“This way,” he says once he’s back at my side.
He hands me the second volunteer jacket, and I put it on as he leads me down the hallway. Each door is painted a different color. We stop in front of an orange one, and Adam knocks twice. When there’s no response, he pushes it open.
A tiny girl lies in a hospital bed with a dozen tubes coming out of her. Her head is shiny and smooth. Her eyes are closed, her pink lips just slightly open. Her small hands grip the edge of the covers as she breathes slowly. My heart clenches; she’s so young, so tiny, so innocent. I’ll never forgive Lynne for what she’s done, but seeing her daughter like this helps me understand why she fought so hard to save her.
Adam moves beside the bed and opens the Doctor Who lunch box he brought. He pulls out one of the three doses of the cure we found on Lynne’s body and hooks it up to the girl’s IV.
“I’ll have to come back tomorrow night to do the second one,” he says as he steps back. “It has to be delivered over three days, one dose every twenty-four hours.”
“But it’ll work?” I ask. “She’ll be cured?”
“I think so. It seemed to work for my mom. We won’t know for sure till she goes back in for tests, but I can already tell she’s a lot better.”
“Good.” Lynne’s daughter shouldn’t have to pay for her mother’s mistakes. And once Adam figures out how to make the cure, he’ll be able to save even more lives. It took Adam ten years in that other future, but now he won’t be burdened by grief or trying to figure out who killed us. He can focus on his destiny.
“How much does your mom know about the cure?” I ask.
“Not much. I told her I got an experimental drug and she wasn’t allowed to ask how. I’m sure she thinks I did something illegal, but so far she hasn’t asked too many questions.”
The door opens and an older woman asks, “Who are you?” Her eyes are red, like she’s been crying, but she looks exactly like an older version of Lynne with darker hair. Her mother, I guess.
“We’re volunteers,” Adam says with a warm smile. “Just checking on her.”
The woman nods, and we slip past her and out the door. As it shuts, I see her take the girl’s hand, and I breathe a little easier knowing Lynne’s daughter won’t grow up alone. I hope she still becomes a pediatrician and a mom, like I saw in Lynne’s photos.
We take the elevator down a floor and find room D117. Chris opens his eyes when we enter, his face ashen. My heart lifts seeing him alive. Those pictures I saw of his body are only memories of a future that will never happen, not anymore.
“Hey,” he says, sitting up. The blanket slips down, revealing a large bandage on his side. “Didn’t think I’d see you two again.”
“Had to come see how you’re holding up,” Adam says. “How are you feeling?”
“Like hell, but I’ll live.”
“What happened?” I ask.
“Trent gave me the cure to hide, but Lynne threatened to go after Shawnda if I didn’t give it to her. I got your message right before meeting with her, but I had to hand the cure over. Barely got away in time. Still took a bullet to the chest, but I’m alive, thanks to you. I won’t forget that.”
My throat tightens up with emotion, knowing he trusted me enough in the end to listen to my warning. I manage to get out, “Glad you made it.”
“And the two of you took her down.” He whistles, which dissolves into a short round of coughing. He clutches his side and then takes a deep breath. “I just wish…Zoe and Trent…”
“Me too.” I bow my head, and Adam squeezes my hand.
“I’m sorry about before and everything I said. I was wrong about both of you.” Chris clasps my hand and then Adam’s. “Although you’re still the biggest nerd around.”
“I’m okay with that,” Adam says with a grin.
We chat for a few minutes about Chris’s plans for the future and promise to keep in touch. As we leave, we pass Shawnda in the hall, and I smile knowing her son will grow up with a father now. Hopefully he won’t end up in prison this time.