The Extinction Trials(88)

“You broke my heart, Maya.”

“You broke the world.”

That gave Darius pause. He stood there, studying her as if debating what words to use against her like someone would survey a table full of sharp objects, all lethal.

“The world was already broken.”

“Not as broken as it is now.”

“True.” Darius took a few steps toward her and turned, then sat in a club chair across from the couch.

“Do you know what we do to cancer patients, Maya?”

“I think you’re going to tell me.”

“If we find the cancer early enough, the patient isn’t aware of it. Half the time, they feel fine. Healthy. They don’t know they’re sick. They don’t know something is growing inside of them that will one day end their life.”

“I feel an analogy coming on.”

“You weren’t this jaded before.”

“Living through an apocalypse will do that to you.”

Darius smiled. “Quite right. My point is that we did what we had to do to save humanity. We wish things had turned out differently. If you hadn’t interfered, maybe they would have.”

“You have the nerve to blame all of this on me?”

“I’m just stating the facts.”

“Felt more like an opinion to me.”

“There’s no use debating it, Maya.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I wanted to see you… one last time.”

Maya’s heart beat faster, fear growing inside of her. “One last time before what?”

“Before you change.”

“Change how?”

“It’s not important.” Darius stood and eyed her. “Life is strange—the way people come in and out of your life, and the roles they play. Before the Fall, you cut my heart out, Maya. I trusted you like you were my own family.”

He shook his head and broke eye contact with Maya. “Yesterday morning, I was alone in this ruined world. I was surrounded by people, but I had lost my daughter, the only family I had left. I sent Guthrie—who you know as Alister—to try to find her. But it was you who brought her back to me. I have no doubt of that. And I’ll forever be grateful for that. That’s why I wanted to see you. To say thank you.”

“You say it like this is goodbye.”

“It is. We’ll see each other again, but this is goodbye, Maya.” Darius took a deep breath and proceeded to explain exactly what the mesh was and how it would soon pacify her mind.

When he left, Maya stared at the closed door. She wanted to cry. But she decided she wasn’t going to let herself cry. She was going to get out of this room and The Colony and she was going to get the mesh out of her body. She just didn’t know how. Yet.





Chapter Sixty-Six





When Darius left Owen in the park, he wasn’t quite sure what to do.

He settled on a bench and watched the citizens of The Colony as he considered his options.

Being here felt so strange to him—especially after what he had been through: escaping Station 17, the voyage across the sea, and the trek through the ruined city. Now he was underground, in a safe place. That is, if he was willing to accept The Union’s vision for humanity’s future.

And what they were going to do to Maya and Cara.

As the people passed by on the trail—parents and kids and friends chatting—he was amazed at how the mesh had opened his world. He saw them. He understood them like he never had understood people before. There was something effortless about it. It was, in a word, serene. Harmonious.

With each passing moment, he felt the mesh claiming more of his mind. He felt a bit of himself slipping away—but something wondrous taking its place.

But as he turned the question over in his mind, his thoughts flashed to Maya. And the hurt he felt there—at what they were going to take from her—was far greater than anything the mesh or the Union could give him.

He also thought about the legions of people waiting for someone to rescue them at Garden Station. How many would The Union pacify if their minds were deemed dangerous?

Owen looked up when a young girl veered off the path and approached him.

He smiled when he realized it was Blair. She was carrying a pink flower that she held out to him as she approached. A light shade of red was creeping across her cheeks. She was embarrassed but was smiling nonetheless. Owen realized something then that he had never been able to see before: the young girl had a crush on him.

“My parents wanted me to tell you thank you—for bringing me home,” Blair said as Owen took the flower. “And I wanted to say it as well,” she added, her face turning even more red.

Owen reached out and pulled her into a hug.

“You’re welcome, Blair.”

“My dad says you’re going to stay,” she said, avoiding eye contact with him. “And Maya too.”

Owen nodded, unsure what to say. “That’s their plan. Do you know where Alister is?”

“Sure. Follow me.”

They walked along the path, out of the park, and into what felt like a quaint little village. Shops lined the streets. People sat outside delis and restaurants. Lunch was apparently just starting.

Ahead, Owen heard banging and muttered curses that seemed to be the anthem of Alister working.