Truth of the Children by Adam DiSalvo

Author:Adam DiSalvo [DiSalvo, Adam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-06-25T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

JAITHEN CROUCHED DOWN next to an old portable heat lamp on the second story of Terralat’s botany labs. Chandra sat with him as the street lights around Terralat began to die a few blocks at a time. Occasional outbursts of gunfire erupted throughout the dying subterranean metropolis.

“Chandra. If we continue down this path things are only going to get more difficult,” Jaithen whispered.

Lilyth lay in Marcus’s arms as the two slept soundly a few yards away.

“What the fuck are we supposed to do if we get them off world?”

“They needed our help Jaithen. They still need it. Were you just going to leave them?” Chandra hissed through Jaithen’s headset.

“Yes! Yes I was!”

Marcus adjusted in his sleep.

“They have nowhere to go even if we make it off world.” Jaithen added. “They have no ID. No birth record to get one. And even if they did, if Lilyth gets DNA scanned anywhere she’s going to come up ether and then everyone’s fucked.”

“New Fate granted you a new identity.”

“Chandra. That’s completely different.”

“Why?”

Jaithen took a breath before explaining.

"When I was five years old, the syren in control of Abbelist at the time, Chet’Broden Pserana, found out my father was selling protein to New Fate from their mealworm plant. She confronted my parents about it and New Fate showed up shortly after to protect us but, they didn’t make it in time."

Chandra’s downcast expression was telling. She lacked only tears.

“Chet’Broden killed both my parents and would have killed me too if they didn’t kill her first. They raised me. They’re not the type of people that help ethers, Chandra. They kill them.”

Chandra looked over at Lilyth.

“They’ll kill her too if we bring her to them.”

“Would you kill her?”

Jaithen furrowed his brow.

“What? No! They’re more likely to kill me for helping her!” he spat as he pounded his chest.

Lilyth rocked in her sleep. The two froze. Chandra broke the silence.

“What about Cantiga?”

Jaithen shot her a confused glance.

“To the Black Star?! Chandra, those are the oldest and most violent ethers in the system!”

She looked back at Jaithen.

“There must be something we can do,” she pleaded

“We weren’t prepared for this Chandra. We just weren’t. We were supposed to come here, drop something off, bounce, and get paid.”

“We were actually supposed to die according to our last assessment. Remember?” Chandra reminded him.

“Aren’t you proving my point?”

“I am. I know Jaithen, I am. Leaving them isn’t the morally right thing to do though and you know it.”

Jaithen nodded his head.

“I know. But it is the thing that would keep us most safe.”

“Jaithen, you swore to Marcus you would help him.”

“That was when we both thought she was a little girl.”

“What?”

“Chandra don’t act like you didn’t conclude the same thing I did. Marcus lied to us. He didn’t tell us his daughter was grown and he sure as styx didn’t tell us she was ether born. He only told us she was special.”

“Of course he lied to save his family. You would have done the same.”

Jaithen was stunned.

“You have the chance here to spare someone from the same pain you experienced.

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