“You want me to recreate that first generation of TorBane,” Dr. Evans said. “And give it to the dying baby in that woman’s stomach?”
I shook my head and the back of my eyes stung. “Not want. I’m demanding it. I won’t be your savior until you try to save that baby.”
“It’s possible, isn’t it?” Avian said, again placing his hand on my shoulder. “You could do the same procedure to that baby that you did to Eve and eventually her sister all those years ago.”
Dr. Evans didn’t say anything, just shot daggers at me with his eyes.
This was not part of his master plan.
Suddenly, Bill pulled a handgun from the holster at his hip and placed it flat against the glass enclosure. “Is it possible?” he said in a low voice.
Dr. Evans looked at Bill, not in the least bit afraid of the firearm pointed right at his face. Everyone in the vehicle could see the gears turning in his head. “It’s highly improbable that everything at NovaTor needed to create that first version of TorBane is still in usable condition. But it is not impossible.”
“Seriously?” West said, glancing back at Morgan. “You could create another baby like Eve?”
“As I said, it is improbable,” Dr. Evans growled. “And a large waste of precious time considering how long it will set us back in returning to New Eden with everything we need. But, it is not impossible.”
“Holy…” West breathed, running his hands through his hair. “Eve, how long have you and Avian been planning this?”
I met his eyes, but suddenly my throat felt tight and unable to speak. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized how badly I wanted this plan to work, for Dr. Evans to be able to save the dying baby. But what if it didn’t work? What if he couldn’t get together the supplies he needed to recreate my version of TorBane?
And the child…
“A few days,” Avian answered for me. “Eve came up with the idea and I agreed with her. We put Morgan in the van early this morning before everyone was awake.”
“Morgan has been out for how long?” West questioned. “Have you even asked her if she’s okay with this?”
“No,” I said, my voice surprisingly rough. “But I don’t think she would want her child to die either. Not if there was a chance it could be saved.”
“No offense,” West said, his expression suddenly sour. “But are you sure she would want her child to spend the rest of its life as a hybrid?”
For the third time, Avian punched West.
Due to their extremely close quarters, he didn’t get much swing behind it, but it got the message across.
“Seriously, Avian!” West screamed, cradling his jaw in his hand. “Enough with beating the crap out of me! We get you don’t want anyone messing with your woman!”
“Quit acting like a dick and I wouldn’t have to,” Avian growled, his blue eyes ablaze.
“Ahh,” West groaned, opening his mouth wide and stretching the muscles. “I’m sorry, Eve. That was a stupid thing to say.”
“Trust me,” I said, my voice cold. “I’m used to your crap by now.”
“Children,” Dr. Evans said, his eyes looking rabid. “Let’s not fight now. Although I hate to say it, they’re right, West. That was uncalled for. With the version of TorBane Eve had, she would have been almost normal if she hadn’t had the chip implanted in her brain. I’m not agreeing to anything, but the child could have a fairly normal life if it was given the same treatment.”
“Other than she’ll basically be indestructible, like Eve, right?” Avian said, not relaxing in the least.
Dr. Evans nodded. I had little doubt the suddenly glazed over look in his eyes meant that he was calculating everything out, making plans already.
I was banking on the fact that Dr. Evans was a man of science and curiosity. I was offering him a chance to create one being that was supposed to be what he intended for the world.
One chance to get this right.
A few moments later, he finally met my eyes. “I’m not saying yes, but I am saying I will consider it.”
“I’m not offering you the chance to consider it,” I said seriously. “I’m saying you try it or I won’t save the world.”
“That sounds awfully selfish, don’t you think?” he said pointedly.
“Maybe I am selfish,” I said, my hands curling into fists. “But that doesn’t change my deal.”
He was quiet for a moment and everyone seemed to be holding their breath until Dr. Evans gave an answer.
“Then I guess this trip is going to take us a bit longer than we planned.”
ELEVEN
With the tension and truth somewhat relieved, everyone got out of the solar tank for a few minutes to stretch and take a bathroom break. Avian took the time to rearrange Morgan, in hopes she would be more comfortable. Not that she was aware of his efforts. He replaced the nearly depleted oxygen tank and started her on a fresh bag of IV fluids.
Her pulse and vitals were growing fainter by the hour.
Avian estimated she had another four days before her organs began shutting down.
That was if she didn’t have a heart attack first.
My eyes automatically swept the horizon around us, M16 in hand.
“You were pretty impressive in there,” Avian said, standing beside me, hands stuffed in his pockets. “Dr. Evans is kind of intimidating, but you weren’t backing down.”
“We’ve lost enough people, if we can save one more, it’s worth it,” I said, absentmindedly drawing a line in the dirt with the toe of my boot.
“Eve,” he said, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “I fully support trying to save this baby, one hundred percent. But have you really considered what will happen if this works, if the baby lives? It will never be like anyone around it. It will always feel different from anyone else. Everyone but you.”
I didn’t look up at Avian as I pondered what he said. The thought had danced around in the back of my head as I made my plans and dared to speculate that this might work. But I had focused on this plan one step at a time. First get Avian on board. Get Morgan into the solar tank without anyone noticing. Tell everyone my plan.
But it was stupid of me not to think this all the way through.
What would happen if this did work?
Who would take care of the baby?
I looked up at Avian, locked my eyes with his intense blue ones.
Avian was a rock, someone who still stood no matter how much the world had thrown at him. He would still stand no matter what happened in the future.
He was the perfect father figure.
But could I ever fill the role of a mother?
I wasn’t so sure I had it in me.
“We better get moving again,” Bill said as he walked back to the tank from relieving himself. As he did, the first drops of rain started falling from the sky. “We’ve maybe got another forty minutes of juice before we’re stuck till the sun decides to come back out.”
I met Avian’s eyes once more, his unanswered question hanging in the air.
I couldn’t give him an answer when I didn’t have one.
“West!” I shouted. He’d wandered off to stretch his legs and take a break. “Let’s get going!”
He came jogging back to the van and we all loaded up. Sixty seconds later we were rolling down the cracked road again.
The rain picked up in intensity until it was solid and drenching. It wasn’t long until there was standing water on the road. The sky continued to grow darker, and over the next half hour, the solar tank moved slower and slower.
“Ten miles to Vegas,” Bill said, looking down at one of his maps. “We should probably take the next exit and make our way around the city.”
“Bill, watch out!” West suddenly shouted.
Bill slammed on the breaks and our tires rode on top of the water on the road for a moment before splashing to a stop.