Chapter 49: A New Age

I was suffocating. I wanted to breathe urgently, but I couldn't. A loud murmur in my ears didn't let me focus on anything, and I felt like I was spinning.

Someone tugged at me to pull me hard, and the noise in my ears jerked away, letting others come: car alarms, people yelling, and men giving orders. I was able to swallow a whole gulp of air at last.

"Marien!" that voice called me, making me react.

I focused my gaze on his face as he shook me. Finally, I was able to be aware of my surroundings. We had fallen into the lake. I coughed a little from the lack of air and the water I'd swallowed.

"Sirius," I muttered.

He showed me his dreamy smile and hugged me. What had happened? I didn't remember. I was confused. Was this my paradise? With him? If so, I was grateful.

"We did it!" he said, bringing his forehead to mine as he continued smiling.

What?

I finally reacted. Had we made it? We had made it, and we were alive together. Then, I thought I remembered.

The explosion had a countdown, an extra five seconds, enough for a speedy evolved man to wrap me in his arms and run away to jump out the window—a stroke of luck that seemed to have been predestined.

It was all over. I chuckled and hugged him tightly, looking for his lips to give him a big kiss.

"We did it!" I exclaimed happily.

He let out his beautiful and manly laugh, advancing a little in the water while I held onto him. I kissed his cheek and closed my eyes. I breathed, relieved, and calmed myself more with his aroma. We reached the shore and sat on it.

"Hey!" yelled a familiar voice. "Are you okay?"

We turned around; it was Max who was swimming.

"All good!" Sirius replied.

Max smiled, stopped moving, and floated on his back in the water.

"Well, I guess we are lucky to be alive," he said. "Thanks for pulling me out, but you know? I'll stop hanging out with you. The drama haunts you." He splashed. "Holy God..."

I remembered Sirius's injuries and immediately straddled him to examine him.

"Hey, calm down!" Max demanded.

"I want to see his injuries!" I replied.

My boy was looking at me with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

"They must have healed a bit by now," he murmured in his seductive voice. "But if you like, examine me..."

"Exit signal," Max complained and swam away.

I chuckled as I watched him go. Sirius gently cupped my chin, turning my face to meet his eyes, which were now shining mischievously, matching his smile. He kissed me, making me lose myself in his mouth.

We went to the hospital; the evolved men were retiring in peace, and many offered to help repair the damage.

On the way, we meet our friends: Rosy, Marcus, John, Tania, and some of Max's soldiers. There were also Acrux, the brothers, and another EH. He was older, with eyes of a rare mustard color. When he saw me, he smiled slightly. They were injured; they had indeed fought to protect my friends.

"Marien, Anthony, you're fine!" exclaimed Rosy, who came running.

She wrapped us both in her embrace, crying and smiling simultaneously. She was undoubtedly shocked. The others approached as well.

"Wow, what a relief," Tania said.

Max came over and rubbed her head, ruffling it. Acrux glanced at the EH and then at me. The man approached.

"Young lady, it's nice to meet you," he greeted.

"The pleasure is mine," I said, confused, "but who are you?"

He barely smiled again.

"I'll start by saying that I met your parents." I was surprised. "They saved my life. Honorable people."

"How?" I mumbled, dumbfounded.

"I was held captive in a laboratory. They studied me, but they refused to harm me. They used to tell me about you and that the government wanted to hire you for another investigation." He was saddened a little. "They also suspected that the government was targeting them for denying their wishes. They were worried about you... On the day of the attack, we immediately realized that those evolved were being controlled. I wanted to stay and protect them, but they insisted that those men were only looking for them. And there were too many. They also didn't want me to die, so they helped me escape." He took a paper from his pocket. "I got this for you..."

I took it without being able to believe what I was hearing.

"When I returned to my community, I spread rumors about experiments and the controlled EH. I had to find you somehow, one day. And then, I met this young man," he pointed to Acrux. "He told me about the things he had lived here, and I knew right away that he had met Dr. Ramos' daughter."

I read the text on the paper, written in a hurry.

"Dear daughter, we are sorry to leave you alone like this, but somehow, we already knew what would happen. We were about to warn you. Please don't help them exterminate the EH; they are good people, and we have the proof. We know quite a few, and they are quite honorable. Take good care of yourself, and excuse us for abandoning you. We love you; we will always love you; we pray that you get to read this and that destiny protects you..."

I felt Sirius's protective embrace and took refuge in his chest.

"I'm fine," I whispered as he comforted me. I looked at the sir. "Thank you..."

"It was a pleasure, and my name is Jaguar, to serve you," he replied.

I nodded, smiling—another weird but very fitting name. Sirius kissed me on the forehead under the surprised gaze of the evolved present, and my smile widened.

We accompanied them to the city's exit, where the invaders were retreating in an orderly manner.

"I'll be back in a few days," announced Acrux.

He gave Rosy a slight smile and left along with the others. After a few seconds, the press cut us off, wanting to know more about Sirius and the EH.

They asked him things until Max took one of the microphones and spoke, "Mr. President, as you can see, since I began to release information, I am afraid that a little misunderstanding has occurred all these years. From now on, this state will be ruled differently. Normal humans and evolved humans will be able to coexist in peace without intervening with each other."

Those in the press jumped in with many more questions as they took pictures non-stop.

***

The toxin was found, encapsulated in the building after the explosion, and destroyed. New rules were established: humans wishing to visit EH and vice versa had to testify where they were going, how long it would be, and with whom they would be.

Of course, it rarely happened. There were still many differences between cultures: humans with free will and the EH with demure customs. Even so, peace came, and the rest of the world joined the cause, reaching the same agreements. Humanity was once again one.