Chapter 41 Shared Dreams

Chapter 41 Shared Dreams
The mountain lodge was really creaking under all the snow that was piling up against the windows. It was like the whole world outside was muffled and white. The snow was trying to cover up all the things that had happened. Inside the lodge the air was thick with the smell of woodsmoke and the smell of the kits. You could also smell the smell of baby powder from the newborn babies.

Iris was sitting on this couch in the main living area. Her body was aching over from running and fighting and not sleeping for days. There were ten kids around her. They were all snuggled up in blankets and pillows. Elias had his head on her shoulder. He was pretending to read a book.. Really he was watching the door to make sure nobody came in. Lila and Noah were curled up against her sides. They were holding onto her shirt even though they were sleeping.

Theo had finally fallen asleep with his head in her lap. Hope and Aurora and Dawn were sitting on the floor. They were playing a game of cards. They were being really quiet because they did not want to wake up the babies. The three newborn babies. Rose and Lily and Violet. Were sleeping in a bassinet. Claire was sleeping in a chair to them and she was still trying to recover from having the babies.

Lucien was standing by the fireplace. He was stirring the logs with a poker. He was being really rough. You could tell he was still really upset. He had not slept in days. He was still really angry. His shoulders were all tense. The scars on his side were pulling tight.

Iris looked over at Lucien. Their eyes met. They both knew that they had to keep their kids safe. They both knew that they had to protect them from all the people who were trying to hurt them. Lucien walked over to Iris. He dropped to his knees in front of the kids. He put one hand on Theos back and the other hand on Eliass hair. "The kids are safe for now " he said. "Reyes has the perimeter locked and Adams team is scouting the trails."

Iris reached out. She touched the new scar on Luciens jaw. "You are bleeding again " she said. "Let Amara check it.". Lucien just shook his head. He leaned in. He pressed his forehead to hers. "Later " he said. " Now I just need to be with you and the kids."

The kids were all snuggled up around them. You could feel the weight of their love. There were ten kids and each one of them had a place in their hearts.. There was also a lot of fear because they did not know if one of the kids was not really theirs. Victor Lang had told them that one of the kids was already gone. That one of them had been replaced.

Iris kept looking at the kids to see if she could find any signs that one of them was not really hers. But all she saw were her babies. They were scared. They were trusting. Hope suddenly sat up. Her eyes were glowing. "They are dreaming again " she said. "All of the copies are. They are scared. One of them is calling for Mommy."

The shared dreams were back. They were stronger than ever. The kids were all whimpering and twitching in their sleep. The newborn babies were. It was like they could feel the pain of their older brothers and sisters.

Luciens hand tightened on Iriss thigh. "We will fix it " he said. "Amara is working on a medicine and Grace is helping to figure out the files." Grace was sitting in the corner. She looked up. "The dreams are like a bridge " she said. "The bad people are using them to test something. If we do not stop them by dawn one of the ones will be hurt forever."

The words were like stones in a pond. Iris felt a crack inside of her. It was getting bigger. She gathered the kids closer. She started to rock them. Lucien joined in. They were both singing a lullaby to the kids. They were trying to keep them safe and sound.

Safety never lasts. The alarms in the compound started to blare. It was really loud. Captain Reyes burst into the room with a rifle. "There is a breach on the north ridge " he said. "There are a lot of people coming and they have guns."

The kids all woke up. They were screaming. Iris and Lucien moved fast and they started to gather the kids. Aurora and Dawn and Hope took positions to defend themselves. Sophia and Serena got guns. They were ready to fight.

They all ran to the basement room and they barricaded the door. The monitors showed the people outside and they were getting closer. Victors voice came over the speakers. He was really mean. "You cannot hide forever " he said. "Give us the kids and we will be nice to the copies. If you fight we will take them all."

Then something bad happened. One of the monitors showed a feed from inside the safe room. It was focused on Theo and his eyes were glowing. "The cold lady says you are not my daddy " he said. "She says I belong to her."

The room was really quiet. Iris felt like her heart had stopped. Theo was looking up at Lucien. He was holding onto his leg. "I do not want to go with her " he said. "Please do not let her take me."

Lucien dropped to his knees. He pulled Theo into his arms. "You are mine " he said. "No matter what. You are my son."

The damage was done. The kids all looked at each other. They were scared. Was Theo the one who was replaced?. Was it one of the others?

Grace stepped forward. She put her hand on Theos shoulder. "He is real " she said. "I can feel it. The bad people are using the shared dreams to make us doubt each other."

Iris gathered all the kids in a hug. She was. She was kissing each one of them. "You are all mine " she said. "No matter what. We are a family."

Lucien joined in. He was hugging all the kids too. He was. He was telling each one of them that he loved them.

In the middle of all the chaos, Lucien and Iris stole a moment. They went into a room and they locked the door. They were desperate for each other. They were scared. Lucien pressed Iris against the wall. He was kissing her. They were moving together. It was quiet and urgent.

They stayed together for a moment. Then they went back to the kids. The safe room door was. It was going to break. Victors forces had reached them.

The final fight had started. There were guns blazing and the kids were screaming. Lucien and Iris were shielding the kids. They were firing back. The newborn babies were. The older kids were trying to help.

Then something bad happened. The monitors. A new feed showed the real Theo. He was strapped to a table. He was crying for his parents. The Theo in their arms was. His eyes were cold.

"I am sorry Daddy " he said. "They made me better."

Lucien was really angry. He grabbed the boy.. He could not bring himself to hurt him. The clone. He ran for the door. He opened it for the attackers.

The room was really chaotic. Iris was fighting with all her might. She was shielding the real kids. Lucien was battling the clone. He was trying to protect the family.

In the middle of all the fighting Grace activated the master key. The neural markers on the clones burned out. They all collapsed.

It was too late. Theo. The one. Was screaming and his mind was being overwritten. The clone, in their arms went limp. The connection was severed.

They had lost one of the kids.

Iris was totally broken. She fell apart crying hard as Lucien pulled her and the nine kids who were still alive close, to him. He was so angry before. Now he just felt sad really sad.

Victor had left a message on the one screen that still worked. He said "I got one. I still have to get nine more. If you want to save the boy you have to come and find me. You do not have a lot of time the clock is ticking."