“Okay then.” Alec exhaled, placing both hands on the console. “After careful evaluation of the situation, I have made the decision to open the doorway to return the child. That’s our story. Understand? I made the choice. Not you. Me. That’s our official story.”
“Alec...” He sounded like he was taking the fall for her.
“Minji, I don’t want to set off a nuclear bomb and kill all those peo
ple out there. I don’t want to kill you, the girls, Simone, Jesse, or your husband. I have sworn a sacred oath to protect all of you. I am more than willing to give my life to save the world, but they have no choice.” Alec scrubbed his knuckles beneath his cheekbones. “I’m so fucking scared, I’m numb. But I’m also making the choice that if she comes through looking for vengeance, I will activate that bomb.” Pointing between two consoles, he said, “One opens the portal. The other sets the bomb. I’m going to set up for both. Okay?”
Wordlessly, Minji nodded.
“Watch the door. If Arthur tries to come in, the panel will dull. Tell me immediately. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Maybe it was the gas from earlier, or the rush of adrenaline leaving her system, but exhaustion settled onto her body like a warm, soggy blanket. Leaning against the wall, she snuggled Ava against her chest.
“The baby is sad, Mommy. They hurt her when they made her come here. She wants to go home,” Ava whispered.
“Ava?” Minji gasped.
“She keeps crying for her mommy, but her mommy can’t come get her. Are you going to help the baby go home?” Ava tucked her arms around Minji’s neck and snuggled into her.
“Oh, Ava! It let you go!” Minji showered her daughter with kisses, joy burning in her chest.
“She’s just scared, Mommy. The bad people took her away from her mommy. And when her mommy came to get her, they tried to hurt her mommy. The baby was so scared, she thought a bad thing and it happened.” Ava’s bottom lip trembled. “She didn’t mean to do the bad thing. She really didn’t.”
“I know, sweetie. I know.” Minji swept Ava’s thick curls back from her face. It was a relief to see her daughter’s personality filling her sweet features.
“I want to see the baby, Mommy. Can I see the baby before she goes home?”
“You need to stay in here,” Alec said in a firm voice. “There’s a bad man outside.”
“But the baby feels sick. I want to give her a toy to make her feel better,” Ava protested.
“It’s probably hungry and needs to go home,” Minji said while hoisting Ava onto her hip. She never wanted to let her daughter out of her arms again until maybe college.
Alec worked feverishly at the array of instruments, checking screens, reading the tablet, darting back and forth while flipping switches and hitting buttons.
“How soon?”
“A few more minutes,” Alec answered.
Minji slanted her upper body to look out the thick glass windows at the clear plastic tent. She could barely make out something moving about in the incubator. A part of her wanted to see the child, but she was also a little afraid. A long shadow flowed along the floor outside. It took Minji a second to realize it was cast by someone walking along the side of the building so their body was illuminated by some of the stronger lights.
“He’s out there,” Minji gasped.
Arthur stepped into view, the weapon he stole from the dead soldier clasped in one hand. Bouncing nervously on the balls of his feet, he didn’t appear to see Alec and Minji inside the control booth. Arthur’s head swiveled back and forth as he studied the vast room, then started toward the tent.
“Mommy, what’s he going to do?” Ava whimpered.
“Stay here, Ava,” Minji ordered, setting her daughter down.
“You can’t go out there!” Alec whipped about. “He’ll shoot you.”
“Finish what you’re doing,” Minji replied, jerking the key card out of her pocket.
“Minji—”
“If he kills the baby, I won’t be able to live with myself. And we’re not even sure if we can close the door all the way if the mother is partially wedged in it, right? Which means we’ll still have to open the door and she’ll find the baby dead!” Minji swiped the card over the glass and the door hissed open.