Page 68 of Resistant

I work through it anyway, on the off chance that I stumble over something. My notes and reading materials are spread out all over the place in a mess and I feel as discombobulated as they are.

Sasha told us about genes and radiation resistance in humans. I don’t find anything about this in humans, only yeast, and my frustration level grows. I need help.

“You find anything out anything amazing about me?” Brynn says from the doorway.

“I know lots of amazing things about you Angel, but none of them help me solve the mystery of why you’ve never gotten sick from radiation exposure.

We have to assume that you have super scrubber cells that eradicate the radiation from your body. I don’t have any way to measure radiation exposure, and without a full lab and scientists who understand more about genetics than I do, we are at an impasse.”

Brynn shrugs.

“Who knows really? Is this some kind of political ploy to gain power? Because there’s nothing special about me.”

“No, Angel, you are wrong. There is so much that is special, no spectacular, about you.”

The look on her face turns from disbelief into something like panic and I decide the shut the fuck up before I scare her more.

“Breakfast?” I ask as my stomach rumbles right on que and Brynn smiles.

“Yeah, I can help with that.”

Girls, Girls, Girls

Brynn

On Wednesday, Sasha shows up in the morning with clean laundry. Declan left about half an hour ago to go confront Knox. I have no idea when he will be back, and I’m wandering the bungalow on pins and needles.

Sasha smiles when she realizes we are alone.

“First, I need to tell you. I didn’t find any evidence of David being in the camp. I’m sorry, Brynn. I had so hoped…”

Her face crumples and we share a moment as mothers, grieving for our children. She hugs me briefly and changes the subject.

“How are things going with Declan?” She raises a brow.

I shrug, “Well… good, I guess. The situation is impossible, but he seems to genuinely care about me, and has promised to help me get my children.”

“How does that make you feel, Brynn?”

“Uncomfortable.”

“You don’t like asking for help, do you?”

“I don’t know. There was a time that was true, and I met my husband, and things clicked in to place after that. But now?” I shrug.

“I don’t know who to trust, you know? And I wasn’t looking for this…whatever this is.”

She smiles.

“Yes, I do know. As a matter of fact, I came here today needing to trust in you, and I’m faced with the same dilemma. I need someone to help me get to my girls, and I don’t know you well. But sometimes when we’ve worked together, I’ve seen who you are, the woman you hide away. All the emotions take over your face in a rush until you can’t hide it from anyone, well anyone who is paying attention. And I thought to myself, that I needed someone like you on my side, a woman, amotherwho still has compassion, and a willingness to love.”

She chokes up and turns her face from me. She strikes me as the type of woman who doesn’t like to show weakness, and I realize this is hard for her. I grab her hand and hold it in mine.

“It’s okay, I understand.”

“I know you do, Brynn. It’s why I’m here. It’s why I’ve been helping you in secret all this time when you didn’t even know it. When I figured out who you were, I thought that maybe if I could get you out, then you could protect my girls.”

“Why aren’t you trying to get yourself out?”

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