Elisabeth is relieved to see that Maddy is sleeping in the next morning. Her oldest daughter takes after her in so many ways, including the fact that she's an early riser. She sighs as she gets breakfast together as quietly as possible.
Elisabeth has been worried about Maddy lately. She regrets how much Maddy has had to sacrifice since Zoe was born, and she was devastated when she ended up in the hospital. "This is all my fault," Elisabeth had cried in Jim's arms that night. "I'm a doctor; she's my own daughter. I should have known!" Jim claimed that no one could have seen this coming, that she acted like she just had a cold at first, but Elisabeth's guilt wasn't appeased. In fact, the guilt only strengthened when they found all of the injuries on her daughter. How had she not seen this? The truth was simply that money had been tight, Jim was working overtime, and she was trying so hard to spend as much time with possible as Zoe. She had been distracted, and her daughter paid the price.
Everything resurfacing makes Elisabeth exhausted. She doesn't know how that rebreather was smashed as such, yet she's terrified to know the truth. What if someone had intentionally hurt Maddy?
The worst part with everything going on is that Jim isn't here. He always made it home, no matter how late and how banged up he was, he got here. It was his promise to her – to always back it back to the family – but now he's in prison, locked away and all alone. Elisabeth feels a lump in her throat as she gets dishes out.
As Elisabeth continues with her preparations, Mark wakes up, sitting up on the couch and rubbing his face. "Morning," he says groggily.
Elisabeth smiles in return. The young man stands up and stretches and she notices the redness in his eyes. "Coffee?" she offers, sliding a mug across the counter. Mark gratefully accepts the drink. "Rough night?"
"I don't think I'll ever get used to that couch," he says with a small smile. Mark sinks into one of the chairs around the table after Elisabeth refuses his offer to help. She notices his eyes drift up to the loft where Josh and Maddy are still sleeping. "She was … she was coughing all night," he says worriedly.
"Oh, I'm aware," Elisabeth says with a shake of her head. "Zoe kept waking up, but Josh, of course, somehow managed to sleep through it. I checked on her, think it's just dryness in the throat. No blood." Mark nods slowly. "I'd like her to rest some, before the pilgrimage. She seems to like talking to you," Elisabeth says. "Could you just try mentioning it wouldn't be a bad idea to stay off of school for a little?"
"Sure," Mark agrees. "Could I ask you something?" he inquires. Elisabeth looks at him curiously but nods. "Yesterday at school the principal was chewing me out for …" – his cheeks get slightly red – "… uh, beating up some kids – long story. But he was going on about something being kept in a tight circle," Mark quotes, "something about Maddy." Elisabeth hesitates in what she is doing. "He said that Hope Plaza was invested in her."
Elisabeth looks sharply at Mark. "And your question is?" she prompts.
"How?" Mark asks. "Why? What is she doing that concerns Hope Plaza? I thought you were the one who got recruited." Elisabeth looks down at the counter. "I'm sorry," Mark says. "Just forget about it, I shouldn't have asked."
"I was recruited," Elisabeth says after a pause, "as a doctor. But … evidently the commander of Terra Nova recruited Maddy specifically." People in Tera Nova who are the head of departments there can send lists of people they know and want to work for them or people from the recruitment office's suggestions. That's how pilgrims are chosen, then they are informed in the weeks leading up to the pilgrimage.
"Maddy's done the state testing at the school every year, plus more standardized testing so that she could move up and such," Elisabeth explains. "She's intelligent. I guess the commander noticed Maddy when my name came up for the medical field, and he has an idea of a future position for her or something. After I agreed to go, Hope Plaza had her sign an agreement as well."
Mark still can't keep his curiosity at bay, so he asks, "But an agreement to do what?"
Elisabeth sighs. "Once I was brought to the recruiters' attention so was my family, and Maddy … her IQ is so high, she is so young, and the commander himself doesn't usually request specific personal, especially that young, that Hope Plaza asked for permission for her to sit for a test. Apparently the commander never said why he wanted her in Terra Nova and I guess that Hope Plaza was curious. Maddy said after that it was just a bunch of hypothetical questions, math, and science. After she took it, that's when they got her to sign a contract saying that once she gets to Terra Nova and the time is right, she will work in whatever job they need her."
Mark rubs his temples and takes another swig of coffee. All of that sounds incredibly complex and … sketchy. "We're going to Terra Nova," Elisabeth says, reading Mark's expression. "I am getting to my family to place where they are safe, where Zoe can actually grow up freely, and I don't have to fear of Maddy relapsing every time she steps outside. No matter what comes up, we will figure it out when we get there."
Mark instantly feels guilty that Elisabeth could tell he was questioning her judgement by letting Maddy sign that contract. He also realizes he's crossed a line. "Of course, Dr. Shannon," Mark says quickly. "Congratulations about Maddy's recruitment as well. It's obvious that your daughter is brilliant. And now I am even more confident that I can protect her to the best of my ability since I know the full extent of the situation."
Elisabeth gives Mark a quick thank you before going back to making breakfast. Her worry that Maddy is going to be trapped doing something she doesn't want to or feel comfortable with was reflected in Mark's eyes. But what really aggravated her was the look on his face that questioned why she and Jim let her sign the agreement in the first place.
It's aggravated her since Maddy signed her name that they really didn't have a choice. Sure, Elisabeth and Jim remained neutral about the issue for Maddy's sake, not telling her how Terra Nova recruitment didn't exactly leave them with an option: If the Shannons accepted the Terra Nova offer, Maddy would have to sign the ominous form; If they didn't decide to go, they were basically promised that Jim would lose his job and Elisabeth would be investigated at the hospital. Blackmail in its finest. Elisabeth sighs as she works, trying to clear her head.
It's obvious to Mark that Elisabeth is upset at him so he gives her space. It's obvious because, for once, she didn't correct him when he called her Dr. Shannon.
Elisabeth leaves the apartment that morning with Laura, anxious to get on with her day. Once they step out into the hall, Elisabeth hesitates before pulling on her rebreather. "Everything set?" she asks lightly, and Laura nods in return. With that, the two set off for the hospital.
The hospital is the same as it is any other day – overcrowded. Elisabeth pushes through the crowds of people in the dingy building as she makes her way to the back rooms. "I thought you weren't in until later, Dr. Shannon," one of the nurses calls.
"I forgot my satchel here last night," Elisabeth lies with a personable smile. The nurse smiles back and continues on with what she was doing. Elisabeth continues past the nurses' station and up to the second floor. She looks around the large space divided only by sheets hanging from the ceiling. Across the room she sees a tall, slim girl with dark brown hair and dark eyes searching through a cabinet for something. Elisabeth makes her way over. "Excuse me," she tells the girl. "I left my satchel here last night. Have you seen it?"
The girl looks up in surprise, but manages a smile when she sees who it is. "Over here," she whispers before leading Elisabeth and Laura to an area in the corner, the curtain drawn shut around it. Laura says that she'll stand guard outside, and Elisabeth and the girl walk in.
Inside the room, Mrs. Meredith Young lies sleeping on the bed, but the dear, elderly woman isn't the real reason for Elisabeth's visit. The girl reaches under the bed and retrieves a satchel that's hers, not actually Elisabeth's. She puts in on the edge of the bed and pulls out different electronic parts and an extra rebreather. "You have the Pen?" she asks. Elisabeth pulls Maddy's rigged Plex Pen out of her pocket and hands it over.
"Just give me a few minutes," the girl says as she kneels down next to the bed and starts to work.
"Do I want to know where you got the power cells and rebreather?" Elisabeth asks.
The girl simply smiles. "Just know that they won't be traced back to us," she says confidently. Her eyes dance with amusement when she says slyly, "I told you I know a guy." It is quiet for a moment as the girl works. After several minutes, she asks if Elisabeth wants to test it out. Elisabeth takes the laser and points it at the bedframe. She presses the button that used to be used to turn on the Plex Pen, and a red light shoots out from the point, creating a crack running down the top of the bedframe. There is an odd, lingering smell of burnt toast, but it seems to have worked.
Elisabeth sighs in relief. "Thank you," she says as she hugs the girl.
"Could … could you do me a favor?" the girl asks.
"Anything," Elisabeth responds automatically.
"Tell Mark I said hi. And that Macey and Stephen are doing perfectly fine and that they miss him."
Elisabeth smiles. "Emily," she starts, "are you sure you don't want to see him? I've been inviting you over to the house to meet my family for years, and you were always too busy taking care of yours. Now you have an excuse to come for dinner!"
Emily shakes her head. "It's his job," she says. "He won't want his older sister dropping in. Besides, if he knew how much I knew about your family situation and that I'm helping you break your husband out of Golad prison, he would flip. I love Mark to death, but he is overprotective. And he worries enough as it is."
Elisabeth laughs, "Alright, I understand. Um, I did want to talk to you about one more thing before I go." Emily raises her eyebrows expectantly. "As you may know when someone goes to Terra Nova they can only take what fits in their backpack, and money isn't transferrable. Anything that isn't left to someone else become property of the state."
Emily nods, though not understanding how this applies to her. "We don't have any other family left," Elisabeth continues. "I have a close doctor friend, the one who delivered Zoe for us, but she lives in a dome; her family doesn't need the money. Most of my friends are doctors who, unlike me, didn't decide to do volunteer work for a few years, so they are financially comfortable. We were going to just give the apartment to Meredith, but …" Elisabeth trails off as she glances at the woman's unconscious form on the bed next to them. "Before we leave, I'll transfer the apartment and our savings to you," she concludes.
Shocked, Emily doesn't seem to know what to say at first. "Uh, I um – Dr. Shannon," she manages. "You don't have to … I don't-"
"Emily," Elisabeth says, cutting off the young girl's rambling. "It's either you or the state," she says. "And I'd rather it be you. Besides consider it payback for rewiring that thing for me. If the plan works that means that you helped me keep my family together." Emily blushes at her mentor's gratitude. "Just sell the apartment and use the money to buy a better one than where you are now," Elisabeth suggests. "Mark never has to know."
"How would I explain where the money came from?" Emily asks breathlessly.
Elisabeth shrugs. "Say you won the lottery, I don't know!" she says. "You're creative; you will figure it out. And you will be able to afford your classes."
"I'm already affording classes," Emily says automatically.
Elisabeth crosses her arms indignantly. "Emily Reynolds!" she says. "Don't think that you can lie to me and get away with it. I've know you how many years now? Since you started working here, so … over two, right? I see you every day. We both know that when money is tight and Mark isn't working, you pretend to go to classes and you actually pick up extra shifts here instead. Alright, now I have places to be, so you are going to stop arguing with me and just say thank you already!"
Emily laughs and shakes her head, pulling Elisabeth into a tight hug. "Oh my god, thank you," she whispers. "I'm going to miss you so much."
"Hey," Elisabeth says. "You are still stuck with me for two weeks, so don't get all emotional yet. Oh, and I can't meet up for lunch today. I'm running home to eat with Maddy." Emily and Elisabeth say their parting goodbyes, Emily asking how Maddy is doing and such, and Elisabeth is off.
Laura tells her once they make it outside that her friend came through. Finally, Elisabeth feels that something is working out for her. Laura had offered to help Elisabeth out if she wanted to talk to her husband. She has a friend who works at Golad who was able to tell her if the hallway guard on shift was one accepting bribes or not. Lucky for Elisabeth, most of them are.
Once Elisabeth and Laura get to the prison, they slip down an alley way near the back where Laura's friend meets them. The man is large, made entirely of muscles, and says few words. He gets them in and directs them to the other guard before disappearing. "You paid for ten minutes," they are reminded as they near the cells. Elisabeth runs to the dirty glass to see her husband. Jim's health seems to have deteriorated in the little time he's been in here. There are dark circles under his eyes, he is pale, and he has a raspy cough.
"Oh, Jim," Elisabeth says softly. He is shocked to see her and immediately frets about the kids. Elisabeth reassures that they are all fine, not bothering to worry him about Maddy. "There are less than two weeks," she tells him, her eyes welling up with tears.
"It's great news," Jim tries to reassure her. "Take the kids and go. You have to get out of here."
Elisabeth shakes her head, letting her tears fall free. Everyone tenses up when the elevator sounds from above them. The guard tries to get her to leave. "Wait," Elisabeth pleads. "Just let me give him my rebreather. Come on! The air will kill him!" The guard finally consents and Elisabeth slips the rebreather that Emily gave her through the small slit in the glass. "I'm counting on you, Jim," she whispers. She prays that Jim finds the concealed laser.
Elisabeth sighs as her husband's hand graces her cheek, whipping away the tears. It's too soon that Laura is pulling on her arm, pulling her away. It scares her that so much is being left up to uncertainty. She can't imagine having to start a new life without Jim.