Chapter Sixty-One Faith

The hub was crowded, and a sense of anticipation filled the room. Faith hung back, not wanting to taint the optimistic mood. On the screen at the front, a news report was playing. Stella Thane was presenting a special feature on the recent changes in Bellator. Danforth's downfall meant she could broadcast publicly, and the smile on her face was triumphant.

Side-by-side on armchairs opposite the Bellator Blade reporter sat Madeleine and Kemp.

"We know that things feel very unstable right now," the Resistance leader was saying, staring directly into the camera, "but as your temporary leaders, we want to reassure you. We are doing our very best to bring order to the city as quickly as possible. We want to work together with you all to rebuild a Bellator we can be proud of."

"In the short term," Kemp took over, "this means repairing the damage caused by the recent explosions, the protests on the streets, and the riot at the government buildings." She too stared earnestly into the camera. "In the long term, though, we hope to restore more than just bricks and mortar."

Beside her, Madeleine was nodding. "As you all know, Chancellor Danforth died a week ago in a violent stand-off at her company, BellaLab Corp. We have all come to understand what a terrible hold she had over the citizens of Bellator. How underhanded she was. How her claims to have the women of the city's best interests at heart were utterly false. Her passing allows us to restore faith and trust in the city." She paused, her tone changing. "Better than that, it gives us a chance to create something new. A society which respects the opinions of its people."

"A society," Kemp chimed in, "which seeks to reestablish relations with existing males and rebuild trust between the genders." She shifted in her chair. "Men are not our enemies, and, in time, we hope you will all come to accept this."

Faith silently applauded the sentiment. The actions of people in both communities had paved the way for relationships between them to develop and flourish. She searched the room for Noah, finding him seated next to Paulo on the other side of the room. Their eyes met for a second before she glanced back at the screen.

As Kemp seamlessly picked up Madeleine's cues, Faith marvelled at their partnership. They had volunteered to run the city until democratic elections could be held, but Faith had no doubt that they would be elected.

Things ran smoothly under their influence. The professor did an excellent job of balancing out Madeleine's impulsive nature, and she, in turn, spurred Kemp into action. In the week that they had been jointly in charge, they had already made huge strides towards restoring order in the city and confidence in its leaders.

The bodies of Jacob and Sarah had been returned to Eremus for burial. As a mark of respect, as well as attending the small ceremony they had held for Avery in the city, Madeleine herself had travelled with the group returning them. It sent a clear message about the relationship she wanted to build with the woodland community. Sanders' research notes had been destroyed. Following that, working parties had been sent to clear the rubble from the warehouses, ensuring that none of the drugs remained.

There would be no more fertility experiments. The sense of relief Faith felt at the news was overwhelming.

Every single one of the girls rescued from the academy had survived. They were now being housed in specialised withdrawal units in the Bellator Hospital. The long-term effects of the large doses of femgazipane remained to be seen, but Madeleine had pledged the government's continued support. The girls would be given every available course of treatment to minimise the damage done by the drug.

Thankful that none of them had been given metraxilone, Faith was hopeful that the girls would all be able to make a full recovery. Hammond was the only one to have received the second, more drastic drug, and she had never been given femgazipane. She, too, was in the hospital, but so far it looked like the drug would not have long-lasting effects when given in isolation. Once recovered, Madeleine and Kemp had promised to transfer her to a secure unit where she could await trial for her part in the atrocities committed by the ex-chancellor.

On the screen, Kemp paused as Stella introduced a news report from the previous day. The video feed showed the academy seniors being led back into the city by Anna. Supporting the girls were numerous Eremus citizens, both male and female. There had been some nerves amongst the Bellator women at the idea of the men openly walking the streets, but Kemp and Madeleine had managed the situation well.

The Bellator people had been informed of the event in advance, and given the chance to stay home if they felt uncomfortable. The route the group was taking through the streets had been well-publicised, as had the timing of the event. If the women wanted to avoid the proceedings, they could.

Despite this, hundreds of citizens had arrived to welcome the girls home. No incidents of violence had erupted on the streets, and there had been a nervous optimism in the air. Any citizens who objected to or feared males had simply stayed home. And the men accompanying the students had behaved respectfully, which had gone a long way towards restoring confidence.

"As you can see, the girls from the Danforth Academy were brought safely to the Bellator Hospital yesterday." Madeleine smiled into the camera. "We would like to extend a vote of thanks to the Eremus people, who concealed and cared for the students at a time when Chancellor Danforth had placed them in grave danger."

Faith was glad that the Eremus people were finally getting some good press. Having them shelter the seniors in the caves had been an excellent move. For once, they were being viewed as heroic in the eyes of the city. It had created a fragile bond between the two communities which Kemp and Madeleine were keen to build on.

Since delivering the girls to the hospital, most of the Eremus citizens had returned to their home in the forest, but Faith hoped it wouldn't be long before they were welcomed into the city again. Only by spending time with one another could they hope to move on from the years of fear and resentment.

A few notable members of the forest community had remained in the city. Ruth was still in hospital, though she was recovering well from her injury. Faith glanced across the room at Ella, whose eyes were shining with pride at the positive reference to her home.

The young woman had returned to Bellator with Helen the previous day. They had gone straight to the hospital to visit Ruth. When she had arrived back at the library later, Ella had hugged Faith tightly. She and Helen were so grateful they would have the chance to be together now that the barriers between the communities were breaking down.

Perhaps, Faith hoped, the same could be true for her and Noah.

To Ella's left, his face as dark as hers was bright, sat Harden Porter.

When the Resistance had gone inside the temporary government headquarters, they had come across Sarah's son locked in one of the cells, unharmed. He'd been brought back to the Resistance headquarters, but when he'd learned of his ma and Jacob's deaths, he hadn't known where to go. Like Hammond, both Karl and Denton were locked up in the city's jail, awaiting trial for their part in Jacob's plot.

Harden's only remaining friend was Sil. She had fled to Eremus soon after his capture, begging their forgiveness. The community had allowed her back, but Faith suspected it would take years for her to regain their trust, if she ever did.

Proud as ever, Harden had refused to do the same. But with no real home or friends in the city, he had found himself in a sort of no-man's land. For now, he had accepted Madeleine's offer of shelter at the library. But he was far from happy living among the women he'd spent years hating.

"…so it's with great pleasure," on the screen, Madeleine was gesturing to her left, "that I introduce a third member of our leadership team."

The camera panned across to the final member of the Eremus community who remained in the city: Anna. She smiled gracefully at the camera, but the telltale tapping of her finger against the arm of her chair gave away her nerves to those who knew her well.

"As a woman who has experienced life in both Bellator and Eremus, Anna provides the perfect connection between the two." Madeleine was beaming. "She offers us a fresh perspective on the situation, and has already made multiple suggestions about ways we can improve relations between our communities."

Behind the smile, Anna looked sad. Madeleine had been thrilled when Noah's ma had offered to stay in Bellator. She and Kemp were hoping Anna's influence would ease the transition between the old world and the new, bringing them to a point where males were treated as equals, and might even serve on the Bellator government. Madeleine had praised Anna for her selflessness several times.

Faith knew there was more to it than that. Anna wanted to be a part of the new world as much as Faith and Noah. But moving to the city was also her way of dealing with her grief. Memories of Flynn were everywhere in the caves, and being there right now was painful. Working to bridge the chasm between the two communities was Anna's way of honouring his memory. If they made a success of it, he would not have died in vain.

Faith suspected Anna would spend the rest of her life making sure of it.

For now, Madeleine and Kemp were keeping the public leadership team female. Until the Bellator citizens were used to having men around, it seemed the sensible way to go. Few would object to the three women, if they continued to restore peace in the city. And, when the time was right, they could bring some males on board.

Kemp and Madeleine were already working with men behind the scenes. Paulo had proved himself extremely helpful over the past week, bringing in a team each day to help clear the rubble from the devastated warehouses. Charlie was always by his side. The ex-guard had changed him, and Faith suspected she was the reason he wanted to make a good impression on the women of the city.

Another male who had been extremely active was Arden. More confident than the ordinary drudge due to his years as a Resistance spy, he had shown a natural aptitude for organisation. He had already set up a support system for Danforth's slaves, some of whom were struggling to adjust to a life of freedom. And he had big plans to unite the network of drudges across the city, allowing them to play a more equal, important role in the community.

Things were changing.

On the screen, the camera panned back to Kemp.

"In closing, we would like to say how grateful we all are for the support and assistance of so many. If we hadn't been united, we could never have come this far." As she paused to take a sip of water, Faith could see her bracing herself to go on. "But we cannot forget that some of those people are no longer with us." She bowed her head a little. "We would like to take a moment to remember them."

Strains of gentle music swelled in the background. An image of Serene, the first victim of Danforth's experiment, appeared on the screen, followed by her age and the dates of her birth and death.

As Sophia's name flashed up, Faith turned away.

She wasn't ready to see the faces of her friends yet. The deaths of Sophia, Flynn, Robyn and Diane.

Hoping she could escape without attracting attention, Faith stood up and crept towards the door.