Ophelia had been working as hard as she could, along with the other engineers, to fully understand the alien’s technology and they were starting to see the results of their dedication.
If it weren’t for Jonathan’s presence, Ophelia would have felt she had the best job in the whole universe. But the man hadn't given up pursuing her. She was careful to never be alone with him in the same room, but it felt awkward having him watching her all the time.
She hadn't told Bretdon about it because she didn’t want to cause any kind of trouble in the community, but the situation was a bit tiring.
Two weeks after they returned from the Taucets’ colony, they finally had news from the camp where her mother was being held, prisoner.
“They finally lowered their guard. We spread the rumor that Bretdon had taken you off the planet, and after so long without hearing from you, they finally became convinced of it,” James explained.
“The camp now has their usual number of guards and a couple of injured cyborgs, recovering from the battlefield,” Brian, one of James’ men added.
“According to our source, your mother is staying in one of the large quarters for single women, in the middle of the camp,” Sandra explained. “This complicates things a bit, but with Bretdon and Kirkcal on our side, I’m sure we can take over the camp.”
“Don’t you think this could be a trap?” Ophelia asked, a bit worried.
“No, they just have other things to worry about. The Taucets have gained some more terrain, despite the colonies the government has destroyed. It’s unlikely to actually be a trap,” James replied.
“How many people live in this camp?”
“There are approximately three thousand people there, according to our contact. It’s a small camp, compared with others we’ve attacked,” James replied. “We go in during the night, to a specific area and free those that want to be freed.”
“How do you manage to get in?” Ophelia asked, curious.
“We usually hit the quarters closer to the edges of the camps, but it’s not the first time we’ve gone this far. We just need a bigger distraction to keep the soldiers busy, while we do what we have to do.”
She nodded, but there was still a slight frown on her forehead. “We won’t attack tomorrow. We’ll wait at least one more week before we send our people,” Sandra warned. “There’s no use in being hasty about these things.”
Ophelia agreed. “What kind of distraction do you create?”
“It depends on the camp. This time, we’ll fake a Taucets attack, forcing the soldiers to come out to fight, while another group enters the camp,” explained James.
“We usually warn people they have a way out, as we go in to get the people we’ve targeted and outside the camp, there’s another group, putting those who decide to escape in the vehicles and getting them out of there,” Brian added.
“It’s a massive operation,” Ophelia said, concerned.
“Yes, of course, it has to be. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to rescue more than a couple of people each time we raid one of these camps,” James assured her.
Sandra pulled something from an envelope and showed it to Ophelia. “Our contact identified this woman as your mother, but we would like you to confirm it for us,” she said.
Ophelia took the picture and examined it. In the photo, her mother was coming out of some sort of military barracks wearing clothing Ophelia knew didn’t belong to her.
Her mother only wore colorful clothes, combining them in ways most people found shocking, but they always looked great on her. The gray jumpsuit she wore was definitely not part of her wardrobe. She looked sad, and the frown on her forehead was something she hadn't often seen on her mother’s face.
“Yes, that’s her,” she confirmed when she was able to push down the knot closing her throat.
“We’ll get her out of there, and soon you’ll have her with you,” Sandra comforted her.
She nodded and gave her a faint smile.
“We’ll discuss the final details of the rescue the day before we decide to attack,” James concluded the meeting.
They got up from the table where they were assembled, and Bretdon wrapped his arm around her waist, to guide her to their room.
“I know you’re worried, but I’m sure things will work perfectly. With Kirkcal and me in the group, there won’t be any surprises, and we’ll be out of there before they even know what hit them,” he assured her.
“I hope you’re right. I just wish I could do something else other than stay behind praying,” she grumbled, frustrated.
“We’ve discussed this before,” he told her in a firm tone.
“I know, but that doesn’t change my feelings.”
“This will be over soon, you’ll see,” he assured her.
A few days later, the rescue team finally left for the camp. Ophelia hated seeing them leave, but she kept her feelings to herself, wishing them all the luck in the world and praying for their safe return.
“I know this must be hard for you, but you would only be in their way if you went with them,” Sandra told her, reading her like an open book.
She sighed. “I know. I just hate waiting.”
The older woman patted her shoulder. “I know the feeling. Each time they go out on these missions my heart wrenches a little bit. These people are my family, and I don’t want to lose any of them.”
“I shouldn’t have asked you to help us,” Ophelia said, with sorrow in her tone.
“You didn’t. We chose to do this, to help others escape. Our lives might not be perfect, but in this troubled world, there is no perfection, and at least, here we’re free to make our own decisions.”
“Yes, you’re right.”
“Just focus on your work. It will help you survive these next few hours,” she suggested, with a teasing smile.
“That’s exactly what I’ll do.” She hugged the older woman and headed to her room.
The men had left at sunset, choosing to travel at night, going as unnoticed as possible. They would be attacking the camp the following night.
She was about to get to her room when she heard a man’s voice calling out her name.
It was Jonathan.
“Ophelia, I heard the warriors finally left on their mission,” he said when he reached her.
“Yes, that’s right, they left a few minutes ago,” she confirmed it.
“You must be very anxious,” he said, stepping closer to her.
She stepped back with a frown. “Yes, of course. I can’t wait to have my mother back with me, but I would hate to see any of the men hurt in the process.”
“Yes, I’m sure of it,” he agreed, with an insolent smile. “But at least, you won’t have to put up with the cyborg’s company while he’s away,” he added, taking another step closer to her.
She frowned and once more, stepped away from him. “I believe you have the wrong idea about my relationship with Bretdon,” she said in an ice-cold tone.
“Oh, come on, next you’ll tell me you’ve fallen in love for that pile of metal,” he mocked her. “You do realize he’s just an improved android, able to act like a man, according to his programming, but still, just a machine.”
“My feelings, Jonathan, are my own business, but let me assure you, Bretdon is more human and a better man than you’ll ever be,” she replied with utter scorn.The man didn’t like her words, and for a moment, she thought he was going to attack her, but suddenly, he turned around and left.
Ophelia took a deep breath, relieved.
“Hi, Ophelia, how are you?” Marian’s voice sounded right behind her.
She turned around to greet the other woman, quickly understanding why Jonathan had left in such a hurry.
“Hi, Marian, I’m fine and you?”
“I’m alright, I guess, already missing the men,” she said, with sadness in her tone.
“Oh, I didn’t know you had a close friend amongst the warriors,” Ophelia said, smiling.
The girl’s face changed a bit, showing all her uncertainty and sorrow. “I’m not sure I can call him a close friend, he’s simply the man driving me crazy and taking me to paradise each night,” she replied, with a scowl.
It was obvious she didn’t know where she was standing with the man in question and Ophelia knew precisely, how she felt.
“I know what you mean,” she agreed, with a sympathetic tone.
“What makes these cyborgs so special?” the other girl asked.
“Cyborgs? You’re with Kirkcal?” Ophelia asked, surprised. She hadn't noticed anything.
“Hush, I don’t want people knowing about it,” she begged, blushing beautifully.
“Why not? Are you ashamed of it?” Ophelia asked, frowning.
“No, of course, not. I just want to keep it to myself. It still feels like a dream, you know? How the hell is it possible to feel so much pleasure? I had never met someone like him, and I’m not talking about the fact he’s a cyborg,” the girl explained, showing the same uncertainty Ophelia also felt.
“I have no idea, but I understand the way you feel.”
The girl sighed. “I knew you would.” She smiled and slid her arm on Ophelia’s as they walked the rest of the way to her room. “By the way, I saw you with Jonathan. You seemed to be arguing,” she said, furrowing her eyebrows.
“No, it was nothing, we were just having a difference of opinions,” she replied, still not wanting to sound ungrateful by complaining.
The girl snorted, unconvinced. “Please, be careful with him. He seems to think he’s irresistible to women and refuses to accept no for an answer,” the girl warned her.
“Yes, he has been after me, and the situation is getting out of control,” she admitted.
“I’ll tell you what, since it’s impossible to feel safe in this place, with no doors, we should sleep together, while the guys are away,” she suggested. “What do you think?”
Ophelia chuckled. “A sleepover! I haven’t had one of those in years. We’ll have a great time.”
“Walk me to my room, so that I can pick up a few clothes,” Marian asked, smiling.
Marian’s presence helped Ophelia take her mind off of what might be happening with the people that left on the rescue mission.
They spent part of the night chatting about their life experiences and the time she had spent in the Taucets colony.
“How bad was it?” Ophelia dared to ask.
“They marked us as if we were livestock, the minute we arrived at the colony. After that, they made a selection process to determine what kind of slave you’ll be. Mom and dad were selected as hard work slaves, but I wasn’t that lucky. A few days after our arrival, I was auctioned as a sex slave to the higher ranked aliens,” she explained.
“Oh, that’s terrible,” she muttered.
The girl shrugged. “According to the other women at the colony, I was lucky I wasn’t to be shared property. I was bought by just one alien, and he already had a couple of slaves, so I guess it could have been worst.”
Though her tone sounded plain, Ophelia knew there was a lot more she wasn’t telling her.
“How long were you there?”
“Six months. Several people were injured during the attack on the colony, and I suspect some even died. The soldiers didn’t seem to care there were hostages inside the walls of the colony,” she explained, with a bitter tone. “After the battle was over, they took us all to one of those so-called freedom camps. It was then that they explained we couldn’t go back to our old lives.”
“Why not?” Ophelia was outraged by the government’s actions.
“According to them, we had been marked as Taucet property, and they would be able to find us no matter where we hide, through the tracking devices inserted in us,” she replied, sighing.
“Why didn’t they just remove them?”
“They said they couldn’t. But when we got here, after Sandra’s people rescued us, the engineers were able to neutralize the tracking devices.”
“So, they’re using it as an excuse,” Ophelia concluded.
“Yes, that’s what I think too.”
They finally agreed to go to sleep after a few more minutes of chatting, but Ophelia wasn’t able to close her eyes. She was too worried about what might be happening at the camp where her mother was being held, prisoner.
There was too much at stake.
After a few minutes rolling in bed as silently as possible, Marian’s voice startled her.
“You can’t sleep, either?”
“I’m sorry. I’m worried.”
“I wasn’t sleeping either. They must be following the events in the control room. Would you like to go there and find out what’s going on?” Marian suggested.
“Can we do that?” she asked, jumping out of bed.
“I’m sure they will let us.”
“Please, take me there.”
They quickly changed their clothes, and just a few minutes later they were in the control room.
Marian asked one of the men there if they could come in and they agreed, once they knew who Ophelia was.
The place had several screens all over the place, transmitting live what was going on all over the caves and where the warriors’ group were gathered waiting to jump into action.
“When will they attack?” she asked, watching as the group started to divide and go separate ways. It was past two in the morning and the night was very dark, with no moon and a clouded sky.
“In a few minutes, when the attacking team starts with the distraction. Kirkcal will be in that group,” one of the men explained, pointing at one of the screens, where they were able to see the warriors quickly moving through the woods surrounding the camp.
“When we get confirmation the guards are on the other side of the camp, we’ll get in, with Bretdon guiding them. That should raise our chances of avoiding unpleasant surprises,” one of the other men added.
Ophelia nodded, her eyes set on the screen that showed Bretdon, her heart thundering painfully inside her chest.