The writer gives life to a story, the reader keeps it alive.
Eldenath and her future family materialised on the mountain, 3992, overlooking the sea, where a Chinese woman, who she didn’t know, and her great aunt Heyem, (a younger, past version of Heyem) stood. The floating Asylum ship is in the distance on the horizon.
Alexand has managed to get more information from Sister Ancille about her father’s potential murderers.
Alexand returned from the barn alone, and Heyem and Antun saw that the grave robber had disappeared along with the mysterious Field Marshal Panak. Alexand turns off the light so it is dark enough for them to see a projection on the wall. (Happy New Year everyone.)
Antun Rekaya has been quite shaken up by his niece Alexand’s recent high-profile announcement, against an invisible enemy, that she believes responsible for infecting her with that virus. Antun remembers being taken from his own home as a boy, in Russia, and seeing his parents murdered. He has a very bad feeling that history is about to repeat itself, as it is rumoured that the people responsible for annexing Russia are these Amanojuko fundamentalists. Antun has been guarding his children obsessively, to the point of madness.
Alexand has been receiving letters from her family, concerned about her exposing the Amanojuko, and the latest letter arrives from her Uncle Antun. She opens it, feeling responsible and accountable, but she is now three months pregnant, and suffering severe morning sickness, her career is demanding, and she is bickering with Jarad again. She feels very alone as she opens up her uncle’s letter, and wishes that Katherine was here.
Alexand managed to persuade Doctor Azizi to disconnect her from the wires, and remove the sedative drugs. He has hooked her up to a mobile drip, which feeds Katherine’s inhibitor into her bloodstream at regular intervals. Her Uncle Antun helps her into the living room.
Antun Rekaya has turned his youngest son’s bedroom into a hospital room for Alexand. Alex hasn’t woken, since she arrived, because Doctor Azizi has sedated her in an attempt to stabilise her. Jarad hasn’t left her bedside for two weeks.
The group prepare themselves for the journey into Amanojuko territory.
Before Alex had to leave for a five-month tour of duty to Australia, she asked her brother Farokh to make sure Katherine was looking after herself properly. (She gave him a spare key to her apartment.) Two months have passed since Farokh was asked, and he hasn’t visited, due to the fact he forgot, and is also mildly frightened of the rather austere Katherine. Guilt overrides Farokh’s selfish reluctance, and he makes his way towards Katherine’s apartment to carry out Alexand’s request. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
