawn was wrong. Arrow wasn’t like this. He wouldn’t go along with a plan to kidnap his own sister and keep her for some insane woman. He cared about people, about her. He was kind, helpful, and understanding. He wouldn’t give someone Snow Flu and let them die. This was too cutthroat for her Arrow.
“Believe what you want, but you’re the one cuffed to a dying man. We’re probably going to die too. We’re going to starve to death here,” Dawn finished. It appeared like Dawn wasn’t going to try to convince Nova of anything. Arrow’s sister was only stating facts. Facts Nova refused to believe.
“Arrow told me—”
Dawn cut her off sharply “If he told you anything different and you believed him, then you’re crazy.”
