since she had seen Milo and Dylan. She’d missed them, but at the same time, she’d needed these days alone.
So much information to assimilate.
She loved reading. Sometimes she thought she could stay here in the forest forever, read all the books and then start over again.
Other times, she wanted Milo back—she wanted to test out her newly developed skills. She was learning how humans behaved. Except there were so many possibilities. She needed to work out just what sort of person she was and then she would know how to act.
Then she listened closely. There were more than two people headed her way. So unlikely to be Milo and Dylan. Milo had told her it was vitally important that no one else know where she was, and she didn’t want to get them into trouble. When she wasn’t reading, she spent most of her time wondering what Milo was up to. How was his investigation into Kinross going? Had they been telling the truth—all they wanted was to discover Kinross’s plans? Or was there more? She suspected the latter. She’d learned a lot about secrets and lies since she’d been reading. It wasn’t only bad people who kept secrets and then lied about them.
Though she’d never believe Milo was bad.
The feet were getting closer. Time to go. She rose silently, quickly checking the area in case she had left anything that might signal her presence. For a moment, she considered giving herself up. But only for a moment. Something told her she would not see the outside of her cell again if she went back now, and she wasn’t ready. So she slipped through the trees and headed for the entrance to the tunnels.
There was nothing to see. Milo’s cloaking device had made the entrance vanish, so it appeared to be no more than an extension of the forest.
She ducked inside, then turned so she could peer out, holding her breath as a group of four men appeared. All in green jumpsuits. All with weapons holstered at their waists. Dr. Yang had said they were coming to a brave new world. So why did these men need weapons? Who were they going to shoot?
Would they shoot her if they found her?
No. She was important. Of course they wouldn’t shoot her. But she suspected they would use the weapons to force her to return if she didn’t want to go. She pressed herself back against the wall, but the men gave no indication that they could see her. They appeared quite relaxed, talking among themselves, though she couldn’t make out the words. Finally, they passed the entrance and disappeared from her view. She sank down and sat with her back leaning against the wall.
Why had Dr. Yang told her so little? What hadn’t she wanted Destiny to know? Was it something bad? Was it too much to ask that she just be told what the future held in store for her? Even if it wasn’t good, she could cope, especially if it was instrumental in the survival of mankind. She wanted to do her part. She just wished she knew what it was.
Maybe she should write her own story. Milo had told her that stories helped people understand the world around them. So maybe if she wrote her own, then she would understand the meaning of life.
Forty-two.
The number popped up into her head. She’d just finished The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It was one of her favorites. If she could choose a future, she would love to travel around the universe, visiting new places and meeting alien civilizations. With Milo as her copilot.
Maybe she would write that story.
Would it be a romance?
Milo had said he didn’t do romance.
Did he do sex?
She’d known about sex before. In theory. Dr. Yang had provided her with books about the human reproductive process. Those books had never made her squirm. At least she knew her body’s reactions were “normal” when Milo kissed her.
Even if he didn’t do romance, if she asked him nicely, would he kiss her again?
…
“Go right in,” Silas said, and leaned past her to push open the door.
Elvira hesitated and spoke quietly. “How is he?”
“Pissed,” he replied, opening the door and ushering her inside.
As far as she was aware, there was still no sign of Destiny. She’d vanished off the face of the planet. From a locked cell. How could that even happen?
Taking a deep breath, she stepped through the door and into Luther’s office. He was standing by the window,