Excerpt: A Modicum of Faith

From Chapter 13...

Madeline had searched for what seemed like hours to no avail. Given the absurd number of people – many of which were families – it was difficult for her to ask if anyone had seen her family. Everyone looked alike – and seemed alike in their shared fear. The Radical spirit seemed all but broken in this dank place, and for good reason.

The Central Government had gone to great lengths to make these people believe they were second class citizens at most – but more so that they didn’t deserve to be called human. They stripped them of their rights, their families, their lives, their identities, and now their very existence. These people were merely cattle being herded into a dirty, godforsaken arena with the hopes they didn’t die before scientists could jab them with experimental drugs.

The anger surging through Madeline must have been visible on her face as people looked up, moved aside, and began whispering as she passed them. Some mentioned her name as recognition began sparking out of her passion to help people. Finally, the whispers overcame the shouts and wails in the rest of the arena, creating a hushed wave of resurging hope through an abandoned people.

A younger woman in her early twenties approached Madeline. She had multiple puncture wounds up and down both of her arms from months of experimentation and gene therapy. Tears streamed down her face as she recognized the dignitary she’d met only briefly in a drive by visit of Tribolia before it originally fell during Kashia’s time in office. The site of Madeline triggered something in her she hadn’t felt in so long she didn’t realize she could even feel anymore. She felt hope.

The woman didn’t speak at first; rather, she simply embraced Madeline, pressing her frail frame against the vision of hope as a wail tried to claw its way up her throat. When she finally pulled away and looked Madeline in the eyes with her own turquoise gems, all she could say was, “I’m so sorry.”

Madeline ran a hand over the young woman’s shaved head lovingly. “I am here by choice.” She didn’t want to quash everyone’s hope by saying she had no plan to get out – that wasn’t important right now. She needed these people to know they were going to make it, and hope was the only way she could get that across.

The young woman began shaking as the words washed over her, nearly falling to her knees. “It’s true then, you’re here to save all of us.” She spoke prophetically.

“I’m here for my family, as well as everyone else’s families. We’re all going to walk out of here if it’s the last thing I do.” Madeline’s voice boomed over the hushed crowd, inciting increasingly positive responses.

And then she heard it. Madeline heard the sound she’d waited months to hear. The utterly jubilant child’s cry she missed and dreamed about echoed like a foghorn on a ship penetrating murky waters. Emily’s cry for her mother could be heard above every other voice in earshot.

Madeline shuddered. She stood for a moment in utter disbelief, knowing she’d misheard her little girl’s voice. An auditory hallucination – she wanted it so much she’d imagined it. But then she heard Derrick and Gerard calling out for her as well, and suddenly the hallucination faded and reality crashed down on her – she was about to see her family again.

She couldn’t hold back the tears – and she didn’t want to keep them inside either. The emotions spilled down her cheeks and dripped down on her yellow and orange jumpsuit like a flowing river as the crowds around Madeline began to part. Down the line, standing like a ragged crew of vagabonds, the family she’d lost suddenly appeared as plain as day.

The intensity of the moment was too much for her; Madeline collapsed to her knees, struggling to breathe. Derrick, who had been holding Emily in his arms, put the child down and ran up to Madeline.

“Mad? Are you okay?” He stroked her check with his right hand.

“Is that really you Derrick?” Madeline felt light headed.

“It really is silly. Now what in the hell are YOU doing here?” Derrick asked.

“I’m here to save you and the kids.” She managed a weak smile.

“Well you’re doing a bang up job of it right now.” Derrick chuckled.

After a moment basking in the glow of her long lost friend and former spouse, Madeline saw her children’s faces appear from over his shoulder.

“Hey mom, glad you finally made it!” Gerard said.

Emily didn’t use words to express herself; rather, she pushed past her father and collapsed onto her mother’s lap, content to stay there indefinitely. Madeline rubbed her shaved, young head and stifled a sob at thinking Emily went through the same torturous admissions procedures she had to endure.

“She’s okay Mad,” Derrick said. Instinctively, he knew exactly what she was thinking. “We’ve been okay, all of us. I’ve managed to prevent them from taking either of the kids for their testing.”

Madeline smiled again. “Have I said how thankful I am lately?”

“Well, it’s been a few months.” Derrick smiled warmly.

Madeline sat up, regaining some of her lost composure. “We need to start planning. I have someone with me on the outside that should be accessing the systems as we speak determining the best way out of here for all of you.”

“What do you mean all of us? You’re coming too.” Derrick’s brows dipped slightly down, contorting his face into a sympathetically stern grimace he was famous for in their family.

“He and I have to ensure Aushwerner is shut down. I’m here to save everyone, not just you three.” Madeline’s voice held more conviction than even she originally thought she had inside.

“We’re helping then,” Gerard interrupted.

“No,” both Derrick and Madeline responded.

“But you’ll need help breaking their terminal encryption," Gerard responded. "And I'm the only one here who can do that."

Madeline looked at Derrick silently, knowing Gerard was right. Neither she nor Nick had the expertise Gerard had, and she knew Derrick was around the same level. She nodded knowingly to Derrick and he nodded back.

“Emily and me, you and Gerard,” Derrick said.

“We both ensure we get the family out safely,” Madeline agreed.

They shared a group hug among the silently observing crowds pouring in all around them, hopeful that things would end well in the coming hours.