Did you learn anything about them?
Not much more than we already knew. I shifted slightly, my gaze turning slowly back toward the young child. I have discovered that they do not immediately kill everyone they take.
My eyes snapped back to him, I took an involuntary step forward as excitement spurted through me. If he was right, if what he said was true then there was still a chance, no matter how small, that Cade was alive. I was tingling, alive with excitement, terrified to put too much hope into his words, terrified of what he would say next, but I could not contain the desire that tore through me. How do you know that? I demanded.
They drain some of them on sight. I shuddered, nodding as I recalled the man on the street. And some of the others they take with them. I believe they store them for later.
I was repulsed by the notion; my stomach heaved and flipped with nausea. But I was also tingling with excitement; hope was pulsing through my whole body. Are you saying Cade could still be alive?
His eyes became sympathetic, but there was a steeliness in his gaze that left me slightly numb. I believe that is highly unlikely.
But it could be possible, I pressed, unwilling to let the hope go.
It could, but you would do better to let that thought go. It would be better if you moved on.
I couldnt look at him anymore. How could I simply move on? The thought caused a lancing slash of agony to tear through my heart. The action of doing so may very well destroy me. If theres a chance
How would you get to him? What would you do? You dont even know where he is, where to begin looking for him. There is no chance that you will be able to find him.
I gaped at the man before me, hating his words, hating him for saying them, resentful of the fact that they may be true. And yet
I knew I wasnt going to just give up. I never would. If there was even a small chance that Cade was still alive, then I was going to continue to look for
him. He had sacrificed himself for me, and I was going to do everything I could to get him back. He would do the same for me.
I focused on the little girl again, my mind churning as I tried to sort through the tangled thoughts and emotions jumbling it. If he was alive, what the hell were they doing to him? I was horrified by the thought, my head bowed beneath the weight of my emotions and fear. I could have saved Cade, if he hadnt cut that line I could have saved him if hed given me the chance. He had sacrificed himself for me; I had to save him now. There had to be a way to find him.
Do you know what your blood type is Bethany?
I had to force myself to look at the doctor again. His watery grey eyes were focused, hard; there was an intense speculative gleam in them that made me feel like I was pinned under a microscope. You could be wrong about the blood type. O is the most common
But everyone here, that is still moving, has it including your siblings. I could be wrong, but the possibilities of this not being our uniting factor are very slim. Even if it is the most common blood type, there would be others here with a different type. There might be more than just the blood component involved, but it is the most significant tie that I have found. Do you know your blood type?
I was well aware of my blood type, I had been for years. Yes.
You were hurt badly enough that you required a blood transfusion when you arrived here. I wasnt going to type you because everyone else has been O. Even though you were still able to take your siblings blood, your brother informed me that you were not.
I leaned slightly back, rocking lightly on my heels. I refused to look away from him, I forced myself to meet and hold his steady gaze. No, Im not.
He continued to study me, his eyes narrowed. I would like to run some other tests on you, if you would let me.
What kind of tests?
Some genetic tests. There may be something in your blood thats different, something in your genetic makeup that is not the same as the others, something that made you immune when others werent.
Youre immune too.
But youre different. There was a glow in his eyes, a light that slightly unnerved me. He seemed a little too eager to start poking and prodding me. Youre different than the rest of us here. Dont you want to help if you can?
Of course I do! I protested hotly, realizing only too late that I had just given him the reaction he had been angling for.
Good, good. There may be something
His words drifted off as the door creaked open. Relief and joy filled me when Aiden popped his head around the corner. A small cry of delight escaped me. I hurried past the doctor toward my brother. He grinned at me, holding his arms wide as he easily caught me and lifted me off the ground. Finally, he breathed happily. I clung to Aiden, needing his solid reassurance right now. You ok Bethany?
Yes. It was a lie, we both knew that, but it was a lie we clung to for now. Abby stepped into the doorway with Bret close behind her. They embraced me gingerly, wearier of my wounds than Aiden had been, though Bret clung to me for a moment longer than I would have liked. Are you guys ok?