Chapter Eight: Festered Wounds — Part 9

Aside — Gina Wakes Up. Part 4

“It’s where Arpie and I come from, and we never want to go back.” Opus says. “So why do we need to be right there at that time?”

“To save our species, maybe the entire biomass.” Gina says, causing Tomas to inhale with a sharp hiss.

“That sounds like such a very big task for two very small people. Are you certain we can do something like this, just by being there?” Opus says.

“Not just by being there, but by being there and being exactly who you are. I am certain that my results are accurate to a solid three sigma. I don’t have another month to seek a three point five sigma accuracy, as I have with the calibrating observations.”

Arpie has no idea what she is talking about, but Opus, who has grown up around engineers, smiles. “Such a low margin of error? To get to three Sigma, I would love to know your process.”

“So many people have said that to me. Bad people, usually.” Gina finds herself suddenly defensive, a slight frown on her face as memories wash up against her.

“Opus is simply a curious type.” Arpie says in that soothing tone he reserves for interrogating suspected murderers. “So you’re saying we should go?” This last comment is pointed to Opus. “I don’t want to be three weeks distant from the place I now call home just because somebody talks all science-y, especially when I have no proof or belief in sooth-saying.”

“She soothes things, all right.” Jenna’s statement is not a product entirely of intention, but she continues just the same, because she knows that despite her own dislike of Gina, something tells her that supporting the woman is both important and proper. “I have watched her ‘calibrate’ with great accuracy no less than six events, keeping people in each situation from harm.”

Gina looks sidewise, her expression one of surprise. “You have been a curious Jenna, haven’t you?”

“I’ve had my eye on you.” Jenna says.

Arpie’s face is pale, mostly because he remembers George talking about Jude’s line of research, about how Jude could predict the seemingly random events that would lead to unexpected collapse of engines and environments with deceptive accuracy. But predicting events and knowing exactly where somebody should be and when to change that event crossed a line in his head, the one separating impressed curiosity and creeping fear. In spite of this, it isn’t the idea of being sent on a fool’s errand that worries him. Should Gina prove right, should he need to be where she sends him, Arpie has serious doubts that his presence will have a positive impact on the lives of anybody still residing in the Glenn. There are so many people who are gunning for him, from what he has heard over Walker’s radio, and so few people who understand that in the name of Justice, he will murder as many people as it takes to balance the scales. As if sensing his thoughts, Opus puts a hand on his shoulder, the pressure and warmth restoring the calm of age and reason to his heart.

“I can’t promise I’ll keep my temper if I have dealings with the Major or his minions.” Arpie says.

“Don’t worry, Arps, I’ll keep both our tempers.” Opus says.

“It’s not right.” Jenna says suddenly.

“What’s not right?” Gina asks quietly.

“None of it — none of you. You’re not right. Nothing about you is right.” Jenna says, as if suddenly seeing everybody in a new and horrible light.

“Being a little harsh on the Guardian Angel, love?” Tomas says, careful not to be too forceful in his tone.

“She’s not a guardian angel. She’s a thief in the night and she changes time. No human being should be able to change things like she does. Those who heed her words, those people are evil.” Jenna sounds like she’s warning them, has that paranoid clip that is barely audible to anybody who doesn’t know her.

Having said this, Jenna gets up suddenly, takes to her horse, and rides away, moving at a fast clip that is within the animal’s limits. Despite all of her words, every motion is controlled; her voice never wavers from its central, passive nature. She doesn’t push her horse to desperation. She rides it back to the ranch at a set pace, leaving Gina to wonder why Jenna is upset. She realizes that she hardly knows the girl, and that she may never know what motivates her to be so cutting. Still, there is a certain sorrow creeping into Gina’s heart, a sadness brought on by foreknowledge with a 2.5 sigma rating.

“That was rude.” Arpie says, in way of being sociable.

“The mother and daughter are close.” Tomas says. “It will pass once the infection is treated.”

Gina feels tears coming to her eyes, and she keeps calm to spite them. “Oh, I can’t imagine a need to treat such wounds. Let them burn and scar. Let her suffer in her own way.”

“Such cruel words from an otherwise kind person?” Opus asks, unable to hide the surprise in his tone.

“I don’t have time for her.” Gina says, rising from her seat by the fire, pausing just long enough to thank Arpie and Opus for the courtesy of the meal.

She is careful to ride in a different direction, and more slowly, in order to give Jenna a chance to drop her horse off without coming into contact with Gina. Tomas looks deeply hurt by all of it. He alone has borne the women of the family, and he alone accepted Gina’s return with unguarded arms. He had never known her in person, before her recent return, but he knows that Gina is the force in Kia’s heart, a force of love and reason and need. Regina is Jenna’s namesake, because Kia needed to be reminded that in having the girl, she wasn’t betraying Gina’s memory. She needed to know that Gina had left her, and probably for good reason. In leaving, Gina had cared for all of Kia’s needs but the ones that absence causes. Despite this, Tomas was the first to forgive Gina when she returned. Now, however, knowing what she is capable of, he isn’t so certain that Gina deserves forgiveness. In fact, he is quite certain that in order to deserve forgiveness, she must first have done something to require it. Tomas is almost certain that where Kia is concerned, Gina is incapable of doing anything requiring forgiveness.

Advertise Here