the crew. “He’s high up in their hierarchy, and he’s all set to take control now that Saffira Lourdes is out of the picture. I also believe he’s a friend of Mr. Kinross.” Likely he had offered the support of his congregation in exchange for their new church.
“So is Kinross a member?”
Somehow, she doubted it. “I’m not really sure. You’ll have to ask him.”
“I’ll do that.” He was silent for a moment, but she was quite aware he had other questions. “The guards,” he said. “Where do they come from?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are they Chosen Ones? Or was there a military force on the Trakis Four?”
She could feel a frown pulling her brows together. She thought about Silas. He was obviously ex-military, but he was also a friend of Luther’s. It was clear that they’d had some sort of connection back on Earth. So how had Silas gotten a place on the fleet? Had he won the lottery and just happened to end up on the same ship as his old friend Luther Kinross? It seemed highly unlikely. It was more probable that Luther had somehow procured him a place. But whose had he taken? And what of the others? She tried to count up how many guards she’d seen around the place, but she hadn’t been paying that much attention. Plenty, though.
Who had been left back on Earth so Luther could have his army on hand when he arrived in their new world?
She shook her head to clear the thoughts. “I have no idea who they are,” she said. “Well, thank you. You’ll let me know if you find out anything about my children?”
“Of course.”
She turned to go. Destiny and Silas were almost out of sight, and it made her a little nervous. She didn’t think it was a good idea for them to get too friendly. She wasn’t sure how much Luther had told Silas about Destiny, but from his reaction to her, she was guessing not a lot.
“Tell me.” Elvira paused at the sound of Milo’s voice behind her. She turned reluctantly. “The blond woman.” He waved a hand to where Destiny was standing in the distance with Silas. “Who is she?”
“She’s nobody,” she said dismissively and then hurried away. The familiar pain churned in her gut. Pain she wasn’t ready to analyze and certainly not give a name to.
She’d done what she had to.
Chapter Ten
“Ah,” said the jailer, “do not always brood over what is impossible, or you will be mad in a fortnight.”
—Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
The walls were closing in on her. The ceiling pressing down. Her mind was being compressed and a scream built up inside her.
Destiny had thought going outside would help. Instead it had only increased her restlessness.
Why? Why was she locked up in here?
She remembered Milo asking her what she’d done wrong.
And she still didn’t know.
She sat cross-legged on the floor, staring at the door. Then leaped to her feet and took the two strides across the room, tugged on the handle. Nothing happened. Of course it didn’t, because she was locked in here like a zoo animal—she’d read about zoos back on Earth and couldn’t believe they’d existed. That animals had been locked up. Except here she was, just as helpless.
No, not helpless. She gritted her teeth, then drew back her fist and punched the rock wall.
Ouch!
The pain brought her back to herself. Resting her forehead against the grill in the door, she forced her breathing to slow, then ran a calming mantra through her mind.
We exist for the greater good. I must not question. When the time is right all will be revealed. I am at peace with my world.
Over and over again until a measure of calm returned.
They all had a role to play in this new world. This was hers. She didn’t need to understand why; she just had to do her duty, as they all did. Milo was wrong. They had to all work together for the good of humanity.
Should she have told Dr. Yang about her visitor?
Maybe. But it would have gotten Milo into trouble, that much she knew. Probably they would lock him up as well, and she couldn’t bear that.
The outing that morning had been wonderful, though. She’d liked Silas, loved the fresh air, the sun on her face. Then she’d felt a prickling on her skin, a sense of someone watching her, and when she’d turned, the whole world had come into focus and then narrowed on that one