Chapter 31
Everyone shut up.
Jake sent her a relieved grin. “Go to it, brat.”
Kaitlin took another deep breath. “Look, I know we said at the start of this meeting that we were here to make a decision. But now you’ve heard all the information we have, and really, the only decision to make is on an individual basis.
Do you stay here and try to stop whatever is happening?
Or do you go to Australia and hopefully live to fight another day?
Neither answer is wrong. You must decide for yourselves. ”
She gave them a few seconds for that to sink in, then continued, “But here’s what I’m going to do, because really, I have no choice.
When I was younger, I used to think I was special.
That I was going to save the world and make it a better place.
Then Sam died, and a load of shit happened, and I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t special at all, and that maybe the world wasn’t worth saving.
But that’s not true. There’s so much good in the world.
So many good people. And there’s no way I can hide and let them all die if there’s something I can do to stop it.
I don’t know the answers. I don’t know if the bomb was meant for good or evil.
But I do have a date, and a chance to find the location—and I intend to be there. ”
She searched their faces. They were all listening, and she caught a hint of their feelings.
Sadness, regret, hope. They all had so much to lose.
Most of them had spent the majority of their lives as virtual prisoners.
They’d put up with it because they had all believed they had a role to play.
Just like her. Now they’d found freedom, and many of them had found love.
Now, they had to decide whether to give that up and once again play a role.
“So go away and think, talk to your loved ones, decide where you want to be. No one will think badly of you if you go to Australia. If this all goes to shit, then I’d like to think that some of us will survive.
That one day, we can have that world with no more lies. ”
She plonked herself down on the chair behind her.
“You did good,” Kane murmured.
Jake and Christa came to stand in front of her. “Yes, you did. You said exactly what they needed to hear.”
“I think the two of you should go to Australia,” Kaitlin said.
“You do, huh?”
“Yes. And make lots of little Jakes and Christas to repopulate the world.”
“We might have made a start with that,” Christa said with a grin. “The populating the world part. I’m two months pregnant.”
Kaitlin’s gaze dropped to Christa’s stomach, then back to her face. “Oh my God. Why didn’t you say anything before?”
“I didn’t know until this morning. I believed we couldn’t, so I never even thought about it. And I’m not the most organized of people and...” She gave a shrug. “I just worked it out.”
“Are you happy?”
“Ask me on the 1st of March.”
“Really, you should think about Australia. Sadie says it’s beautiful.”
“Maybe. It’s up to Jake. I doubt he’ll go, and I won’t leave him. Anyway, I want to save the world as much as the rest of you and I might be of some use. And I have faith. We’ll come through this.”
Kaitlin stood up and gave her a hug. “I’m glad Jake found you.
I suppose if I couldn’t have him—and clearly that wasn’t going to happen, however much I wanted it to,” she added, just because she couldn’t totally stop winding Kane up, “then you’re the next best thing.
” She released her hold, then went over and hugged Jake.
“Congratulations. You’ll make a great father. ”
Suddenly she felt drained, emotionally and physically. But it seemed the drama wasn’t over yet.
Leila stood up and stalked over to stand in front of Kane. Her dark blue eyes flashed with anger. “Have you forgotten your promise to Jonas? That you would see the mission completed?”
Kaitlin could sense the tension rising in him.
“Things change, Leila. Would you ignore everything we’ve learned?”
“Yes,” she hissed. “Would you ignore everything you promised?”
“We haven’t decided anything yet.”
Leila snorted. “You will follow your new people. You have thrown aside your past allegiances.” Then she turned and stalked away.
Beside her Kane slumped down. “I have to go and talk to her and Brandon,” he said. “I doubt I can make them see a new way, but I have to try.”
“Will they fight us?” Jake asked.
Kane shrugged. “I hope not.” He leaned across and kissed her lightly. “Why don’t you get some sleep. I’ll find you when I’ve talked to Leila and Brandon.”
“I might. But I think I need to go for a walk first. Clear my mind.”
“Okay but take Kpo. He’ll warn you if there’s any danger close by.”
“I will.”
Kaitlin left the others still talking in the meeting room. Kane had already vanished, presumably to the cave. That would be where Leila had gone, no doubt to check on the time machine.
She glanced around and then headed off in the opposite direction. As she walked away from the house, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. The great black leopard had been sleeping under a tree. He stood as Kaitlin passed, shaking himself, before falling in beside her.
He was huge, his head as high as her waist, but he moved with lethal grace, hardly making any noise.
He reminded her so much of Kane. He was close enough to touch, and she stretched out a hand and trailed her fingers along the silky fur of his back.
A low rumbling purr emitted from his throat, and she smiled. Kane liked to be stroked as well.
God, how far had she come?
Part of her couldn’t believe that she had done what she had once thought as unbelievable and given herself to Kane. Handed herself over, body and soul. She hadn’t said it yet, hell, she hadn’t even thought it. But she loved him.
She was crazy.
Love never ended well.
On the bright side, if the worst happened, there was a good chance they would die together. And who didn’t want to die saving the world?
Her!
She realized with a sudden clarity that she desperately wanted to live. That hadn’t always been the case. For a long time, she hadn’t particularly cared one way or the other. She’d just existed.
Now death seemed to be nudging at her, drawing ever closer and she didn’t want it.
She wanted to live. She wanted to be with Kane, to spend centuries, maybe even millennia exploring the world, maybe exploring time.
She even wanted his babies, and that thought had never crossed her mind before.
Of course, they had always thought they were sterile. But obviously, Christa had found a way.
She was walking through the forest now. It was noisier than any city street, filled with the chatter of birds and monkeys.
If she stared at any one spot for more than a second, it moved.
Insects, butterflies, really big ants. And the place smelled of life and death.
This was where Kane had grown up, fighting for survival.
Like her, he’d grown up believing he was meant for something important, something bigger than any individual. Maybe they were both totally deluded. Perfect for each other.
She wasn’t sure how long she walked, mostly climbing until the air felt thin and her legs ached from the strain.
She could see why Kane was so fit now. She finally came out on a rocky ledge that offered a panoramic view of the mountains.
She sat down, Kpo sprawled beside her, and together they contemplated the breathtaking vista.
As she gazed at the view, it filled her with a sense of purpose and an inkling that maybe the world was worth saving after all.
The idea of this place turned to desolation didn’t bear thinking about.
Finally, she pushed herself to her feet, filled with anticipation.
Hopefully, Kane had finished with Leila, and they could spend some time together.
He could show her his home. Last time she’d been just too bitter and twisted to take it in.
Now she wanted to see and experience everything.
“Let’s go find Kane,” she said to her new cat friend.
As she took her first step, the sound of gunshots shattered the peace. Around her the jungle went silent.