Echo/Jeannie

A beep followed by a hydraulic hiss brought Echo and Daniel's attention to the door. By this time of the evening, most personnel had knocked off for the evening. Within the next hour, Daniel would be checking the hallways so he could take Jeannie to the north gate without anyone to question them. But no one ever came for them unless it was to draw blood or use her for tests.

What she hadn't expected was a new face — a tall, slim man with a trimmed beard and pressed clothes with blue eyes deeper than a lake. Light streaks of gray salted his dark hair and fine wrinkles settled on his forehead and corners of his eyes. He rushed inside, panting as if he'd run a marathon.

Daniel frowned as he approached the older well-dressed man, standing at attention with a reference he never offered Benson. "Mr. Whittaker?"

"I'm not here for pleasantries," Mr. Whittaker replied between gasps. He glanced at Echo, scrutinizing her with downturned lips and scrunched brows. "Doctor Adams?"

Still on the bed, Jeannie scooted away, putting distance between them. Anyone who addressed her by her surname generally served someone in charge of the facility. This man and everyone like him were the enemy. "What do you want? More blood?"

"No," he whispered, closing his eyes and shaking his head. He raked his hand over his face before dipping his head. "You've been through too much, Doctor. It's time to discharge you."

"From these quarters?" Her heart leaped with unexpected anticipation at the prospect of finally being released from confinement. She couldn't keep the curiosity out of her voice as she allowed herself to move closer.

Instead of responding to her question, he met Daniel's puzzled gaze. "Are you planning to take her out again tonight?"

If Daniel was surprised by this man exposing their activities, he didn't show it. But if her nightly escapades weren't a secret, why did Daniel bother to sneak around?

When Mr. Whittaker took Daniel's arm, Jeannie hopped to her feet before anyone could speak. Running to the door, she flattened her back against it and pinned Daniel with her most pleading gaze. "You can't leave me out of another important conversation." She was supposed to have a voice too.

"Bugs?" Daniel side-eyed Mr. Whittaker.

The older man shook his head. "No. I checked before coming down here."

"Then say it here," Jeannie begged, digging her heels into the floor. "You can't keep acting like I don't have rights."

Daniel nodded once at Mr. Whitaker, and the latter produced a map and a flash drive from his pocket before giving it to the former. "Hold on to these until tonight. I've left instructions on the map with an access code to a facility in Colorado. Keep Doctor Adams out of sight. The world is better off not knowing she exists."

Echo's heart skipped a beat. What changed that someone suddenly wanted to bust her out of this place? Was he in on the plan to bring the government down too?

Daniel answered her question before she could even ask. Stuffing the items inside his boot, he straightened and narrowed his eyes. His downturned mouth was far from offering a show of gratitude. "This might be a good time to explain what you're planning. Echo has been through enough, and I'm not putting her through more unnecessary stress."

"Echo?" Mr. Whittaker's brow furrowed until Echo raised her hand. Then, his eyes widened in realization. "Oh. I didn't realize you'd chosen a different name."

"Where are we going?" she asked, tugging at her loose sleeve covering her amputated stump. She kept her back firmly against the door, too nervous to wrap her mind around a possibility too good to be true.

The lines in his face appeared to deepen as the troughs below his drooping eyes darkened. Adam's apple visibly bobbing, Mr. Whitaker replied, "The only place you'll be safe. I've uncovered something huge, and Major Orson is the only person I trust with your care. I've read Dr. Wainwright's logs, and she indicated you two seem close."

Interesting. Echo hadn't considered the idea before. They'd kissed, but that was so recent, she couldn't define their relationship except that Daniel had been a constant since leaving the laboratory she'd awoken in, strapped to an exam bed.

"What did you find?" Daniel interjected, watching Mr. Whitaker with interest sparking behind his irises.

Mr. Whittaker shook his head and swallowed again. "Everything you need to know, including what I found, is on that drive," he said, indicating the pocket Daniel used to stow the items. "Benson is behind all of it — the virus, the government collapse, and something far worse."

His declaration earned an eye roll from Daniel with an added scoff. "No shit," he deadpanned, crossing his arms again. "Everyone figured that out on day one."

Mr. Whittaker scowled before whirling around and ramming his fingers through his hair. "We suspected him," he murmured, "But there's enough evidence on that drive to implicate him."

"What good will it do when no one's left to care?" Daniel demanded.

His response piqued Echo's curiosity; she wanted an answer to this too. Who could stop someone as vile as Benson when no one barred his path?

Facing Daniel, Mr. Whittaker lifted his shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. "All we can do is try to get that information out to anyone who will listen. If you don't hear a radio broadcast within the next seventy-two hours, I want you to transmit that information to the Space Station any way you can. The bunker has generators, provisions, and a radio tower. You can live there for months before you run out of fuel, and it's the best I can do on short notice. Take Doctor Adams though the north gate like you always do, and I'll take care of the rest."

Daniel raised his hand in protest. "How do we know—"

"No time!" the other man interjected, already moving toward the door. Stopping short of Echo, he dipped his chin and lowered his gaze. "I am so sorry for what I put you through," he whispered. When he finally looked at her, the deep blue reminded her of someone else, but much younger. His face, like the fuzzy memory phantom, was so expressive and open — muscles twitched in his cheek under several days of a fresh beard, his nostrils flared as if he held back strong emotion, and most of all, guilt creased the line between his brows.

Taking her hand in both of his warm palms, he squeezed them as if attempting to impart comfort through his touch. "I can never ask your forgiveness for subjecting you to these experiments. I only wanted a cure for my wife. Not... this. Never this."

What was this? She jerked her hand, but the man clung to her like a lifeline. As if she alone could provide the absolution he obviously craved.

Her neck pulsed and her head spun as breathing became difficult. She'd always known these people had wanted a cure to the disease, to experiment on her as one of the only immune survivors to the disease, but Echo had never once suspected she'd meet the man responsible for her captivity. Good intentions or not, her predicament was his fault.

Echo gasped, trembling in place. "You did this to me?"

He closed his eyes.

This whole time, she'd been poked, prodded, and humiliated because of him. Though she empathized with his love for his wife, Echo wanted nothing more than to slap him. She wanted to scream profanities until her voice refused to function.

Stifling a sob, she tore her hand out of his and stepped aside, allowing him access to the door. Then she rubbed her hand against her hip, hoping to somehow wipe away the lingering warmth and contamination of his touch. "You're a selfish bastard," she spat before she could stop herself. "Instead of forcing me to comply, you could have asked." But he hadn't— Mr. Whittaker had chosen to revoke her right to free agency.

"I know," he agreed in a contrite tone. Reaching for the door, he paused once he touched the keypad long enough to add, "I don't deserve your forgiveness or understanding. You have every right to be angry. I told you because you deserve the truth and your freedom. Be warned: if others discover your immunity, they will come for you. Stay hidden and do your best to survive."

Without another word, he exited the room. Fatigue replaced her anger, draining her until she sank to her knees and shivered. Echo shook her head over and over, confused by this man's startling change of heart.

Daniel sat across from her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry."

What good would his apologies do when everyone had robbed Echo of her dignity and most basic rights? Nothing could undo that kind of damage — physical and psychological alike. No, best to place a temporary pin in that subject and focus on the questions that mattered.

She crawled forward until their knees touched, and she pressed her head to his chest while he rested his hands on her hips. He smelled good — masculine with a hint of sandalwood. "Can we trust him?" Echo asked after a moment of allowing his steady heartbeat against her skin calm her nerves. "How do we know it's not a twisted attempt to expose our escape and eliminate you?"

Daniel planted a kiss on her crown. "I do, actually." His finger touched her chin, and he slowly lifted Jeannie's head so she could face him. Full lips formed a cautious smile as his eyes crinkled in affection he only ever displayed for her. A faded scar ran through his dark brow, hardly noticeable against his pale complexion. "I have never approved of John's methods, but everyone here knows how desperate he is to save his wife. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and I've never known him to lie. Misguided as his efforts were, he's not the type to purposely deceive. He's tenacious, but I believe whatever he found was enough to abandon his futile quest."

Enough to relinquish the only hope he had to save the woman he loved. An unbidden memory of hard metal and pulling the trigger flashed, inciting a moment of panic inside her chest. Eric had died at her hands because she'd had no choice but to kill him. Was John killing his wife by giving Echo her freedom?

She stuffed her panic into a mental box and breathed while focusing on nice things: kittens, hazelnut coffee, and books. She realized she'd missed reading, and hoped the new facility might have a small library.

Once sure she wouldn't squeak, she asked, "Will you stay with me?"

If he said no, Echo would accept his answer and find a way to move on. However, Daniel immediately eased her anxiety by cupping her cheek and meeting her in a kiss. "You can't get rid of me that easily, Missy. Whether we can be together in a physical capacity remains to be seen, but I have no plans to ever leave your side. My heart is yours."

His words gave her courage to take that leap of faith and accept Mr. Whittaker's offer. Even if this was a means to set them up, she may not receive another opportunity to leave, and if Daniel trusted him not to screw them over, she had to hope for the best.

***

Like they did most nights, Echo and Daniel emerged through the North Gate at eleven pm. Instead of the normal soldiers they'd familiarized themselves with, a new squad of unknown faces greeted them, watching her with varying expressions of awe and trepidation. They didn't back away from her, but no one quite met her eyes either. Instead, they all held their rifles pointed toward the ground and averted their stares into the black landscape beyond the facility.

Lights illuminated the immediate proximity of the building's exit, gradually dimming into a void of nothingness. A pickup truck idled nearby — whether it was blue, black, or dark gray, she couldn't tell — and a thin man in black pants and a fleece jacket and cap left his position by the vehicle to approach them. Lines hardened his weathered face, and his shrewd eyes spoke of a violent past. Whoever he was; he'd known war, even before the apocalypse.

"Major Orson?" he asked, saluting when Daniel nodded. "Sergeant Ackerman. Whittaker and his assistant Diego Castellano told me to assist you in any way possible." He inclined his head to Echo despite offering her no such reverence. "Last time I saw you, I was convinced you were a goner. Nice to see you pulled through."

Echo curled her lip in disgust, ready to fire an angry retort his way, but Daniel beat her to it. "Watch your mouth," he snapped in a hushed tone. "She's not infected."

Raising his hands in defense, the man cleared his throat. "Sorry, sir. I meant no offense."

"What's the plan?" Daniel didn't bother with pleasantries, nor did he seem to care about anything this man had to say. That guy may as well have been a bug for all Daniel cared. Direct, to the point, but always kind to Echo. She adored that about him.

The soldier spun on his heel and motioned them toward the vehicle, speaking quietly as they walked. "Right. The truck is stocked with enough food to last you several days if you ration. I assume you've already been briefed on your mission? Diego didn't go into details — said it was need to know, and I trust him. Good guy."

Echo didn't miss the bemused eyebrow quirk on Daniel's face, as if to indicate this man talked too much. A giggle bubbled inside her chest, and she held her breath in an effort to contain herself.

Without missing a beat, Daniel quickly scanned his surroundings before addressing the lower ranking official. "What about everyone here? Are they aware of what's happening?"

Ackerman shook his head as he stopped at the humming vehicle, out of earshot from anyone who might eavesdrop. "If you mean to ask if they'll snitch, the answer is no. Diego helped train this platoon before he was pulled for other duties, and we've built a solid bond since then. Considering they were outcasts when we received the assignment, I'm quite happy with their progress. They're as loyal as you can get, and they won't question my orders."

Interesting. But that was always the way with bullied people. Echo wasn't sure why she remembered this and not other aspects of her life, but shared experiences tended to bring people closer. Instinct told her to trust them.

Opening the front passenger door, Ackerman extended his hand and helped her climb inside. Then he closed the door and walked around the truck, waiting for Daniel to slide into the front seat and roll down the window. "You've got a radio in there, so keep it on and try not to get stopped by raiders. Avoid the large cities and follow whatever instructions were you given. We've received disturbing reports of raiders and looters banding together, stealing or outright murdering unsuspecting survivors. There are backpacks with supplies in the back seat, and two rifles with ammo."

"Thank you, Sergeant. You don't know how much I appreciate this."  The hostility had left Daniel's inflection and body language, and the officer nodded his thanks.

Ackerman saluted and backed away as Daniel shifted gears, keeping his foot on the brakes. "Good luck, sir."

"And to you."

Rolling up the window and turning on the radio, Daniel eased the truck along the only road leading away from the facility. When the lights faded into specks behind them, he released a rushed breath and unclenched the steering wheel, flexing his knuckles as they all cracked in unison. Then he shot Echo a hopeful smile while placing a hand on her knee and squeezing it. "Are you ready to depart for the unknown?"

Electric adrenaline charged through her veins. For the first time since waking up on that bed all those weeks ago, Echo had nothing left to tether her to captivity. With a new identity and destination, all she had left was to love her life the way she wanted. With Daniel by her side, she could do anything.

Covering his large hand with her tiny palm, she smiled, more elated than ever. "Only if you are."

His fingers found hers, and they rode together into the night, anticipating the future to come.

Hiiiiiiiiiii!

I was lazy and didn't bother with an author's note last chapter, but what did you think?

I had a moment last chapter where I realized what was holding me back from the ending. I knew how I wanted to end the story, but there was one small thing missing that just kept nagging at me. Then, like magic, it all came together. I love when that happens.

So... let's recap a bit. What are your thoughts on John Whittaker now vs his introduction?

What about all the time Jeannie spent here just to finally her freedom? Do you think it's for real or a setup?

How about Taylor's reconciliations with those who hurt him? Or his moments with Diego?

We are very close to book three, and I know my updates have been slow. I keep apologizing, but you have no idea how tough these past two years have been. I could write a novella just based on that, but we'll leave it with me saying it's been absolute hell.

I want to thank each and every one of you for sticking with me this far. Now it's time to finish our marathon to the finish line as we gear up for the final story.

If you loved this chapter, don't forget to vote! Thank you all so much for reading!