—And if it works?

—If it works…your life will get more complicated than it already is, probably a lot more.

[Guys? What’s going on up there?]

What do you say, Eva? Are you ready to try this?

—Yes.

—OK, Rose! We’re ready. I’m putting the helmet on her head now. Eva, put your arms straight so Themis doesn’t move if this works. I’m not at my station, so I can’t keep her balanced. Ready? Here we go.

[Is it working?]

Eva, is it working? Eva?

—What?

—Is the helmet working?

—I don’t know, you told me not to move. I’m just looking at Dr. Franklin.

—You’re looking at…You can see outside?

—Yes. Can’t you?

[Hello? Is everything OK?]

Yes, Rose, we’re fine. The helmet turned on for her.

—You mean it’s working?

—Yes, Eva, it’s working. You’re your mother’s daughter all right. Don’t move! I want you to stand still until I get to my station. Then we’re gonna try some very simple things, OK?

—OK. This is cool!

—Isn’t it? Don’t move, now! I’m gonna bounce around this place like a pinball if we fall before I’m strapped in.

—I’m not moving.

—Don’t move! I’m almost there!

—I’m not moving!

—All right. I’m good. We’re gonna try taking one step. I know this’ll sound silly, but I want you to think about how you walk. When you lift one foot, you start turning your shoulders in the opposite direction. When you lift your right foot, you turn to the left. That transfers the weight of your body to your left leg. When you lift your left leg, you turn your shoulders to the right, keep the weight squarely on your right leg. Try it now, pretend you’re walking.

—Will we fall?

—Probably later when we try walking for real. For now, I’m not moving my legs. It doesn’t matter if you move yours, and I can shift my weight to keep the balance. Go ahead.

—Like that?

—I can’t feel the weight shifting from side to side. You have to exaggerate a little. Pretend you’re modeling. Walk the runway.

—That doesn’t help.

—Hmmm. Pretend you’re walking with something really heavy in your hands. Yes! There you go!

—Can we walk for real!

—Not today. Baby steps.

—Please!

—…

—Please!

—What the hell. Rose? Can you go back inside? We’re gonna try walking a little. I don’t wanna squish you.

[Are you sure you want to do this? It took you months to learn how to walk with Kara.]

I couldn’t hold the weight back then. And no, I’m really not sure, hence the: “Go back inside. I don’t wanna squish you.” There’re plenty of trees around. That should break the fall a little. Maybe not. Eva, this isn’t such a good idea.

—Are you afraid?

—Are you really trying to pull a Marty McFly on me?

—Who’s Marty McFly?

—Some guy who…Never mind. We’ll watch the movie together sometime. I’d never do anything if I waited for good ideas. Are you ready to fall hard, get hurt, watch me break my nose on the console, blood gushing everywhere?

—Yes!

—Fair enough. We’ll take a few steps. Let’s start with one. You have to watch me move. Watch my legs, watch my shoulders. Watch me shift my weight before I lift a leg. You have to move with me, not after me. By then it’ll be too late and we’ll fall.

—Got it!

—Here we go.

—Like this?

—Nope. Not like this…Aaaand…we’re falling. Put your hands up!

—AAAAAH!

—UGH! Damn, that hurts. Are you OK?

—I can’t move my arms!! They’re stuck to my chest!

—It’s OK! That’s Themis’s weight pushing against you. It’ll loosen up when your helmet’s off. Let’s get out of here while she’s lying down.

—That was your fault! I wasn’t ready!

—It’s OK, Eva. We can try this again.

—I CAN’T MOVE! Get me out of here!

—One sec. I need to get out of my station first.

—GET ME OUT!

—I’m here. You’re shaking like a leaf.

—I can’t do this. I’m not good enough.

—Eva, it’s OK. You couldn’t expect to get this right the first time. We’ll try again tomorrow if you want.

—This is stupid.

—It’s up to you Eva. You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.

—You don’t understand. They all died for nothing if I can’t do it!

FILE NO. 1617

INTERVIEW WITH DR. ALYSSA PAPANTONIOU

Location: Shadow Government Bunker, Lenexa, KS

—Good morning, Doct…Dr. Franklin. I thought we were done with the gu…guards.

—We’re not done with the guards. They’ll be with you everywhere you go. You can go from here to your room, to here. That’s all. I don’t want you anywhere near Eva, or Vincent, ever again. What possessed you to go talk to that child?

—She has a right to know.

—You had no right to tell her. She’s been through enough.

—I had no right? I mmm…I made her! I have every right to tell her. When were you gonna do it?

—When the time was right.

—Wh…when?! When things sss…settle down? When everything is OK again? We don’t have that kind of time. She has a right to know what she is.

—She’s a child! That’s what she is!

—She’s our best hope of saving the world! You w…wouldn’t have that without me.

—You told her you were her mother!

—I told her I cr…created her. I never said I was her mother. She can ca…call me that if she wants to.

—You’re insane! You’re a psychopath, Alyssa!

—Insulting me doesn’t make me wr…wrong.

—I don’t wanna hear what you think is right, Alyssa. I just care about the science. If I had my way, you’d be locked up in some jail cell, somewhere hot and humid.

—That doesn’t sound like you at all. You should leave the empty threats to him.