Chapter 21
1
“Wait here,” John said as he and his dad approached their home.
“Wait here? John, I haven’t seen your mom or your sister in months. And you want me to stand here on the sidewalk, like some kind of bad eighties movie?”
“Uhhh… yes?”
“Why would I do that?”
“To give me a chance to properly set the scene. If you just waltz in there like you’ve been out for a stroll, they’re going to think they’ve gone insane.”
“And you’re not just coming up with all of this because you want to make a huge point of appreciation for your effort?”
“Well of course that’s what I’m doing,” John said as he moved to open the door.
Jack just rolled his eyes. He supposed after all the strife his son had been through; he deserved a triumphant return. A grudging smile spread across his face as John disappeared into their house.
“Mom, Em, I’m home! Come here. I have something for both of you!”
The two women dutifully came to his summons. Emma from upstairs in her room, and his mother from the back of the house where she had been cleaning. They both approached with different attitudes.
“John, I’ve told you a thousand times, I don’t want you giving me genes,” his mom was saying as she rounded the corner.
“You’re back! I’ve got some big news about the scroll!” Emma said excitedly as she thundered down the stairs.
John held a hand up to silence both women at once. He smiled at the obliviousness they both had. After a moment, he started talking.
“Sorry I was gone for so long. I promise it was time well spent though. You’ll never guess what I found!” He said with a mischievous grin.
“A girlfriend?” Emma immediately guessed, unable to resist the easy opportunity.
“Oh, that’s a good one, Em. But no. I didn’t find a girlfriend,” John started.
“There there, brother. One day you’ll figure out where they’re all hiding. Of course, then they’ll all run away, but hey, one problem at a time, right?” Emma said sympathetically.
“You know, I don’t think I want you studying that scroll anymore. You’re turning into a real smart ass.”
“John!” His mother admonished.
“Sorry, mom. But as it turns out, while I didn’t find a girlfriend,” he said with a mock scathing look at his sister, “I found something even better.”
“Even better than a girlfriend? John, how would you know if it’s better? You’ve never had a girlfriend to compare, have you?”
“Trust me, it’s better,” John said grumpily.
“Well, what is it?” His mom asked before Emma could fire back.
“This,” he said as he pulled the door wide open to reveal Jack standing in the doorway.
Neither woman moved for several seconds. John couldn’t even see them breathing. They may as well have been statues for all the animation they showed. It was like both were trying to convince themselves that what they were seeing was real. Then Jack spoke, and the spell was broken.
“Hello, ladies,” he said with a smile.
Like someone fired her from a cannon, Emma was crashing into the man a second later. Their mom was only a step behind, and the two women nearly toppled Jack over. He took a step back to maintain his feet, wrapping his arms tightly around them both as he did so.
“You’re back! You’re alive! You’re safe!”
It was impossible to tell who was saying what, as the two overcome women inevitably repeated variations on the same phrases. Jack let them both bury themselves into his disgustingly worn and dirtied clothes, neither one even noticing as tears of stress and relief flooded from their eyes. He just held them close and breathed deeply of their respective scents.
John came in behind the ladies and wrapped his arms around the gang as well. Pretty soon everyone was crying, a decent recreation of one of those “veteran returning from the war” commercials. After assuring herself that he wouldn’t disappear if she let him go, John’s mom turned within the family hug to face him.
“Oh John, thank you!” She sputtered as tears continued to fall.
“I told you I was going to bring him home, didn’t I?”
“Yes,” she conceded as she devolved into sobs.
“It’s okay now, mom. It’s all okay. We’re all safe now, okay?”
She nodded her acknowledgment before turning back to her husband. Emma pulled herself free of the tangle as John too backed off. They let the couple bask in the embrace of one another for as long as they needed, which was long indeed.
“You seem like you’re taking this pretty well,” John said to Emma as they watched their parents.
She shrugged.
“I knew you’d bring him back.”
“You did?” John asked, surprised.
“Of course. Never had a doubt.”
“Well, that makes one of us.”
The Greene family shared a blissful few days while they all accustomed themselves to being whole once more. It was more than any of them had dared to hope for. More than once, John’s mom pulled him into an impromptu hug that needed no explanation.
John refrained from spending any real time in The Garden after his father’s return. He did, however, pay Jules a visit to check up on things within the guild. During his time in Emerald base, John also ran into Liz, whom he suspected had been waiting for him for some time.
“Did you do it?” She asked him by way of greeting.
“I did it,” he said.
“Well then congratulations. My mom has been wanting to throw a sort of celebration for a while now. Wanted me to invite you and your family so we could show our gratitude. I told her we should wait a bit. Figured it might mean more to you if your family was whole again too.”
“That’s… really kind of you, Liz. Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. Anyway, I’ve been waiting to see you again before giving the go ahead to mom. Does three days from now work for you?”
“I… guess so. But where is this thing going to take place? I don’t even know where you live.”
“Don’t worry about that. Take this token to the aliens at the free transport stations. It’s stamped with my address. They’ll load you onto a ship and drop you right at our doorstep. It’s good for a return trip too.”
“I didn’t know the Kumani offered services like this,” John said.
“As long as you’re up to date in your quotas, they’re pretty accommodating.”
“Well alright then. I guess I’ll see you in three days,” John said, turning to leave.
“Wait,” Liz said hesitantly.
“Hm? What is it?” John asked curiously.
“I really am grateful for all you’ve done for me,” she said quietly.
John smiled.
“I know you are,” he said warmly.
John returned home that day with the distinct impression that Emma might have been wrong.
2
“And who is this?” Emma asked for the thirtieth time at least.
“For the last time, she’s a friend that I helped out with something. Her family wants to show their gratitude.”
“You ‘helped her out’ with something? Very cryptic, brother.”
“Don’t be weird,” John said uncomfortably.
“I think it’s very kind of her and her family,” their mom interjected, also not for the first time.
“Not everyone is so grateful for the help of a friend,” their father agreed.
The four of them were seated on a private transport bound for a city called Gresham, Oregon. John’s mom had instigated that they all dress up clean and proper. The children had begrudgingly agreed.
The length of the journey was an astounding two hours, despite the trip taking them across more than one state line. Even more unbelievable was the smooth nature of the ride. There was virtually no resistance, or otherwise any indication at all that they were moving several hundred miles an hour.
Adding to the impossibility of it all, Kumani transportation seemed to surpass the sound barrier without creating a sonic boom. John would have been fascinated to know how the ship seemed to defy the laws of physics, but it was likely a question he would never have the answer to.
“Arrival in fifteen minutes,” came the robotic voice from the speakers above.
“Good. I can’t wait to get out of this thing,” Jack complained.
The last few minutes of the journey passed in relative silence as the family watched the landscape scroll past. In virtually no time at all, the trip was over. When the transport approached the house they were seeking, John tried to hide his surprise.
He wouldn’t call it a mansion or anything so extravagant, but the place did scream “money”. Three stories, a four-car garage, a wrap around driveway, and an in-ground pool in the back, clearly visible from the air. John’s eyebrows involuntarily rose on his face as he beheld the place.
“Good God, John. Who is your friend? CEO of the world?” Emma asked.
“Apparently,” he said, just as surprised.
They touched down without flair or pomp. The doors to the ship cracked open, giving them egress. John stepped down first, taking in the extravagant home of their hosts. His family followed, clearing the now inactive ship.
The transport looked for all the world like an oversized lawn ornament. As an auto piloted transport, it had no further occupants, nor an impatient pilot. It would remain there, inactive until John and his family decided to leave.
“You’re a bit early,” came a familiar voice.
John looked to the front door of the house, where Liz was standing, door ajar. He smiled and waved at her before signaling to his family to follow him. They made their way to the girl as a unit. John waited until they were closer before responding.
“Yeah, well. I thought it would take longer to travel a thousand miles. I guess we could always come back later,” John said with a smile.
“Don’t listen to her! You’re right on time!” The voice of her mom protruded from behind Liz as they approached the door.
“Hello, John. And hello, John’s family. I’m Amy.”
She pushed past her daughter to make introductions with John’s family. They all shook her hand and returned the courtesy with disbelieving expressions. John was still too surprised by their giant house to react properly.
“And this is Liz,” her mom said after learning everyone’s name.
“Hello, Liz,” Emma said with a mischievous look at her brother.
“You must be Emma,” she responded.
“Oh, I’m a known entity,” Emma said, her mischievous look blending into a shit eating grin.
“You’re a known something alright. Come on, loser,” John said, dragging her inside behind their parents.
“I just find it kind of odd that miss Liz here has heard of me, yet I’ve never heard mention of her. What are you trying to hide, brother?”
“No one is hiding anything. If you took your nose out of my scroll to connect with someone once in a while, you might have picked up a detail or two.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Liz said conspiratorially, “you know he won’t even show his face around me in public. Always has to wear a whole suit of armor to cover the shame of being seen with me.”
John looked back at the two women with an incredulous look. Emma was suddenly very much team Liz, with her eyes sparkling in delight at the other girl’s joke. Liz simply smirked back at John, daring him to take the bait.
“You know,” he said, trying to change the subject, “when you said your home was unconventional, I didn’t realize you meant ’rich’.”
“I told you my mom does business in countries around the world. It’s not my fault that you never stopped to consider it.”
“You know what, where’s the food? I’ll take mine in a to go bag,” John complained.
“It’s not ready yet. Unfortunately, our guests showed up three hours early, so they’ll have to wait. But hey! That just means I can make you help me with the food, right?”
“Oh, nothing would make me happier,” John said sarcastically.
“These are my sons,” Amy was saying as they entered the living area.
“The twins are Jason and Caleb; Caleb is the one on the right. And this is my oldest, Darren. Say hi, boys.”
The twins gave a polite greeting, shaking hands that were offered to them. They had light brown hair, like their sister and mother. Their blue eyes and noses gave them away as relatives of Liz.
Darren had less family resemblance, and John assumed he got more genetics from the paternal side. His hair was much darker than his siblings, and his eyes matched. He was also stockier of frame. He looked like he could crash right through a line of people without slowing down if the mood struck him.
Darren was less open with the greetings. John could tell that having new people in his home was an uncomfortable experience for him. Still, he met John’s eye and rose from his place on the couch. He was taller than John by several inches, making it difficult and a little intimidating for John to meet his eye.
“You are the one who helped my sister? The one who found my mom? You’re John?” He asked as he approached.
“I am. It’s nice to meet you,” John responded, holding out a hand to shake.
Instead of accepting it, Darren brushed it aside and pulled John into a tight embrace. He was taken aback by the man’s warmth and gratitude. After a second, he put an awkward hand on Darren’s back.
“Don’t worry about it, man.” John said kindly.
“I think we all owe you a massive hug,” Liz’s mom said.
“What’s this about finding you?” John’s mom asked the woman.
“There will be time to hear our story over dinner. For now, make yourselves comfortable. If we can get you anything, please don’t hesitate to ask. Liz and I have to get started on dinner.”
“You’re coming too,” Liz said, grabbing John’s arm.
“Don’t be rude, Liz. Let John sit and relax,” her mother scolded.
“Don’t worry about it,” John said, “I’m happy to help.”
“Oh no, sweetie. You’ve helped our family enough as is. Just relax and we will have the food ready before you know it.”
“No, really. It’s not a problem. I’d rather put some distance between me and this one,” he said with a thumb at his sister.
“Hey!” Emma said indignantly.
“I mean, just look at the devious look on her face. The second you guys walk away, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“On second thought, you just sit and relax,” Liz said.
“Elizabeth Mae. Are you trying to conspire against our guests?” Amy asked.
“Only one of them!” Liz said defensively.
3
John stood chopping vegetables alongside Liz as her mother prepared various bits and pieces for the meal she had envisioned. She threw this and that into the pot, adding more seasonings than John had ever seen. She turned to them after adding some kind of cubed meat that John was unfamiliar with.
“Okay, John. You’ll want to go ahead with the potatoes, since they take a while to soften. Liz, while he does that, you finish dicing the onions. We want them small enough to overlook. Put those in in about ten minutes. All the other veggies can go in when that timer goes off. I have to go check on John’s family to make sure your little brothers haven’t driven anyone crazy.”
She left them standing awkwardly together next to the stove. John got the feeling Liz’s mom had made the obvious assumption. Her leaving them alone felt like both a generosity and a test.
“Well, thank you for inviting me here to gang up on me with my sister.”
“It’s been a delight,” Liz said, unrepentant.
“So, you’re basically a spoiled rich kid, huh?” John teased.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Are you surprised?” She asked.
“I mean, kind of.”
“Why is it so unbelievable?”
“Well, for one, you’re kind of a badass,” he said.
“Rich kids can’t be badasses?” Liz asked with a coy smile.
“In my experience? No.”
“Well clearly that just makes you prejudiced,” she said.
“I’m working with a pretty small sample size, admittedly.”
“How do I differ from the others?”
“I dunno, you don’t seem entitled. You don’t walk around expecting the world to shower you with fortune. That’s a pretty common theme amongst kids with wealthy parents.”
“Is that all?” Liz asked.
“You’re also extremely capable for someone of such high class.”
“Yeah. I had to be,” she said.
“I’m sorry. You’ve had a lot harder life than I have. It wasn’t right of me to presume.”
“How could you have known? I’ve been taking care of myself and others for most of my life. Until you came along…”
John felt the tension in the room shift in a way he wasn’t expecting. He looked over at Liz to see her staring at him with the kindest expression he had ever seen on her. He opened his arms invitingly, smiling as she took the opportunity without hesitation.
“Thank you,” she whispered into his shoulder.
“Of course,” he whispered back.
“Okay, we should be just about ready for-” Liz’s mom stopped talking abruptly as she pushed the door open to see the two of them locked in a silent embrace.
“Oh,” she said.
She awkwardly moved around them to collect the various diced veggies they had been in charge of adding to the meal. John and Liz parted, embarrassed at the intrusion. She waved them aside dismissively.
“I’ll just take these,” she said.
“I’m sorry, I was just about to-” John started to say.
“No, no dear. Don’t you worry about it. I can handle things here. Why don’t you two relax? We have a while for the potatoes to soften. I’ll send for you when things are ready.”
“Thanks, mom,” Liz said.
She pulled John by the hand, out of the kitchen and back past his family. Emma caught his eye as he gave her a helpless and embarrassed expression. Liz pulled him along until they came to the stairs.
“Where are we going?” He asked.
“Somewhere special,” she said.
She led him up the stairs, completely ignoring the second floor for the third. At the landing, she took him left down the hallway all the way to the end. They came to an extravagantly decorated wooden door that John could have guessed the owner of even before seeing the large glittery “L” on it.
“Your room?” John asked.
“Yeah. But this isn’t the spot. Come on,” she said.
She opened the door and flicked the switch. John wasn’t sure how to react to the turn of events, but Liz’s stalwart grip on his hand left him no room for decision. She pulled him through her room to the window and opened it wide, revealing that it had no screen.
“Come on,” she said.
He let her drop his hand as she climbed out of the window. He quickly put a leg through to follow and pulled himself free of the house. He found Liz sitting to the left of the window, leaning back against the slanted roof.
“This is your special place huh?” He asked as he settled himself next to her.
“It is,” she said, coming close to rest her head against his shoulder.
John looked up at the early evening sky. The sun was behind them, beginning to fall. John smiled as he stared at the thick white clouds that looked almost painted onto the blue sky.
“It’s beautiful,” he said.
“This is where I come when things get too hard. Just to remind myself that they can be simple again.”
“I can see the appeal.”
“Do you have a place like this? Somewhere you go to escape it all?”
“Maybe. There’s this really relaxing spot behind my house. It takes some time to get to though. Plus,” John stopped talking, suddenly unsure what he wanted to say.
“What?” Liz asked.
“Nothing. I guess I stopped going there since the world went crazy.”
“Why?”
“It was my dad’s favorite spot. He’s who showed it to me in the first place. I don’t know, I guess with him missing for months, I didn’t want to be reminded of his absence.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Liz said.
“Don’t be. You had your own family torn apart.”
“Exactly, John. I know the pain you felt. The helplessness. If it wasn’t for you, I would still feel that pain. So, I will be sorry. Because I wouldn’t wish that feeling on anyone. But especially not you.”
John considered her words for a long moment. He thought back to the desire to help her he had felt upon learning her situation. He smiled to himself as he understood that she felt the same way for what he went through. He knew that if she had been able, Liz would have dove into Jack’s shuffle right alongside him.
“Thank you,” he finally said.
“Not at all,” she said.
The two of them leaned against the roof in silence for several minutes after that. Neither felt the need to speak, preferring to bask in the silent peace together. John’s heart beat rapidly at the scent of her hair against his face.
“What’s next for you, now that your dad is safe?” She asked, breaking the silence.
“Hm? Oh! Um, I uhh, haven’t really thought about it, I guess. Why do you ask?” John spluttered.
“Because I think we should get serious, now that we have the luxury. I’ve been bringing my brothers out on hunts to get them accustomed to The Garden. There’s no reason for them to go as hard as I’ve had to though. As long as they get out enough to count for the aliens.”
“That’s good. I’ve been dreading the day Emma comes of age.”
“She’ll have it easier than anyone else,” Liz said dismissively.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because look at who her brother is,” she said.
John was quiet for a moment after that. He hadn’t ever seen himself as some great or capable person. He had always found a way when he had to, but he certainly wasn’t infallible.
“I hope you’re right,” he finally said.
4
Dinner was a thick stew, one that John had never heard of. Whatever the meat was, he had never tasted anything so soft and perfectly seasoned. There was also a plethora of bread options, but John politely declined.
As the meal progressed, he became more and more aware of the attention everyone seemed to be paying him. From his sister, mischievous eyes daring his to meet them. To his mother, who looked at him uncertainly, as if she was unable to understand what he had done to receive such respect from a family he had ostensibly never met.
His father, too. Jack was looking from John to Liz, who sat beside him. He had an expression John couldn’t place. Somewhere between pride and sympathy, it looked like the man couldn’t decide wether to congratulate his son or give him dire advice.
Liz’s family was no exception. Her twin brothers stared openly at him, as if trying to fit the reality into the legend. Amy was more reserved but still wore a genial expression when he met her eye. Darren alone seemed to be focusing solely on his food, having already given John his thanks upon their meeting.
“So, John,” one of the twins began.
John wasn’t sure which of the boys it was. Their identical faces were entirely too similar, and the matching shirts they wore did nothing to ease the problem. He simply raised his eyebrows politely to show they had his attention.
“Is it true that you have a fox as a pet?” One of them asked.
“Umm, I don’t know if pet is the right word, to be honest. I do have a summoned soul that takes the form of a fox. Her name is Jane. It’s a difficult distinction to quantify, though. You guys have been to The Garden now, right? Have you collected any cool souls yet?”
“Nah, Liz won’t let us fight anything that cool,” the other said.
“Excuse you,” Liz said warningly.
“Okay, fine. She did give us both some pretty sweet weapons. Caleb got the samurai sword, even though I called dibs. But I got dual axes, like that guy from that sweet war game,” one of the boys said, marking himself as Jason.
“That’s awesome,” John said, “what are their ranks?”
“Enhanced, all of them,” Caleb chimed in.
“Wow. Those are some pretty good tools when you’re just starting out. You’re both lucky to have such a capable sister.”
“She’s lame. She won’t even show us the bear,” Jason complained.
“Hopefully you won’t ever need her to,” John said.
“John’s right. It isn’t about showing off or killing the most. The Garden is a dangerous place. Your sister is there to keep you safe. Not keep you entertained,” Amy scolded.
“John, is it true that you have a bow that tells you where to shoot?” Caleb asked, unfazed by his mother.
“Well, it’s a little-”
“He does!” John’s dad interrupted.
Everyone turned their attention to Jack as he put his spoon down to continue. His wife, Emily raised her eyebrows at her husband’s outburst. Neither he nor John had shared the details of their return from The Garden.
“He let me use it. It has a draw weight like you wouldn’t believe. Seeing John pull it back, you’d think it was as light as a feather. I could barely manage it, even after all the genes he gave me.”
The boys were glued to Jack’s enthusiastic tale with childlike wonder. John rolled his eyes, embarrassed, as his father went on.
“When you pull it back, a scope pops out of the side. It’s got a heat sensor, so you can even hunt at night. And when you have something in the sights, the bow tells you the most vulnerable spot on your target. It’s basically like cheating.”
“It is not like cheating!” John said defensively.
“It sounds awesome!” Caleb exclaimed.
“Can we see it?” Jason agreed.
“Boys, no weapons at the dinner table,” their mom chastised.
“John, tell us about The Garden. What’s it like on the crazy adventures you and Liz get to go on?”
John glanced at Liz curiously before returning his attention to the twins. He didn’t know how to answer. He could tell that the two of them were already developing a potentially dangerous outlook regarding The Garden.
The differences in personality between them and their sister was like night and day. Where she had grown up young in order to make sure they were taken care of, her sacrifice had allowed them to maintain both the childlike wonder and naïve invulnerability that he would expect of children that came from money.
Though the two boys were technically only a few months younger than John himself, he could tell that they had a lot of maturing to do. With any luck, they would survive long enough. John decided to make a lesson of his response.
“It’s been my experience that you don’t ‘get to’ go on crazy adventures. You aren’t given the choice. Adventure begins when your plans for a safe trip get thrown out the window. When that happens, you either adapt, or fail. The Garden is a place of harsh predation. Everything is seeking to grow stronger at the expense of another. The environment itself seeks to claim you. What your sister and I have been through isn’t grand adventures. It was lucky survivals. You shouldn’t take the protection Liz has provided to you so lightly. “
When John stopped speaking, the whole table was watching him with rapt focus. Even Darren had looked up from his meal to pay attention. The twins looked slightly abashed, but Caleb pressed on, albeit more cautiously.
“What’s the scariest thing that’s happened to you?” He asked. This time, he sounded nervous to hear the answer.
“Well, I don’t know about the scariest, but did Liz ever tell you about the time I got carried away by giant ants?”
As the evening passed by, John humored the twins with tales of ludicrous mishaps and close calls that were meant to temper the boys with caution but instead seemed only to increase their enthusiasm. He feared that only something truly horrible could give them the wake up call they needed.
“So, you just ran?” Jason asked.
“That’s right,” John said.
“How did you get away?” Caleb wondered.
“The same way I always get away. Sheer dumb luck.”
“Luck? Seriously?”
“Seriously,” John confirmed.
“There has to be more to it than that,” Caleb demanded.
“Have you ever ran from a bear?” John asked the twin.
Both of the young men shook their heads.
“Then allow me to enlighten you. You see bears are sneaky.”
“Sneaky?” Jason asked
“Oh yeah. A beast that size? There’s no way it can run fast enough to catch a man fleeing for his life, right? Wrong. See, a bear spends its entire life scavenging for food. And under all that fat they build up is a solid layer of muscle. Now, being massive, terrifying brutes, bears don’t generally have to chase anything. What could be worth burning so much energy? They work hard to stock up for hibernation.”
“Then why did one chase you?” Caleb asked.
“Aha! The golden question. What could I have done to draw the bear’s ire?”
“Did you shoot it with your bow?”
“Why would I do a crazy thing like that? An arrow isn’t the most effective tool to get through all that natural armor. At least not on something so advanced in tier.”
“Did you come between it and its cubs?” Jason guessed.
“Good guess, but this bear was alone. Also, a boy, I think.”
“So, what happened? Why did it come after you?”
“I’ve already given you the answer. A bear spends more time looking for food than it does anything else. And when an idiotic human thinks to steal a bear’s food, they take it very personally.”
“Why the heck would you try to take its food?”
“It was a miscalculation. See, beasts of The Garden are all trying to get stronger just like we are. The difference is that they don’t need genes to do it. They need flesh of a higher rank than themselves. Plants would probably work too, but in this case, the bear was after the meat. I thought it had taken its fill and left the area. But when I went to collect the genes it left behind, the bear took offense. It really didn’t like Jane taking precious bites of its kill.”
“Bears will often leave their kills behind for that reason. It attracts something new, and the bear gets to eat again without hunting for its meal.” Jack supplied.
“How do you know that?” Asked one of the twins, attention shifting to John’s father.
“Dad was a big hunter before all of this,” John explained.
“I dabbled,” Jack conceded.
“So anyway, right as I’m about to clear the area, the most furious bear anyone would ever want to meet comes crashing through the trees.”
“What happened?” Caleb asked.
“I told you. I ran,” John said, as if the question was absurd.
“But how did you get away?” Jason asked.
“I told you that too. Dumb luck.”
“Come on,” Caleb whined.
“Yeah, give us the details,” Jason agreed.
“The truth is, there’s nothing more motivating than an aggressive beast chasing you down like a criminal. It was everything I could do to keep my feet under me.”
“And you just outran the bear?”
“Not exactly. When a beast reaches Advanced tier, there’s almost no such thing as “slow” anymore. Humans too. If I had the progression then that I do now, I could have disappeared in a streak of lightning.”
“How many genes do you have?” Jason asked, intrigued.
“One interrogation at a time, please,” John laughed.
“Well, if you didn’t outrun it, how did you get away?”
“Sheer. Dumb. Luck. I had something called an augmentation soul. And it combined with my arrow to make an Advanced, poisonous, sleep-inducing arrow.”
“And you shot the bear with it?” Jack asked.
Everyone turned their attention to John’s father. He was as hooked on the story as either of the twins. John chuckled at his father, while his mother shook her head in embarrassment.
“I did indeed,” John confirmed.
“What happened to the bear when you shot it?” Caleb asked.
“Well, I was having Jane run interference, so it was distracted when I shot it. But boy did that change the second the arrow sunk in. After that, nothing Jane could have done would have been enough to keep its attention. I took off, running for everything I was worth. I could hear the beast gaining on me. I glanced behind me to see how far away it was, and that’s when it happened.”
“When what happened?” The twins both asked.
“That’s when I tripped.”
“You tripped?” Caleb asked, sounding horrified.
“I did,” John said, then his voice took on a more haunting tone.
“As I was lying there, listening to the bear grow closer and closer, growling and snarling, shaking the ground beneath me with each heavy step it took in my direction, I thought I was a goner for certain. There was nothing I could do, nowhere I could go…”
“How did you get away?” Jason asked, suitably frightened.
“Oh, the bear passed out from the poison on the arrow,” John said with a casual shrug, taking an obnoxiously loud sip of his drink.
The tension that had built with his tale eased tremendously with his ridiculous non sequitur. John could tell that his mother, for one, was not enjoying hearing of the grand adventures he had so far been lying to her about. He knew he would hear her thoughts on the matter later.
“The moral of that story, in case you missed it boys, was that the only thing that made the difference between living and dying was not skill or intelligence. As he said many times, it was luck.” Amy said.
“That’s how I have survived most of the crazy mishaps, where others weren’t so fortunate. One day, I’ll tell you guys about my very first trip into The Garden. Now that is a crazy story.”
“Oh, come on! Tell us now!”
“Now, boys. John has entertained us all enough. Don’t forget that he and his family are guests here. Let them enjoy their food in peace.”
“Actually,” Emily said, speaking up for the first time since the meal began, “I would like to hear the story of how John helped your daughter rescue you.”
“Mom,” John began, but she silenced him with a look.
“That… isn’t a very dinner appropriate tale,” Amy said.
“Yeah, it’s a bit-”
“John helped me infiltrate a criminal organization heavily invested in human trafficking and dismantle it from the ground up before freeing dozens of innocent women, including my mom, from a life of sexual servitude,” Liz said.
“Elizabeth!” Amy exclaimed.
“What? You guys act like you have to take an hour to tell a story.”
Liz turned to John’s mom.
“Your son is an extremely resourceful and talented person. If he sets his mind to something, he does it. He proved that to me when he helped me bring my mother home. I assume he proved it to you as well?” She asked with a look at John’s father.
Emily was quiet for several seconds, as was everyone else. Liz politely kept her attention on the other woman while she sat in contemplation. Then she spoke, as if unwilling to admit the truth.
“Yes, he did.”
5
After dinner, John and his family excused themselves politely. They thanked the other family for their hospitality and made for the exit. John, of course, was stopped by every member of Liz’s family to be given a warm hug.
“Will you come back soon?” Caleb asked after his hug.
“Yeah! Oh! And maybe we can all meet up for a hunt in The Garden soon?” Jason agreed.
“You’ll have to talk to your sister about that one,” John said as Darren stepped closer.
“Thank you, John.” Was all the man said as he wrapped John in another massive hug.
“Don’t mention it, buddy.”
Amy also stepped forward to embrace John. She held him as tightly and lovingly as she would one of her own kids. John could practically feel the motherly love radiating from her.
“We really can’t thank you enough for bringing us back together again. Seriously, John. If there’s ever anything you need, please don’t hesitate to call on us.”
Then she parted from him with a warm kiss on the forehead. John’s cheeks grew hot as he tried to hide his embarrassment. Then Liz stepped forward, not to be outdone by her mother.
Grabbing his face, Liz planted a slow, soft kiss on his lips. Emma immediately started cheering behind him. Powerless to resist, John instead put a gentle hand on her face. After several seconds, she parted from him, if only by a few inches.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Then, as if it never happened, Liz stepped away from him. Everyone, save for Emma that is, was quiet in the seconds following the kiss. Then John’s father broke the spell.
“Well, alrighty then. Thank you for the meal and the hospitality. We will have to have you all over next time.”
He reached out to shake Amy’s hand, who took it kindly.
“We would love to,” Amy said.
“Thank you, again,” Emily added, also shaking the woman’s hand.
After the warm hugs John had received, it almost seemed overly formal to shake hands. Neither of his parents were presumptuous enough to extend more to the woman, however. So, with their simple handshakes, they bid farewell.
“Meet me at Emerald Base in three days,” Liz called to John as he was walking across her lawn.
“Bye, Liz!” Emma called back like the two were best friends.
When the family was once again settled in their alien taxi, John looked to his mother. She had been very quiet all evening, and he knew she had a lot on her mind after all the revelations at dinner. He gently inquired in her direction.
“Are you okay, mom?”
She met his eyes, looking equal parts concerned and proud. He held her gaze while she seemed to consider what to say. After a long moment, she spoke.
“You really saved that woman from slavery?”
“Yes,” John said quietly.
“The colony of ants? And the bear? That wasn’t just you entertaining a couple of kids was it? Those things really happened?”
“They did,” he said.
“And when you found your father, that was also extremely dangerous, wasn’t it?”
“It was. There is no such thing as safety in The Garden, mom. You know that as well as I do.”
“John, most people in The Garden aren’t infiltrating the gangs of black-market criminals to save their friend’s mom. How can I ever rest easy knowing what kind of insanity you’re up to?”
John was poised to answer, having already anticipated the entire conversation. When he looked at his father, though, the other man’s expression silenced him. Instead, John allowed the answer to come from him.
“You can sleep soundly with your husband at your side,” he said gently.
Emily turned her gaze from John to her husband as tears filled her eyes. Jack took her in his arms and let her cry. The stress of the past months had done serious damage to her mental stability, and Jack knew no words would ease her mind.
“Do you have any idea how amazing our son is?” Jack asked his wife softly.
“I know. We raised two perfect children. He is like his dad,” she said.
“No, Em. John is so much more than the son we raised. He’s grown far beyond anything you or I can take credit for. And while I’m pretty great, your son is something else entirely.”
“Dad, I-”
John was silenced with a gesture from his father. Having a better sense of how to help his wife than either of his kids, Jack took the lead.
“Your son stood alone against an entire base to bring me home. It was him against hundreds. And do you know what the crazy part is? He won.” Jack said.
“An entire base?”
“Oh, Em, you should have seen it. He was pulling so many strings; I thought he was going to tangle himself up. But he never faltered. He never made a mistake.”
“That’s not true. People died because of my mistakes,” John said morosely.
“That wasn’t your fault. You did everything you could, John.”
“Not everything.”
“My point,” Jack said, turning back to his wife, “is that no matter what The Garden threw at him, John came up with a solution. He single-handedly brought over a hundred people back to earth safely. He manipulated an entire base with little more than his voice and a clever misdirection. It was like his brain had the whole encounter mapped out before it happened.”
“He’s exaggerating,” John said.
“I’m really not. It was amazing. And do you know what he did after all of that? He took on another base full of enemies! There were a thousand of them, all fighting for control. And while he was doing that, he was also protecting me. When it was all over, John was the only one still standing.”
“You really did all of that?” Emily asked her son.
John felt abashed. He knew that lying to her about his exploits would catch up to him sooner or later. He shamefully met her eye as he nodded.
“I’m sorry, John,” she said.
“Sorry? For what?”
“You’ve been growing stronger and stronger since your first day in The Garden. Working harder than any child should ever have to. I should have been more supportive. Instead, I scolded you, shamed you for any risks I thought you were taking.”
“What mother wouldn’t want her kids to be safe?” John asked.
“John is right. You were just afraid of losing more than you already had.”
“Maybe. But that doesn’t change the facts. I never dreamed that he would bring you home to me. I didn’t even know it was possible for him to try. And now, hearing everything he’s done, I just feel so selfish.”
“You’re not selfish, mom. The Garden is a dangerous place. There isn’t a person alive who can go there without facing the threat of death. But that’s the catch. If you want to grow, death is exactly what you have to face sometimes.”
“How many times?” Emily asked.
“Too many,” John said.
The flight back seemed to pass by in a blur as John continued to finally answer his mother’s questions truthfully. She was not happy to hear the honest exploits of her son, but over the course of the ride, she came to understand just how far he had come. Further, perhaps, than any other.
In the end, she was forced to admit that after all he had been through, John could take care of himself. He had taken care of the entire family in one way or another. To say he was incapable would be a ludicrous assertion. She grudgingly agreed to trust him in the future.
When they arrived back home, John was just about to turn in for the night, exhausted by the excitement of the day when Emma appeared in his doorway. John’s eyes narrowed in suspicion at her presence.
“Well well well. Have you come to apologize, or do you have more jokes?”
“Oh, come on. You know I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”
“Unfortunately, I do.” John said.
“That’s not why I’m here though. I told you. I had a breakthrough with the scroll!”
John’s interest was thoroughly piqued at the statement. He sat down on his bed and invited Emma to take a seat at the desk. She did so, and quickly opened the scroll.
“You’ve been stuck for a while on the first branch, right?” She asked.
“Right. I’m pretty damn good at analyzation at this point. I just can’t figure out how to tie it to any of the other concepts.”
“Well, I’ve been studying it, and I think I know what the problem might be.”
“What is it?” John asked.
“I’ve been looking at how each branch relates to each other, and I think I’ve found something important. See, look how closely Analyzation crosses with Simulation.”
John looked at what she was indicating. Indeed, the branches for Simulation and Analyzation shared a great deal of commonality. The execution of each branch started almost identically.
“You’re right, but what does that mean?” He asked.
“I’ve been trying to figure that out. It almost looks like you can utilize both of them at the same time as long as you can separate the parts that don’t match.”
“You think it’s possible to focus on both aspects simultaneously?”
“I’m not sure. If you look at the demonstration examples here, you can see that Analyzation is actually supposed to become Simulation as you progress through the practice. I still don’t know how it all works, but I’m sure that they are the most closely linked out of any of the twelve branches.”
“Interesting. So, if I can find a way to transition from one to the other, I’ll finally be able to make some progress. Thanks, Emma.”
“You’re welcome. I hope it helps.”
She left him alone after that. He sat in silence for hours afterward. He just kept running the new information through his head.
The question he still had was, what exactly was he supposed to simulate? It was like there was a giant hole in the information he had. As he was contemplating the problem, a shimmering ray of moonlight pierced his window, melting into his skin as Lunar Radiance automatically triggered.
John looked at the essence of moonlight steadily soaking into him. As he felt it saturate his cells, John’s eyes slowly went wide. He sat up abruptly, looking down at his hands as they became inundated with shimmering energy. With an excited laugh, he finally thought he understood.