2.51

"So now the baby belongs to Lex?"

My hands rested over the mini bump as I tried to understand the explanation both System and Ty gave me, doing my best not to lose my temper at Lex who innocently sang love ballads whilst cooking on a BBQ outside.

"Technically her father is called Dr. Silas Hale Jnr in this dimension, but yeah, he's altered Izzy's DNA to his own, blocking other Systems from detecting Noah's DNA."

"But what if the person tests with human technology, not a System?" I asked nervously, remembering Noah's grandfather had done a DNA test when Izzy was born, believing the lies that Hannah slept around and the kid wasn't Noah's. It was only then he allowed Hannah and Izzy to move from Will's apartment and into the Lee family home.

"There might be a slight error shown, but the DNA should match the crazy bastard," Ty shook his head and plonked down on his seat with a weary sigh.

"In this case, the base might be the best place for you to give birth then, even Noah with his System and technology combined won't be able to lay claim to the kid so no matter what crazy reason you have for hiding the kid, they will be well hidden in plain sight."

I had yet to tell Ty about the fact I'd entered a reincarnated host. And so far, only Lex was the one I'd stomached to tell the whole story to. I felt too dejected and weak to go through it again. Besides, Ty seemed to have an unusual relationship with Noah that he never elaborated on, making me feel slightly tense.

"But what about the meteorites?" System whined.

"How about we focus on the meteorites near the base first? I mean I won't get big so quick right?" I asked, also not happy at the idea of sitting idle when there was so much power to be gained.

"Will she actually be okay in her condition?" Lex asked, poking his head through the door, "food's done."

"Oh, so now you care about her condition," Ty grumbled, pushing him out of the way to go get the food.

"I'll be fine, I actually want to give birth to this baby, I won't be too reckless," I folded my arms, standing on the spot.

He engulfed me in his arms, squeezing me breathless, "it's my baby too now remember, I want our Izzy to grow big and strong."

For a moment, though it was a small moment, I actually thought I could truly do this. Even if each moment I spent with Lex was making me question my sanity. I could have a happy family and raise her big and strong enough to take on this hell.

So that when the day inevitably comes that I have to leave her, I'll confidently know that she'll be okay without me.

Fully satiated and rested I was woken at the crack of dawn by Lex in a bit of a panic.

"Rise and shine my love," he kissed my forehead, then pulled me out of the bed to stumble to the RV's exit, not even letting me put on a pair of shoes.

Ty made the RV disappear then I was pulled behind the bushes. Then I understood their rush by listening to the plants. A bunch of vehicles containing powerful ability users was heading our way.

Once the last vehicle had long passed, I was finally allowed to stand back on my feet to dress.

"Who were they?" I asked, letting Ty play with my hair, I knew his hands would make it so my hair didn't fall out of the bobble no matter what.

"Soldiers, and not General Lee's," Ty said through gritted teeth, "we'll have to hurry if we want to get to that lump of space rock first."

"Is there another base near here?" I asked, curious to see if their base would be just as secure as General Lee's. Then we could try there instead.

"It's a bit further up North, and no, we're not going to that shit hole."

I scrunch my face trying to dissect his words, "what makes it so bad that General Lee's base is preferable?"

That guy kidnapped the weakest of society to test in the hidden lab in the mountain, the whole reason that army base existed was to protect the not-so-legal research facility. Young, old, men or women, he did not care, with the government gone he only wanted to use the virus to cure his damn cancer.

"For starters, I'm not sure you noticed, but not as many women survived the fever compared to men," Ty explained, dragging me to walk along the path, holding his hand, whilst Lex walked in front humming a song.

"Yeah, there's like barely one female for every ten males I've seen since I got here," I nodded.

"For some, it didn't take long to fall into their more basic desires…" he pulled a disgusted expression, "unfortunately, any girl too weak to protect themselves gets left to make, or forced into making, an impossible choice. What do they value the most? Their chastity or their life…"

Is that why Hannah was so eager to stay under the title of Noah's woman despite not loving him? But Hannah had a bit of a wild personality. I could imagine her latching onto any thigh so long it was golden and handsome. Somehow I felt that had rubbed off on me greatly. Damn body.

Even having Izzy, didn't calm her down. She barely interacted with her daughter, scared to get attached, knowing it was only a matter of time before Noah would get bored of her and take Izzy away, abandoning her.

As an outsider, I questioned if she had post-natal depression, one of the many things Ty nagged me about.

I shook my head, trying to rid it of Hannah's thoughts and feelings, it was torture. I preferred the memory of being ripped to shreds. One moment of pain compared to weeks, months, or even years of torturous insanity.

"There are a few juicy nuclei ahead if you want me to get them for you, my love?" Lex's wide honey eyes blinked right in front of mine. Too lost in my thoughts I hadn't even realised I had stopped walking.

"S-sure," I nodded, remembering the intense and pleasant way they would process in my body. What I would give just to feel a semblance of being okay right now.

Lex pulled out a crossbow from his space and went back to humming, almost skipping, ahead.

"Might be good for you to join in, work out whatever it is that's putting that look on your face," Ty nudged me ahead, forcing me to draw my swords and catch up with Lex.

We'd entered the city via an industrial estate that was mostly barren. However, there was a strong concentration of virus emitting from a solid concrete building. The steel cargo doors we faced were dented from the inside. Whatever it was, it really wanted out.

"There's more than one source of the virus, the majority should be easy to handle though," Lex leaned down to speak in my ear quietly.

I wondered what his radar looked like to him, was it clearer than mine? The virus showed me just fuzzy concentrations of green light, the brighter the light the more powerful they were. It was very bright.

"Focus Luna bug," Ty's large hand rested on my scalp and directed my head to face the small employee door Lex was forcing open via a panel. I noticed some sparks coming out of his fingertips. Was he also an electric ability user like Noah?

That would be handy to explain Izzy's gifts, after all, it was discovered two years in by General Lee's scientists that those born after the virus would inherit gifts just like a child inherits their eye colour.

"I'm focusing enough," I grumbled, at least my System was.