Uncovered

When I finished, I was exhausted, and my feet hurt. As I started walking, I felt eyes on me, looking through the glass windows, I could see two men following me. I picked up my pace, but they were still behind me, so I panicked and started to run. I was no faster than them, so they were on my heels, I turned a corner to get to the main avenue and crossed. Just then, a motivo almost ran me over.

— GET IN!

I jumped in the back, and we accelerated, they had an auto chasing us; however, we managed to lose them in an old garage we found. He gave me the helmet to hide my face and his jacket, while he changed the license plate on his motorcycle, I have no idea where he got the other one.

— Are you all right? — I shook my head in affirmation—. Give me your communicator. — I handed it to him, and he broke it with his military boots, he looked so handsome dressed in all black—. Let's go.

— To where?

— Uncle Kim's house. — We entered through the back of the house to avoid suspicion—. Uncle, we are here.

— Alexa?

My father came out to greet me and pulled me into a papa bear hug.

— Are you okay?

— I can't breathe.

I answered between sighs, so he immediately released me to look me up and down, I smiled at him to let him see that everything is okay.

— I'm glad to see that everything is fine, I was worried about you, daughter.

— What's wrong Pa, I don't understand anything, what are you doing here?

— I think we'd better sit down.

— Kim is right.

— Kim?!

— Let's go inside, and I'll explain everything.

Once we were seated, they explained to me that I had been recorded when the wolf thing was happening, and it was all over the net. The government-controlled it, but they were looking for me for interrogation. It wasn't hard to see where this interview would end.

— Are they planning to study me as a fossil or something?

— Daughter, I'm afraid I've failed you… I tried to keep you away from all this, but eventually, it caught up with us. On the other hand, your mother succeeded.

— What are you talking about?

He showed me a picture of him with my mother and Kim in a lab. Arching my eyebrows because I didn't understand anything, I looked at it.

—Your mother was a great researcher whose dream was to achieve interspecies communication. So, she created solutions and inoculated them. She stopped doing it when she found out you were on your way, but I guess it was too late and the effects reached you.

— So… what happened at the animal farm that time?

— The animal didn't come for the food, but you. I still didn't understand what was going on with you at that time.

— And the memories of a burning lab and mom screaming, save her?

— They are real.

I felt my eyes moisten, and I brought my hand to my lips to hold back a sob that wanted to escape from me.

— What happened that day?

— Your mother was someone famous, she still is today, we lived in the European colony, she was from there. I worked in that place, and so I wouldn't get deported, we lived in the lab. Your mom as a senior researcher had meetings with the government and that's how she found out that the administrations, were back in conflict.

>> They would possibly wipe out what was left of the planet. So, she and other scientists got together to come up with a plan. Which consisted of how to create a safe place to live without risk and another form of government. Your mother is the founder of the Mixed Colony.

— What?

— She and Kim knew each other before in studies they had done together, and they became close friends. When… — I noticed that it was a little difficult for him to continue-: When they discovered the possibility of this new colony, the leaders of the colonies decided to put an end to the utopia. They persecuted the main idealists, who were caught in a betrayal.

>> That day you remember was the day when they sent us to eliminate them, but your mother sacrificed herself for us and Kim saved us. After that, we hid in the Latin colony and until now if it had not been for that incident we would still be there. I am glad that Lee was able to save you, thanks to Kim's sources.

— You… hid everything about my mother from me…? Do you know how much I wanted to know about her? You know how lonely I felt at times and how bad I felt not knowing anything about her. — I took a breath, and I tried to contain my pain because, in the end, I had to understand that my father did it to protect me-. Did mom have a family?

— Yes… Your grandparents, but you must understand, daughter, it was dangerous for you to see them… I…

I got up and ran away from the place… I could not stop; my feet took me to the small garden, where I began to cry without being able to contain my strong sobs.

The only thing that managed to weaken somehow the pain in my chest, was a slight electric current that touched my skin as soon as some hands took my arms. We both gasped from the sensation, but once I looked into his eyes, I don't know what came over me. Without thinking, I smashed my lips on his, to my disappointment my first kiss was never requited. I broke away in sorrow and pain—. I'm sorry! —I covered my lips with my hands—. I thought you were interested.

— I never said anything like that to you.

— It's true. — I lowered my gaze and swallowed saliva, the pain was unbearable, and my pride ceased to exist—. You're right, I'm not good enough for you, I apologize for being out of line.

I ran out of there; I wanted the earth to swallow me up. Somehow, I ended up in the pool, I looked at my reflection in the water and felt that the only place I could be at peace was there. I took off my shoes and Lee's jacket, which enveloped me in his scent. Without thinking, I descended the stairs and sank to the bottom. I closed my eyes and just let myself be carried away by the silence.