Carey stretched at the foot of the bed, making a grumpy noise. He would be tired after all the beer-spilled floors he’d had to trudge through. I suddenly felt like a horrible pet owner. I’d make it up to him with a nice walk before the train ride.
“Long Island by this evening, then we go out to this secret area where the ships are being held,” I said, and Mary nodded. She looked no worse for the wear, and though she must have felt as bad as I did, she didn’t show it. I could tell she’d already showered and was surprised that I hadn’t even noticed her getting out of bed.
“I wonder how they keep that place a secret. I mean, did you see the size of that building, and the black transport vessels? They must have a no-fly zone or something over it.” Mary was packing her things up, and I knew it was time for me to get my slow-moving body out of bed.
I thought of the black cubes that had come down that ominous day. An omen of a new era for Earth. Then I could see them in space, some turning around, some burning up in the sun’s intense heat. Millions of lives snuffed out in an instant. Just like the Kraskis’ lives. They had come to our planet to rid themselves of us first, but it was a weight Magnus, Mary, and I would have to live with forever. The genocide of a race. I could feel my pulse racing and my head spinning. Over the past year, I’d thought about it many times, but never let myself dwell on it. There was too much going on, and I knew nothing could change what we’d done. I also knew that none of us would change bringing that Shield onto their ship. We’d done what we had to do.
Part of me still wondered if diplomacy could have worked. Was there any way we could have had a parlay with their leaders and made some sort of arrangement? Could we have all lived in peace: the Kraski, Deltra, and humans? Judging by the fact that they were all so eager to destroy each other, I doubted it. Still… the chance that it might have worked still lingered in the back of my mind, and it might always linger there.
I looked over at Mary after a too-long moment of silence and could tell she’d been thinking about the cubes as well. About the Kraski and the Deltra.
“We still have the hybrids. We can still try to stop these Bhlat from destroying us.” The idea of us having to help save the world again seemed ridiculous to me. Weren’t there more qualified people out there than a widow, widower, bodybuilder turned mercenary, and a former kidnapped mute woman?
She just smiled at me, a smile that crinkled her eyes just the right amount to feel the love emanating from her face. My heart melted, and the hangover suddenly felt less oppressive.
“Dean, meet Carey and me at the café down the street in twenty,” she said, reaching for his leash. Carey hopped off the bed and rolled around on the carpet.
A half-hour later, I rolled my luggage into the elevator and held the door as I heard someone call out. A prim middle-aged woman entered, bringing a waft of expensive perfume with her. She passed me without a glance.
“Lobby?” I asked, and she turned to me. A moment later, her jaw fell, and she blinked a couple times.
“Dean Parker?” she asked, her voice a squeak. I didn’t have any idea who she was.
“That’s me. I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve met.”
“Of course we haven’t, but I know you. Everyone does. I was on thirteen.” She meant the number that later had been assigned to every transport vessel. There were books being written about each of the vessels, and what they’d endured. I wasn’t sure I could ever read them, knowing every delay I’d had on my journey had amounted to more deaths out there in space.
Something clicked in my head as I looked at her. “Wait. You’re Katherine Adams. I’ve heard the stories.”
She had the decency to blush, and that was something I didn’t expect from this woman.
“Yes. I’m tickled pink that you of all people would have an inkling of who I am. I just want to thank you for everything you did.”
“The way I hear it, you deserve a lot of accolades. You saved lives up there. You created a medical center and a police force, and helped so many people.” I wasn’t exaggerating. She was the real deal. Thirteen was a real inspiration, and once all the vessels had turned around and headed back for Earth, a lot of her ideas were implemented on the other ships. She was a hero.
The elevator chimed and the doors opened to the lobby. I once again stuck my arm out to hold the door as she went by, purse slung over her shoulder. She looked just like a woman on the way to a club in the Hamptons, and I couldn’t help but feel inferior for a moment.
“None of it would have meant anything if you and your friends hadn’t saved us all. We are forever in your debt.” She stepped in and gave me a hug. Not one I would have expected, rather a close, firm hug that you’d save for a loved one you hadn’t seen in a long time. I returned it with the same vigor, and I realized we had all been through so much. We each had a story now, one that we all shared, and this made us all closer.
We stood there in lobby, embracing like old friends for what probably was too long, and when we separated, she wiped a tear away with her hand. My heavy heart lifted at that moment. I knew we could rise above everything that had happened, and anything that would come against us.
She moved back as if noticing she might have overstepped some social boundary, but I put her at ease with a gentle smile that meant it was as much my hug as hers. “I’m really glad we got to meet,” I said, reaching for my luggage.
“Dean, if you’re ever in the area or just want to talk about anything, get in touch.” She pulled a business card out of her purse, and I flipped it in my fingers, rotating it to read the text. Survivor Support Family, it said in blue lettering across the white backdrop. Her name, email, and cell phone number were on there. It said “Founder” under her name. As if this woman hadn’t done enough, she was behind an international support group for anyone who needed it after all that had happened. I wanted to hug her again. At the same time, I felt shame for my own lack of effort over the past year. Just because I’d helped then didn’t mean I shouldn’t help what we’d salvaged.
“I will. I just know Mary would love to talk to you,” I said, meaning it, and she lit up. We parted ways, and I couldn’t help but feel an extra motivation for the next few days.
The walk was brief; only a few people walked around the streets that would once have been as busy as any in North America. Now it was almost empty, a shell of what it used to be. Things like corporations looking to appease shareholders almost ceased to exist, as did the stock exchange, but I knew it was only a matter of time before corporate greed and selfishness once again took hold, choking out the needy and separating the classes as always. If I was going to protect this world, I wanted to make sure the president was going to keep the world on track. I had never considered myself anything but a capitalist, but things had changed, and we needed to adapt.
I heard a bark, and right away knew it was my little buddy Carey. I used my free hand to wave to Mary, and she gave me the sweetest smile in return. I really loved that woman. Going through what we had together not only made us stronger as people, but we were so tightly bonded I worried what would happen to either of us if…something happened to the other.
I couldn’t go through it again.
“Hey, bud.” I heard Magnus’ voice boom at me from across the street, and Natalia waved over at us. They looked around and started to cross the street toward me when a police cruiser raced down the street, sirens blaring and cherries flashing. He pulled Natalia back just in time, as another car sped down the otherwise quiet road. Her luggage wasn’t as lucky. It lay flattened as another half dozen police cars passed over it, soon followed by a couple of ambulances.