"Hold it Kelly!" Says Kade, guiding her gently back from the edge.

"Did you uncover this hole?" He asks our mini me's

They cling to each other, cowering, like they're about to be punished for a misdemeanor.

Little Kade shakes his head, "NO – when you were looking at the wall, it opened up. I promise we didn't open it," he explains, with a visible fear in his face.

Kade squats down, "No need to be fearful guys." He moves in closer, his manner that of a reassuring father, "You guys have done real good, your hollers have given us access to the core of this facility. It means we can go down there and take control and stop all those nasty examinations they give you, would you like that?" He asks.

Their faces light up and little Kade exclaims, "But will you still turn me into a girl when I'm sixteen?"

Kade smiles, "No buddy, we wouldn't do that." It's so bizarre to see Kade's smile reflected on his little self. My Kade stands up, "OK, we need you little guys to be patient, we have work to do, but we'll be back." He glances at me and mouths, "I promise you, we'll be back."

......

We take it in turn to sit on the edge of the circle, our legs dangling into the chasm below.

For a brief moment, I have that flash of childhood fear wherein we think a monster will grab our feet from under the bed and drag us under.

I smile at the silliness and immaturity of my thinking at this crucial time.

"Are we all ready?" Asks Kade.

We are – until all our eyes land on Kelly and our readiness is diverted. She gasps – her face contorts – her body jolts – then she's gone – dragged with great force into the depths of the core.

I see the shock register on Troy's face – but within a heartbeat, his body thrusts downwards like a human bullet.

"TAN, SAVE YOURSELF, JUMP UP!" Shouts Kade, his body battling to hold onto the edge of the hole. But he loses the battle – the speed and force that propels him downwards is shocking.

Confusion clouds me, but my head has a moment of clarity and I pull my feet up – too late – GRABBED!

Hands grasp my ankles. Their grip is tight, vice like, rendering my legs inert – any attempt at escape is futile.

Suddenly I'm winded as my body is yanked downwards with a formidable and frightening force.

......

My stomach lurches as I continue to drop, like I'm freefalling from an airplane. Then a jolting pull back, almost like a parachute has opened.

My body's descent slows, and as it does so, I try to take in my surroundings.

I'm vertical, descending down a darkened cylinder.

My body begins to fall backwards and as it does so the cylindrical space opens up. Eventually my body is lying horizontal, supine. I look up into nothingness.

I lift my hand up, but it doesn't reach past my head – plastic – I am encapsulated – like the women in The Vessel Room.

A room in which I now wish we had stayed.

Regret torments me.

Claustrophobia tortures me.

I'm attacked by panic – my heart thumps wildly, literally smacking into my ribcage – I wish it would bust and burst, to free me from this hell!

I try to lift my head, but it barely travels an inch before my nose meets plastic.

There's a change in light, the darkness lifts a little and above me appears an image.

It's of Kade and I, the day he first approached me on the Chicago Street – he looks so confident and smiley, I look shy and reserved.

The picture fades and is replaced with another.

Kade and I, he's at the wheel of the Hummer, his hand resting on my knee – he looks controlled and sure, I look confused and uncertain.

A third picture appears – Kade's draped around my shoulders, we are exhausted after an outdoor workout – I look loved up and happy, and so does Kade.

The pictures continue to document the growth of our love and as they unfold I realize their significance. They say your whole life passes before your eyes before you die.

I wonder if this is their doing. Or is it my body's response to approaching death. I once heard that this 'life flash' was caused by the release of adrenaline, a way to calm and ease the body into the next realm.

Whatever – it's working.

The images quash my panic, soothe me – into the light.

The light.

They all mention travelling towards the light at the end of life, don't they?

The light intensifies to such a degree that I have to close my eyes.

And when I do, I find myself drifting into a comforting void.

......

My eyes ping open – staring at whiteness.

I blink and think – what happened?

My head encased in plastic has barely room to move; yet I manage to edge it to the right. I see nothing but more bright whiteness.

Edging my head back upwards, I jerk it in small increments to my right.

My mouth moves and his name comes out – "KADE?"

"Yes, it's me!" I see those words come from his mouth. He's encapsulated in the same body binding plastic as myself.

Lifting my head as far as my prison allows, I see the outline of two more encapsulating pods, beyond Kade – Troy and Kelly, I guess.

......

We remain lying supine, alive but barely human.

Without movement or senses we don't have a life.

Life's been taken from us in the cruelest way. We are alive but unable to live; in limbo, waiting for whatever science they will send us to.

Who knows what 'scientific breakthrough' our lives will promulgate?

I clear my mind of these thoughts and close my eyes, hoping sleep will bring me respite.

......

When I waken, nothing has changed.

I edge my head to the right to look at Kade. I envy him, because he is deep in slumber. His eyes move behind his tightly closed lids and I know he's temporarily escaped from his prison. I look at him and hope with all my heart that his dreams are sweet.

......

Time?

I have no concept of it.

How long have we been encapsulated: months, weeks, days or merely minutes?" I have no idea.

Solitary confinement plays with your mind. I manage to catch a glimpse of my hand and it looks aged – I wonder are we now old. If so, this wasn't the 'old' I wished for Kade and I.

......

When I waken, something is different this time. A noise has woken me.

A creaking sound, from within the plastic that imprisons me.

It's expanding – I can lift my head. Swiveling to look at Kade, I see my bewilderment reflected back in his face.

A sensation hits my face, wind. A light breeze unsettles my hair; and even though I am in my full body suit, I feel a drop in temperature.

Kade is sitting up!

As is Troy and Kelly!

Kade's smiling, "Sit up Tan," he says, stretching, like he's just got out of a regular bed, on a regular day, in a regular world.

Never has sitting upright felt so good.

The first thing I do is check my hands, they still look nineteen, phew.

"How long have we been in these things?" Asks Kade, scratching his head.

"TWENTY FOUR HOURS." Booms a voice, so high pitched that I instinctively cover my ears.

Kelly is the first to jump down from her pod, "Who are you?" She asks, with her usual forthright bluntness.

We all look around waiting for the response. When it comes, it slices through us – "WE ARE THE CASTRATO." Mercifully the pitch lowers a little as the voice continues – "We encapsulated you for your own protection during our CASTRATO COUP – it has been a momentous twenty four hours."

Our eyes dart and dance around each other with myriad, maddening questions that ache to be answered – "Dose momentous mean successful?" Asks Kade.

The response lifts me – "The CASTRATO are in FULL CONTROL of the facility," is the triumphant answer.

But Kade doesn't share the triumphalism, "Will I be punished for Drew's death?" He asks.

The response is immediate and emphatic, "We are The Castrato, we understand your actions, we are your allies. Our success is your success. Our Coup was in honor of Drew."

Another voice fills the room, a woman's voice, clear pronunciation, a British accent, a newsreader – her face appears on screen – "Remarkable scenes were seen at Leicester Square Underground Station as the classes of school children who disappeared some weeks ago were dispatched at the station in the early hours of this morning. All the children are physically unscathed, yet dazed and disorientated. Unfortunately there is no sign of the teachers who accompanied them. The children have all been reunited with their parents and have been taken to the nearby St Thomas's hospital for treatment and observation. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police has said – 'We will respect the wishes of the parents and will ensure the welfare of the children before we begin a full investigation into a mysterious incident that has thankfully had a successful outcome.' We will return to this story as it develops."

Listening to and watching this footage, validates the Castrato's Coup and consequently, the truth of our situation – I believe we may be finally free from The Surgeon and all her Machiavellian legacies.

But my hope is hesitant.

Yet, I believe The Castrato. A Castrato saved me before. The Castrato could save me, us all, again.

The familiar touch of Kade's hand lands on my torso, travels up and over my breasts and settles on my face. He pulls me into him, his face nuzzling my neck, his chest strong against my back.

His tears tickle as they trickle down my neck, "It's all over Tan, it really is all over, the end – and we've survived," his words are slurred with emotion.

My hand reaches back, my fingers threading through his hair, "It is; we're free Kade – we can work on our wishes, make them come true."

My hand finds his face and I wipe his tumbling tears as his slurry words still fall, "Tan, we're a regular couple now, how awesome does this moment feel?"

"It feels beyond awesome," I reiterate, looking back at Troy and Kelly who are matching our celebratory love in.

The Castrato interrupts our moment – "In the long term we will take care of your clones. In the short term we will arrange your return to the facility above, where: Tony, Kelvin and Baby Belinda await. A full de-briefing of our coup and its aftermath will be given tomorrow. But, now I am sure you would all really appreciate some home comforts and a hot shower."

Kade's mouth nibbles my ear as he whispers, "Do you want a shower, Tan?"

"Sure I do; what are you going to do in the shower?" I ask, flirtatiously.

"Wash."

"What else?"

"Sing."

"Anything else?"

"Celebrate."

"Will it be a regular shower?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

He wraps both arms tight around me and whispers – "Because The Kade is going to make long, luscious and lovely love to The Lady.

Authors note: there will be an Epilogue next weekend.