He smiled at the image emerging from Nina's pencil.
"That's beautiful." He pointed. "Who's the little girl?"
Nina paused, and thought a moment before finally answering, "Her name is Alice."
In the stack of sketches he saw Nina with her sister Natalie. More sketches of a curly-haired toddler, laughing and smiling, then dark, sinister images of the same girl alone and broken.
Milton flipped to the next sketch. Nina made no move to stop him. The next picture was much the same as Milton had seen in the past months- it was what Nina's daughter would look like as a child. Her with himself, Skouras and Zoe. Then the next page pictures of Bo running, and Bo running with him. It was disturbing. Pictures of her running away...from what it wasn't certain, but running. Always running. With Nina's boyfriend, with Milton, but running. The last picture in the stack was of an older Bo grinning, facing an older version of the curly haired child, both grinning, hands clasped to each other. It was the only picture he'd seen of older Bo where she was not running.
"What's this one about?" He pointed to it.
"You'll see," she answered, not looking up. "Not soon. But someday."
He looked at another picture.
"You have a lot of pictures of these girls."
"I know," she answered sadly.
"Why?" Milton knew enough about Nina Adams to know that her drawings were never just drawings, they had significance. More than that, they often proved to be prophetic.
She gave a heavy sigh. "They're important. In the future. You'll see them."
She put her pencil down and looked up earnestly at Milton. Milton saw her wide blue eyes like deep pools full of despair.
"Milton, promise me," she repeated. "No matter what happens. You will protect her. Take her away if you need to. Do whatever it takes to keep Bo safe."
Milton knelt on the floor and clasped her hand in both of his own. "OF course I will," he answered,smiling into her distraught face. "You know I will, Nina. Bo will always be safe with me."
Nina sighed again, tearing her gaze from Milton's and glancing again at a picture of a curly haired toddler. "And her too," she admitted sadly, as if asking too much. "She won't have anyone else."
"What? Nina what are you talking about?"
"I won't be here," she choked back a sob, "and soon neither will Natalie."
"You'll find her," she explained. "She'll-" Nina struggled to find the right words to describe what she knew would happen in the future, it was vague, but she knew that something terrible would happen to her sister, and leave Alice alone in the world.
"When Bo needs her," she tried again, more hopeful at the new image in her mind, "When you need her, Alice will show up. Protect them,"she finished. "Protect them both."
The sound of a knock on the metal door frame stopped their conversation. As they were turning their heads to the sound they heard,
"Well Nina, are you ready to show the world just what the power of thought can do?"
Roman Skouras stood in the doorway, tall and confident, his face shining with anticipation.
Nina was hesitant. "I'll do my best, Dr. Skouras."
"We all hope so," he grinned at their private joke. Though Skouras could call off the drone if Nina changed her mind, Milton knew that Skouras would do all that he could to see that Nina didn't.
As if reading Milton's mind, Skouras added, "Just imagine," he drew out the words as if painting a picture with delicate strokes, "being able to show, really demonstrate that the power of evil can be destroyed with simply the wish to do so. Imagine what this can do for the world. No more war, no more suffering."
Skouras walked forward to Nina and held out his hand.
"Ready?"
Nina seemed resigned. "Yes, Dr. Skouras." Her tone showed only sad acceptance.
That stopped Skouras in his tracks. His face now tight with worry he asked, "Are you doubting yourself Nina?" Panic was in his voice.
Nina gave a heavy, exhausted sigh as she took Skouras' hand and allowed him to help pull her to her feet, her stomach becoming unweildy making things like standing and sitting feats unto themselves.
"No," she answered softly, but she didn't meet his gaze.
Concerned, Skouras moved closer to her, then reached out his other hand, the one not still grasping Nina's, and tilted her chin up until she was looking into his eyes.
"Do you think you won't be able to destroy the missel?"
Still sad, and still exhausted Nina slowly shook her head. "No, Dr. Skouras, I know that I can."
"Then, what's the problem?"
Another sigh. "Nothing." Another sigh. "I'm ready."
His forehead drawing in concern and worry, looking intently at her, Skouras stared at her for a long moment, until Nina had mustered up a fake smile, gave an easier sigh and smiled at him.
"Ready to do this?"
She nodded.
Motioning to the door Skouras added, "Just a quick exam and we'll be on our way." He led her away. "On our way to ending war and violence the world over. On our way to showing what a hopeful heart and mind can do for peace."
While Skouras continued to drone on, Nina followed next to him, then paused in the door and looked back at Milton, panic stricken.
"Promise me, Milton. Promise!"
The need in her wide eyes struck him to his core and left him feeling rattled. All he could do was nod, feeling suddenly choked, so that he gasped for breath.
A rapid buzzing made Milton jump with fright. Seeing darkness suddenly instead of the light filled conference room with Nina's sketches, Milton was bewildered. A blink of his eyes brought focus to the alarm clock in front of him, and with it drew him back to the present with the same urgent need he'd felt back then. Shutting the alarm off, Nina's plea mingled with the screams and sobs of her ten year old daughter.
This is it, he told himself. Today is the day.
"I'm keeping that promise, Nina," he announced softly in the darkness.
With that he rose with a feeling of right and determination, his muscles tight, prepared for action. Everything was in place. Every one. Grabbing Nina's sketches off his bedside table, he went to get Bo. This was it. They would never return to Orchestra. Milton would die before he allowed that to happen.
-Where is everyone? No one's reviewing, so I guess no one's read this far yet?