Children of the Virus

34: No Looking Back

The vast canvas of the sky stretched overhead, a brilliant azure that matched the tranquility of the white buildings nestled below. Toshiro, Baz, and Ren, weary and cloaked in dust, stepped into the embrace of this serene landscape. Koda, her posture exuding authority, raised her hands and fluidly signed a welcome in the traditional Homsi way—a silent dance of fingers that spoke volumes.

"Koda!" Baz exclaimed, his smile wide and unmistakable.

A figure detached itself from the shade of a nearby portico, stepping forward with a grace that seemed to defy the seriousness of their situation. "I met someone you'll be thrilled to see," Koda said, her hands directing their attention to the newcomer.

"Juno!" Ren's surprise rang clear as the familiar face came into view.

"We're all here," Juno beamed, her tone light but her gaze carrying the weight of recent trials. Over a week had passed since they last stood side by side, yet here they were, reunited against odds that would have balked lesser spirits.

Baz, who seldom allowed emotions to surface, shed a single tear as he caught sight of Juno's safe form. With a few strides, he closed the distance between them and wrapped her in an embrace.

"What about Thaxter? Is he here too?" Toshiro asked, scanning the group for the quirky man known for breathing life into his machines.

Juno nodded in confirmation.

The group moved through Hassia's heart, where Koda's new residence stood. It was a home built upon the ideals of resistance, and its doors swung open to admit them into a space alive with the force of Rebellion. Only a single week had ticked by on the clocks of the world, yet their fight against Zo and his mechanized legions had laden each hour with desperation.

As the group settled down, Juno couldn't help but praise Ren's quick thinking. "I have to give credit to Ren," she exclaimed proudly. "She hacked a tracker onto the vehicle of the bounty hunter that took Alex. It was a brilliant move." Her voice was filled with admiration and respect for Ren's intelligence.

"Thank you, Juno, but how did you come to know about it?" Ren queried as she turned toward Baz with a knowing look.

"Ah, that would be my doing," Baz confessed, sheepish under Ren's questioning gaze. "You were down, fighting off that spyware. I didn't know when you would recover. The mission had to continue."

"Even so..." Ren started, her expression softening as understanding replaced her initial surprise.

"Moving on," Juno said with a brisk nod, eager to share the culmination of their efforts. "We've found the perfect person to help bring Alex back." She paused dramatically, her gaze flicking to the entrance just as it yielded to a tall woman with the confident stride of a born leader.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything," the stranger announced, her voice resonating with the cool clarity of command.

"Speaking of the devil," Juno said. "Everyone, meet Emily."

Toshiro watched as each rebel exchanged handshakes, feeling the subtle shift in the room as plans began to crystallize around this new ally. Emily's presence promised a turn in the tide—a hope they dared to grasp with both hands.

The group huddled around a holographic display, casting blueprints and images into the air above Koda's coffee table. Emily's fingers danced through the projections, pulling up a three-dimensional layout of a nondescript warehouse nestled in Beirut.

"Did you mention my intel?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the hovering schematics.

Juno responded with a subtle shake of her head.