Wednesday, March 1st, 2017
USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Suez Canal
11:45
"Boone, huh?" Captain Edwards asked.
"Yes, sir," Coates confirmed. "I'll now hand you over to Ensign Lizewski."
Mindy stood up and she faced the senior officers.
"Urban Predator was an atrocity of immense proportions. As of this moment, including Eva and Ruth, there are Fifty confirmed Predators who now live safely in society, enjoying happy lives. They range from eight-year-olds to a seventeen-year-old. We have rescued the very first, and the very last of those taken to be Predators. However, we have on record around fifty children who are confirmed as deceased. Records show that at its peak, Urban Predator was training over two-hundred-and-fifty youngsters. Some of those that have been rescued have been used by others to do their dirty work. You may all remember the Battle of Chicago against FEAR. Well, FEAR made use of Predators as her personal soldiers, calling them Marauders. Many were killed, but we rescued sixteen and rehabilitated them. Now, the next part of my briefing does not leave this room . . . am I clear?"
"I second that," Vice Admiral Rabb confirmed darkly.
There were nods all around.
"Saoirse, here, is a Predator – she is just fifteen, yet she has seen many horrors in her short life. My own daughter is a Predator. Saoirse was sent by the CIA to kill my daughter. Thankfully, Saoirse failed in her task but then they tried to kill her for that failure. They burnt down her apartment to make a point. You may have noticed I used 'is', instead of 'was' when referring to Predators. We have learnt that these children will always be haunted by the training, or indoctrination, that they were put through. An eight-year-old Predator in the UK totalled a police BMW one night as she worked through the motions associated with her change of life. They need an outlet which was an issue FEAR latched onto and manipulated for her own designs. I am firmly committed to finding and protecting all surviving Predators. On that subject, as I said, we have now recovered fifty youngsters, however, of that number, I can count on one hand with fingers remaining, how many children have been able to return to their own families. So far, that number is just three. Only two of whom have been able to return to their parents – the third only had a surviving elder sister with whom that child now lives. Ruth appears to have the chance of a family. Admiral?"
Saoirse felt uncomfortable after Mindy's speech, especially with the sympathetic looks she was receiving from the others present in the cabin. Harm stood up, seeing Saoirse's discomfort, and he quickly shifted attention to himself.
"Naturally," he began, "we had to be certain of our facts before notifying next-of-kin, or the subject, Ruth. I'm sorry, Bud, that we kept you out of part of the loop, but we needed transparency and I trust nobody else other than yourself to be able to dig through facts without inference or direction. You have been able to confirm, along with Mindy's people, that Lieutenant Boone is indeed the Godfather to Ruth Anders. The reason behind all this is to ascertain if the Lieutenant will be able to take custody of Ruth and if he even wants to honour his obligations as Godfather. As such, we have checked the officer out. The man is a naval aviator with a glowing future ahead of him. He has family, and a girlfriend – a marine on the west coast."
"A marine!" Mace exclaimed jokingly.
"Be nice, Mace," Harm smiled. "I married a marine – best thing I've ever done. Bud, I would like you and Coates to break the news to the Lieutenant and we will see what his views are on the situation. Now, I think it is time to dig into some lunch."
The group broke up as food arrived.
13:15
It had been a leisurely lunch.
There had been a lot of chatter, not to mention a lot of joking, making it a very relaxed lunch. The more junior officers present were mildly concerned about being in the presence of two flag officers, not to mention the three Captains. Mindy had felt quite relaxed, not intimidated one bit by all the senior officers nor the high-levels of testosterone which were flowing from all the salty sea stories being told by the naval officers. Sarah was chatting with Lieutenant Yates and both were laughing. Mindy sat with Saoirse and Coates, talking about home.
At the end of the meal, Captain Roberts and Warrant Officer Coates left the cabin and they made for the Captain's in-port cabin while Lieutenant Yates was dispatched with a specific set of orders.
13:25
It had taken a while to locate Lieutenant Michael Boone who was below, in his cabin, enjoying a break from an exhaustive flight that morning.
Annoyingly, his flight had been cut short by about half-an-hour as he was ordered back aboard. No explanation had been given – not that he was surprised; strange things happened in the Navy, for even stranger reasons, and you just lived with it. On trapping aboard, he had simply been told to tidy himself up and be available. His WSO had been just as mystified and she had headed below to her own quarters for a much-needed shower. There was a bang on the bulkhead and Boone looked up from his desk.
"Enter!" he called.
"Lieutenant Boone?" an officer unknown to Boone asked.
"Yes."
"Your presence is requested in the Captain's in-port cabin."
That was a strange request.
"Am I to know why?" he asked.
"I am not at liberty to say, Lieutenant. However, should you wish to have somebody you know with you, then that is advised."
"Am I being charged with something?" Boone asked as he eyed the officer's insignia which identifted the man as being part of the JAG Corps.
"Nothing like that, Lieutenant," Yates reassured Boone. "Please, take your time."
That meant 'get a move on', Boone knew in the Navy's complicated verbal jargon. He reached for his radio and he selected a discrete channel.
"Skates, you there, over?"
Captain's In-Port Cabin
13:55
The two lieutenants were very nervous about being called to see the Captain and they both paused outside the cabin.
Lieutenant Michael Boone was twenty-five and he had been in the United States Navy for five years. His WSO was Lieutenant Megan Parker and she was also twenty-five. They had been together as a Super Hornet crew for eighteen months and were best friends when aboard ship. They knew each other very well, however, Parker knew that her pilot had a girlfriend, so she kept things professional.
"You ready?" Lieutenant Parker asked.
"Yes," Boone replied as he knocked on the door.
"Come!" came a voice the young officer did not recognise.
Boone and Parker entered the cabin, closing the door behind them. They found two people awaiting them. One was a male JAG officer – a captain – and, the other, a female warrant officer. The Captain stood up and he turned to the two newly arrived officers.
"I am Captain Roberts, JAG Corps, and this is Warrant Officer Coates, also JAG Corps. Please, take a seat, both of you."
The two lieutenants sat down on a couch, facing the Captain. The warrant officer sat to one side on a chair beside a table piled ominously with paperwork.
"Excuse me, sir, what is going on?" Boone asked.
Captain Roberts sighed.
"I won't lie to you, Lieutenant, but this is a game changer for you," Roberts said honestly.
..._...
Boone was decidedly apprehensive as Coates passed over a file folder.
As the lieutenant opened the file, he expected to see himself, or some other naval matter, but instead, he found himself looking at the photo of a young girl. She had to be around ten, or so. Then his eyes focussed on her name: Ruth Anders.
"You've lost me, sir."
"Ruth Anders is eleven-years-old, and she was born in 2005 to Thomas Peters and his wife. You, lieutenant, are down as the child's godfather and only surviving relative."
Lieutenant Boone frowned.
"She went missing, about three years ago, along with her parents. I don't understand what you're doing dragging all this back up," Boone said, a little anger evident in his voice.
"You are aware, I am sure, of the two girls brought aboard from the pirated vessel?" Captain Roberts asked gently, knowing it had to be a shock for the young officer to have something so horrible dredged back up again.
"You saying that one of them is Ruth, sir?" Boone asked incredulously.
Captain Roberts nodded.
"Where the hell has she been for the past three years?"
"In hell, lieutenant," Roberts replied. "In hell."
Vulture's Row
14:30
Saoirse found the two lieutenants leaning against the rail out on vultures row.
"Excuse me, sir, ma'am."
"Yeoman."
"I am not a yeoman. I am the same as Ruth. I thought it might help to talk with somebody who has endured much the same life."
Lieutenant Boone had needed some air after the revelation that his goddaughter was still alive. There was another problem, too. Boone and Parker had both heard about what the girls had done aboard the container ship. The bloody stories had been told throughout the ship – the two girls were killers, there was no other word for them. Did he want to lay claim to an eleven-year-old killer?
"Go ahead."
"My name is Saoirse Hella and I am fifteen-years-old. I was born Saoirse Kaitlin McBride, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. When I was nine-years-old, I was taken off the streets of Belfast at the end of March 2011. I don't remember very much about it, but I awoke in a room with seventeen other children, all about the same age as myself. They were all coming round, just like I was. None of us knew each other, nor did we have a clue where we were. Turned out that we were in Colorado, USA, only we did not find out about that for years. Sometime after, when we were all awake, a bitch of a woman came and ushered us out. They led us into a cafeteria and forced us to strip naked. I was in tears. My hair was shaved off and I was forced to shower with a group of boys and three other girls. That was the start of five years of hell. I was taught to fight. I was taught weapons. I was taught to kill. That is the same experience that Ruth will have gone through. It is not her fault that she is what she is. We were brainwashed with the aid of drugs and abuse. We are an acquired taste, us Predators."
"Will she remember me? Can I give her the care she needs?"
"That is why we are here," Saoirse said. "We will provide all the support that you and her will need – that is a promise."
"Can we meet her?"
Captain's In-Port Cabin
15:10
Ruth Anders was unsure of what was about to happen.
Eva had not been happy letting Ruth out of her sight, but she had relented once Saoirse had promised to stay with her. Even then, there was concern as Ruth vanished from sight in the custody of Warrant Officer Coates. Twenty minutes later, as Coates pushed open the cabin door and waved the youngster inside, Ruth became very apprehensive and she paused until Coates took her hand and led her inside the cabin. Ruth's eyes darted around the cabin, absorbing everything and everyone she saw. Her mind was actively gauging threats and she was searching out weapons and routes of escape. Mindy grinned at the girl.
"What?" Ruth asked.
"You're safe, Ruth – stop trying to look for threats; there are none, I assure you," Mindy said.
Ruth scowled.
"Why am I here?" Ruth demanded and she saw a man look down at her, his face showing shock. "What the fuck's wrong with...?" Ruth began, but then she paused as she studied the face.
Her mind went into overdrive. She had seen him before, but where? Then a name appeared in her mind.
"Michael . . . Uncle Michael..."
"Ruth!"
Michael Boone took a step towards his goddaughter. Ruth took a step back, her mind crashing as information roared in from long-dormant memories like someone had just turned on a dozen taps in her brain. That information began to take shape in the form of memories from a long-forgotten time in her life. On top of those memories there came emotions and as tears began to stream down her cheeks, the young girl turned and fled from the cabin.
For a moment, nobody moved, but then Mindy bolted after the girl.
..._...
Mindy caught up with the fleeing Predator a dozen yards down a long alleyway.
Ruth was sitting down on the deck, half hidden by a knee-knocker. The girl was obviously struggling with her emotions and Mindy could see fear, sadness, joy, anger – it was all there, fliting across the youngsters face. Mindy held out a hand to Ruth.
"Nobody said this was going to be easy, Ruth," Mindy said, unsure of what else to say. "We all want the best for you, okay?"
"It was a shock – I remember my parents . . . they're dead, right?"
"We believe so," Mindy replied, knowing full well what had happened to them and who was to blame for their murder.
"He was always good to me – Uncle Michael; he was nice to me."
"Shall we return to Uncle Michael?" Mindy asked.
Ruth clambered to her feet and she smiled.
The following afternoon
Thursday, March 2nd
USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Mediterranean Sea
13:15
The giant aircraft carrier was steaming northwest with her strike group arranged around her.
To the east was Israel and to the south was Egypt. It was a fabulous day and the crew was getting back to work as they prepared aircraft for the afternoon's operations. Down in the main hanger, Lieutenant Megan Parker stood on the ladder of a Super Hornet pointing out the various controls in her 'office', the back seat of the aircraft, to Eva. In the front seat, Ruth sat eagerly following her uncle's hands as they indicated the various controls and screens. The two girls had liked Parker the very moment that they had been introduced. Ruth was all smiles, allowing her new-found happiness to cover the underlying horrors of the past months. Eva, though, was not so lucky, and while she was very happy for Ruth, she was worried. The two girls had been together for so long and they had experienced so much together that Eva knew it would be very difficult for her to say goodbye as Ruth went off to enjoy her new life.
After the tour of the hanger and the Super Hornet, Ruth went off with her Godfather while Eva hung back with Parker and Saoirse.
14:30
Lieutenant Parker recognised the concerned expression on Eva's face.
With practised ease, the officer guided the young girl down several decks and along several gangways to her shared cabin. Saoirse had also seen Eva's discomfort and she followed along behind as they entered the cabin. Megan Parker was a quick judge of character and she figured that Saoirse and Eva needed to talk alone.
"I'm heading up to get a drink – anybody fancy a Coke?"
"Please," Saoirse replied.
"Okay," Eva added.
Once the cabin door was closed, Saoirse looked at Eva.
"It's just you and me – talk."
Eva looked up at Saoirse, a forlorn expression on her face.
"What's going to happen to me?" Eva said. "Ruth has a family . . . I have nobody."
"You have me."
"You're a killer, just like me. I get a buzz out of killing. I don't know if I can go back to a normal life."
"I did. It was hard – very hard; believe me – but I did it. I had to battle through facing up to my fears and learning that there was more to what my life could become. I was taken in by a family and I now have a wacky big sister. I think I am damn lucky. I had to get used to living under someone else's rules – that was hard as I had lived on my own for months."
"Will anybody want me?"
"I have seen many Predators find a family. In every case, it has been a challenge, but not a single Predator has been rejected. Yes, we get into shit a bit more than the average kid, but I think we do okay. Having a family has mellowed some of us . . . but I can't lie, Eva . . . your Predator past will always be there and we all have many bad nights. It helps that we have other Predators to talk to and that really helps."
"I used to be in control . . . or at least my life was planned out by Urban Predator. Now, I feel like I've lost something and I feel a void in my life. Nobody gives me guidance anymore."
"Yes, that was how we were trained. You are now in charge. You and only you can dictate how your life goes ahead, Eva. Nobody will force you to strip naked and humiliate yourself. Nobody will force you to have sex for 'training purposes'. You are free to live your life as you see fit. Some of the Predators I know are developing new characters as they reclaim their lives. I've even seen bitter enemies all but falling in love with each other – although, I see them both fucking one of these days!"
"Who?"
"Never mind, just two girls who love winding me up. They were bitter enemies, pitched together by fate to kill one another. They are the best of friends which surprises me at times. They are also my best friends, too, despite them being so damn annoying."
"Hi, guys – sorry I took so long," Parker grinned, pleased to see Eva looking a little happier.
..._...
On their way back up to the flight deck, they passed into the hanger where off to one side, between three Hornets, a group of marines were exercising.
Lieutenant Parker whispered something into Yeoman Hella's ear and Saoirse grinned. Ruth appeared with Lieutenant Boone and she looked questioningly at Eva as Saoirse headed over to the group of five marines and she stood staring at them until she got their attention.
"We're looking for some real men who can stand up to us little ladies in a friendly sparring match," Saoirse challenged.
The five marines grinned but then they noticed the presence of two officers. Boone simply shrugged, and the leader of the group, a corporal, accepted the challenge.
"We'll try not to hurt you," the Marine corporal grinned.
"In your fucking dreams!" Ruth growled.
As one of the Marines was selected to face off against Saoirse, Lieutenant Boone faced the growing crowd of sailors and marines.
"Okay, let's have some bets, gentlemen and ladies – no cash, just a friendly bet," he called out.
"Twenty to one on the little one? Twenty virtual bucks!" a voice shouted.
"Fifty virtual bucks on Eva!" Lieutenant Parker called out.
There was a flurry of shouting as everybody placed their virtual bets on the three girls.
..._..
The fight began and Saoirse got in the first strike, the marine obviously being chivalrous and not wanting to hurt the young yeoman.
That was his mistake as Saoirse pummelled the man enough that he began to respond. The cheering for Saoirse grew as the marine received intense ribbing from his mates. Then he got a lucky strike in and Saoirse fell to the steel deck. There was momentary silence and the marine looked horrified until Saoirse stood back up and grinned.
"That the best you got, boy?" she asked in her best Belfast accent.
"I could snap you in half!" the marine chuckled.
"If I don't put you down first."
With a vengeance, they began to fight. The entertainment value quickly increased as Eva and Ruth began to exchange blows with two more marines. The three girls had speed going for them and their manoeuverability was second to none. That gave each of them an edge as the marines were slower, even as they were stronger. The playing field was not exaclty level as the marines refused to hurt any of the girls, play sparring or not. The ante was soon upped as Vice Admiral Rabb arrived with Captain Roberts. As some of the watching sailors began to thin out, Rabb grinned.
"A hundred virtual bucks on each of the girls!" he called out and the sailors returned to the afternoon's entertainment.
Captain's In-Port Cabin
16:30
The three girls had won their little skirmish – needless to say.
Morale aboard had risen by two points and the crew had been talking about the mock fight all the way to their next shift. Eva and Ruth had both been taken back to the Captain's in-port cabin and they sat beside one another as the two officers sat down opposite them. Saoirse stood out of the way, by the door.
"You fought well, Ruth, you too, Eva," Boone said with a smile. "Girls, I've been thinking long and hard about this new aspect to my life. Ruth has a home and a family to look forward to. I figured that if I could make room for one little girl, I could make room for another. Eva, would you like to come join Ruth and me?"
Both girls were stunned by the offer. Ruth was the first to really understand the words and she smiled happily. Eva was stunned that such a suggestion was even on the table. For a moment Eva thought that she may have misheard Lieutenant Boone.
"I mean it, Eva."
"Say yes, damn it!" Ruth exploded.
Eva struggled to form the single word.
"Yes."
Saoirse was just as shocked and she looked on happily as the two girls hugged each other and cried.
Officer's Wardroom
17:15
The two lieutenants were eating an early dinner.
The two girls were with their yeoman escort, eating on the crew mess deck. The two officers were spending time together after a day of surprises.
"Yesterday morning, all my focus was on my career and nothing else – except maybe for Mom and Dad. Now, I've somehow gained two daughters with a dubious history. I am doing the right thing, aren't I?" Boone asked.
"I'm with you all the way, Viper," Parker replied. "We've been through a lot, together, and that will never change."
"The Admiral gave me sixty days leave, starting the day before we dock in Norfolk. Mom and Dad are expecting me home for five days – what the hell are they going to say when I turn up in the doorstep with two young girls?"
"Your Dad will have a cow," Parker grinned.
"And then some," Boone grimaced.
'Was he doing the right thing by the girls?' he thought for the millionth time.
"Should I resign my commission?"
Ask that question again in two months," Parker advised.
She did not want her friend throwing away a promising naval career, but there were two young girls who needed her friend, just as much as the Navy did.
"Have you told Cammie?"
"Not a chance."
"She might just notice," Parker reasoned. "She may be a brainless Marine, but she has eyes."
"I'll tell her you said that."
"You wouldn't dare!"
The following morning
Friday, March 3rd
USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN
The Rock of Gibraltar
09:00
The giant aircraft carrier steamed within sight of The Rock.
Ruth and Saoirse were up on the island, gazing down at the capacious flight deck which was strewn with dozens of aircraft. They were talking about their time in Urban Predator.
"There was this one girl – a bloody menace, in my mind," Ruth said, her mind drifting back a couple of years. She was always getting into trouble and most of the time she'd get her ass handed to her. I have no idea if she is still alive, but I hope she survived."
Saoirse had a nasty feeling that Ruth was talking about somebody close to home.
"What was her name?"
"Stephanie, Stephanie Walker – you know her?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Really? Is she still alive?"
"Hope so . . . although, knowing Steph, anything is possible."
"Tell me about it. She gets into so much shit, but somehow she always comes out smelling of fucking roses."
"That's Stephanie!" Saoirse grimaced.
"Me and some other girls, we kind of looked after her..."
"Oh, God!" Saoirse groaned. "Please don't tell me you're one of those 'Psyche Crew' girls?"
Ruth laughed as Saoirse used her fingers to air quote the words.
"There were four of us who looked after at first: Me, Jasmine, Maxine, and Yvette – then we were joined by an obnoxious Yellow..."
"Don't tell me: Electra?"
"Yeah."
"We've recovered many Predators, but so far, we have only found Yvette and Electra from your sorry band, although we do know that Maxine is alive."
"You don't approve of the Psyche Crew?"
"No fucking way!"
"How come?"
"Stephanie has enough ego problems without a horde of worshipers."
Ruth laughed out loud at that comment.
Chicago, Illinois
United States of America
Stephanie was watching TV in the living room when Megan appeared.
Megan was spending the day with the Lizewski household – an opportunity which Megan loved. Stephanie looked up to see Megan trying to hide a grin.
"What are you up to?" Stephanie asked her aunt.
"Come with me, little Stephy."
Stephy scowled as she followed Megan out of the living room and up the stairs. Stephanie slowed down when she saw where she was being taken.
"I'm not allowed in there," Stephanie stated.
"You have permission," Megan assured the younger girl. "For once."
As Megan pushed Stephanie into Mindy's study, Stephanie saw a phone on the desk. Megan waved Stephanie over to the handset. Unsure of what might happen when she picked up the receiver, Stephanie hesitated before she picked up the device and she held it to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Steph?"
"Who...? What the fuck? Ruth?"
"Hi, Steph."
Stephanie would have fallen to the floor had Megan not pushed a chair into place behind the younger girl. As Megan watched, Stephanie began to sob and she sank forward until her head rested on the top of the desk. A little over 3,700 nautical miles to the east, another young girl was sobbing as Saoirse hugged her, just as Megan was for Stephanie. It was several minutes before either girl was able to utter a word, they were so overcome by the simple phone call. Neither had spoken to the other in well over a year.
"Where are you?" Stephanie asked.
"On an aircraft carrier just exiting the Med."
"You're coming to the U.S.?"
"Yeah."
"Hang on," Stephanie growled. "How the fuck did you know where I was – to call me, I mean?"
"That would be me!" a voice called out from behind Ruth."
"Bitch!" Stephanie called back. "So that was where you two went."
"They came to find me and another girl, Eva, a home. I have a home. My Godfather is here, on this ship, and he's gonna take us both in."
"That is fucking awesome!" Stephanie exclaimed. "I am so glad that you're alive."
"Me too! And you."
"Err, Ruth?"
"Yeah."
"Please don't tell SD about the Psyche Crew."
"Too late!" Saoirse yelled. "Psyche Crew – I ask you!"
Stephanie grimaced at the grief she was going to get when Saoirse returned state-side.
"I found my brother, Jamie – he's alive."
"Cool!" Ruth exclaimed. "I can't wait to meet him."
Megan sat back as she listened to the two friends chatter on for another ten minutes before Saoirse cut in to say they had to cut the call short.
Paris, France
"Yvette!"
"À venir!"
The ten-year-old appeared out of nowhere and skidded to a halt beside Marinette.
"Bien?"
"Téléphone."
Yvette frowned as she took the phone.
"Yvette?"
"Stephanie! How are you?"
"I'm good – I, err . . . I've got somebody you might like to speak to."
"Hi, Yvette."
Yvette simply froze at the sound of the voice from the past. Ruth had meant a lot to Yvette. It had been Ruth who had taught Yvette to speak English – a pre-requisite to life within Urban Predator.
"Ruth! How are you?"
"Really good, you?"
"Amazing, thanks."
"Your English has got a lot better," Ruth said.
"Thank you."
"Oh, she still has her moments where she'll mutter away in French," Stephanie added.
"She was really bad at that," Ruth chuckled. "She'd try to insult us without us knowing."
"Hey!" Yvette said indignantly. "I'm still here, you know!"
"This is just like the bad old days," Ruth laughed, happier than she had been in months. "Stephanie still getting into shit?"
"Oh, yeah!" Yvette replied. "She's been shot by a sniper, three Predators have tried to kill her, and a few other more minor things."
"Never dull around Steph!" Ruth replied.
"I hate you both," Stephanie growled, not meaning a word of it.
Fifteen minutes later, Yvette hung up the phone and turned to a very confused Marinette.
"Alors?" Marinette asked.
"Une ami de mon passé," Yvette replied happily, tears of joy running down her cheeks. "Ruth est en vie."
Six days later...
Thursday, March 9th
USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Three hundred nautical miles
off the east coast of the
United States of America
Preparations were being made to fly off the airgroup.
Only it was not just the airgroup which was departing, the two girls were due to depart with Lieutenant Boone aboard the COD. Joining them in the aft-facing seats were Ensign Lizewski, Yeoman Hella, Vice Admiral Rabb, Captain Roberts, Lieutenant Yates, and Warrant Officer Coates.
The two youngsters screamed as the aircraft was accelerated forward by the steam catapult and shot into the air. Both were grinning enormously by the time they were able to breathe again. Vice Admiral Rabb chuckled as the two girls began to discuss the launch. For the next hour, the aircraft vibrated and shook its way closer to the east coast of the United States of America. The girls chattered excitedly, non-stop, the entire way, and they only went quiet as the aircraft began to descend towards Chambers Field, Naval Air Station, Norfolk. As the tyres thudded down onto the concrete, Eva burst into tears of relief.
After many months of running, she knew that she was finally safe and after all those months of trying to get home . . . she had, at long last, arrived.