Laura lay on the bed, listening to Nathan's plan. She felt so exhausted and sore. She was surprised she had survived the sword wound, if a little more force had been applied to the strike, it would have gone through her. Even now she could still feel the sword as it punctured her lung; she could still feel the cold metal blade as it slid between her ribs. If it had been a few more centimetres to the left it would have pierced her heart. She could feel the wound healing. Is this what it's like to die when your body can't handle any more? She though, does it just start shutting down, just goes to sleep and never wakes up? All I want to do is sleep; I'm so exhausted from everything. But I can't sleep, I can't give in. I may be dying, but not without a fight.
Laura had heard them talking about how she was sick, how she was dying. She had heard Nathan's theory about saving her. But it was only a theory; it had never been tested, let alone looked into. This sort of thing had never been tested, there was no way to know if it would work or not. Then there was Keira. I don't know if I will be around to get to know her, She thought, I won't get to know the person I was forced to pretend to be, I'll never be able to set things right.
"You want us to do what?" Laura woke to Keira shouting and realized she must have fallen asleep again.
"It's the only way we can get what we need to save Laura," Nathan replied calmly and coolly.
"There is no way in heck I am going back there willingly to save her," Keira replied, "I would never willingly go back to Haven again, not for anything."
"Not even for any member of your flock, which you haven't even introduced us to?" Nathan replied, "Now that's self-centred, even for the original of Laura, just proving you are different. But I never said you had to come. I was just asking to see if you wanted to… plus it would be easier with the more people we had, but I don't want it getting too big, otherwise the whitecoats will start to notice. Susan, you think you can prepare everything for when we come back?"
"If you come back," Susan replied.
"When we come back," Nathan replied, "I don't plan on dying or being captured, not again anyway."
Laura sat up stiffly in the bed, everyone's attention turning towards her. She shook her head at the arguments and the statements they were saying at each other.
"Thanks for everything you guys," Laura said, "Keira, Nathan, can I talk to you… alone?"
There was a moment of silence before everyone figured what she was going to say was only for them to hear, and then everyone in the room except for Nathan and Keira left, leaving them alone to talk.
"Nathan," Laura began, "Nathan, doesn't do this; don't risk yourself to save me. I'd rather see you alive and well, living your life, rather than locked up in a cage back at Haven or ending up dead. But knowing you, you'll do it anyway, so don't go getting yourself killed ok? But Nathan, I want you to promise me, if this doesn't work out, don't do anything drastic, just look after them, live your life, if not for you, then for me."
"And Keira…" Laura continued, "Get over you're stuck up, over inflated ego and your stubborn personality and let go of the past. All of us were forced to do things we didn't want to do by the Whitecoats, you especially know how that feels, remember Dawn, your younger sister? Remember what the Whitecoats made you do to her? They made you fight and kill her, why? Because she was an Eraser, an enemy of the flock. Nathan had to just kill his younger brother to save me; he knows what it's like, so if you can't trust my judgement, trust his. I've lived a life knowing I had to do what the Whitecoats wanted me to do otherwise they'd kill me, but after our fight, I found a way to live again and to take a risk and escape.
"So please, Keira," Laura finished, "If you don't want to do it to save me, then do it to get back at the Whitecoats. We all want a piece of them for what they did, but Nathan giving you a chance to cause a little distraction while he gets what he needs. Don't tell me you can't pass that up."
"I'll be back, Laura," Nathan said as she lay back on the pillows, "I promise."
"I know you will," Laura replied. After that she fell asleep again, but this time, it was uncertain if she'd wake up ever again…
Chapter 56
That stuck up little princess, Keira thought, who does she think she is, talking to me like that, calling me stuck up and stubborn? She's the one who tried to kill me; she shouldn't even exist, so why does he love her? Why is he willing to risk everything to save her? Wait, am I jealous? Of her?
"Keira!" A voice called out from down the Corridor, "The others are here, they are worried about you. Why'd you run off on us?"
"I had some unfinished business to take care of, Ryan," Keira replied, "But all it did was remind me of why I despise the whitecoats. Maybe she was right. Maybe it's time to let go of the past… but I can never forgive them for what they did to Dawn."
"Keira," Ryan said, "you're not making sense. You need to get some rest. I know you haven't been sleeping well."
"I'm fine, Ryan," Keira replied, "It won't make sense because you took your time getting here."
"Well I had to go get the others you left behind," Ryan replied, "You took off without much warning. What were you doing?"
"Chasing a ghost from the past," Keira sighed. Her vision began to blur and she shook her head to clear it again, "Let's go see the others. I'll need to explain what is going on right now."
Keira began to walk down the corridor, Ryan following her, but returning to his normal quiet self. When he went like that it was always hard to get him to talk beyond a few words at a time. For some reason, the only person he talked to was Keira. On the way to the main reception Keira passed a small waiting room, or something along those lines, and saw Nathan, Cass and Dean in the room. Nathan was explaining to them what was going on. When she walked past he turned to look her and she nodded her head, only slightly to let him know. She had made up her mind, she was going to help.
She continued down the corridor and reached the main reception to find the rest of her flock; her family were waiting for her. She smiled when she saw Derek and Courtney, the twins, asleep on the chairs. They were only ten years old and Keira had adopted them, taking care of them in Haven and once they escaped. She had looked after them since they were mere toddlers. Both had blond hair, green eyes and grey and white wings. Derek's hair was cut short, standing up in little spikes while Courtney's was long and came down to the middle of her back, but was kept together in a braid.
Sitting, watching over them, was Sierra. She was fifteen and had amber coloured eyes that reminded her of the Erasers ' eyes. It was her ability that made her eyes like that. She could take on the form of any animal as long as she's been in contact with that animal. As it so happened she had an Eraser form in the mix somewhere. She had short hair that hung around her shoulders and sometimes shrouded her eyes as she turned quickly. As Keira entered she looked at her then gently woke the twins up.
Nice to see you again, Keira, The fifth and final member of her flock said, sending the message telepathically. His name was Aaron and he had been born mute. However he was telepathic, so he could talk using his mind. He had mop like silver hair on his head. He dyed it silver just to be different from people. At the moment he had streaks of blue through it, but who knows a month from know it might be green, red or even purple. He always changed it if she let him, even if she doesn't he still changes it, just not letting her know until he returned.
"You sure disappeared in a hurry," Sierra said, "What was so important you had to run off like that?"
"I had a ghost from the past to catch up with," Keira replied, "Listen you guys, what would you say if I told you we had a chance to get some major payback at the whitecoats?"
Hmmm, Aaron said, I wouldn't say anything. I can't talk remember?
"Don't be smart, Aaron," Keira replied, "I'm being serious. Nathan wants to save Laura and he wants our help in doing so. He wants us to cause a diversion. I was thinking about a grand finale for Haven, what do you say?"
"I'd say I don't like that smile on your face," Derek replied.
"She's thinking something really evil," Sierra replied, "Aren't you Keira?"
"I'm planning an early sunrise at Haven," Keira replied.
"What about Laura?" Ryan asked, speaking one of his rare sentences.
"We'll deal with her," Keira replied, "If we need to…"