The lounge had been converted into a media set. Lighting stands cast soft, warm light over the dark sofa where Louis sat between Angelique and Gladice. Two more sofas angled toward the camera, with Willa and Savannah on the left and Donya, Maeve, and Cherish on the right. A camera stood on a tripod beside a small monitor showing the waiting screen.
LOUIS COLLINS
LIVE FROM HOME
STARTING SOON
Below the text, the viewer count kept climbing.
13,842,901.
13,901,122.
14,030,688.
Louis watched the numbers rise. He was calmer than he had expected. The household staff had left. Venessa remained near the door, finishing a call in a low voice.
“Ready,” she said.
Louis nodded. His parents waited in the next room, watching the private feed. Élise had left glasses of water on the table beside him before she went out. The clock on the monitor hit 9:00 PM. Angelique took his hand. Her fingers were cool, and she held on firmly.
“Here we go,” Gladice murmured.
The waiting screen disappeared, and the camera’s red tally light came on. Louis looked directly into the lens.
“Hi,” he said. “I am Louis Collins. This is my home. These are the people who saved my life.”
He paused. The viewer count jumped to 14,345,000.
“Twenty-one days ago, Angelique and I were kidnapped from a diplomatic event in New Orleans. We were transported to the Holy States of Dixie. Gladice came after us because she refused to leave us there. She was taken too. She was held with us. Beaten. Starved. Drugged.”
He kept his voice even when he said the name.
“I left Los Angeles thinking I understood danger because people had briefed me on it. Because I had grown up around security. I thought I knew how the world worked.” He looked down, then back into the lens. “I was wrong.”
He turned toward Angelique.
“We were taken. We were hunted. We were traded, threatened, locked up, forced into clothes, told to marry, forced to run, and forced to make choices I hope most of you never have to make. Some people helped us. Some people tried to break us. Some people are not here because they did the right thing when it cost them everything.”
Gladice leaned closer until her shoulder touched his.
“For days we survived in a place that hates everything this country stands for. We escaped with the help of people who believed in the world we left behind. Gladice Simington was one of them. She saved us. More than once.”
Gladice looked into the lens without smiling.
“I got them out,” she said. “I did my job.”
“There was someone else,” Louis said. “Someone who was taken with us. Someone who was with us from the start. Someone who sacrificed her life, her name, her home, and her future for our freedom. Her name was Jennifer Hargrove. She died in Florida when the war broke out.”
Louis looked down for a moment. The red tally light remained on.
“She died to get me to safety.” His voice trembled, then steadied. “Before her death, she had become a new citizen of the Dominion. She was a daughter of this country. And she deserves to be remembered as one.”
The viewer count passed fifteen million before he spoke again.
“Jennifer Hargrove was our hero. She was the daughter of enemy leadership. She chose us over them. She chose hope over hate. And she died for it. I will not forget her. I will not let you forget her.”
Louis took a breath.
“Because of her. Because of Gladice. Because of each other, we made it home. But we did not come back alone. We came back with five more people. And they are as much a part of this story as we are. As much a part of me.”
He looked at the camera. The monitor showed him looking back.
“Some of you have already started guessing who they are. Some of you have already seen the photos. Some of you have already made up your minds about us. About them. About who we are and what we have done. I am here to tell you the truth.”
He gestured to Willa. “This is Willa Locke. The most brilliant mind I have ever met. She kept our communications safe. She kept us alive in the dark. She is from Boston, and she is a genius. She knows things no one else does. And she chose to come with us because she believes in a future worth building. A future worth protecting. And a future worth living for.”
Willa’s shoulders relaxed. She looked into the camera with a steady gaze.
“I didn’t have a choice at the beginning,” she said. “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But I made a choice later. I chose to stay with them. I chose to help them. I chose to believe in them. And I would do it again.”
Louis nodded to Donya. “This is Donya Al Madani. She is from Chicago. She is a fierce and loyal friend. She has a heart as big as her curiosity, and a faith that guides her. She was our moral compass when we lost our way. She was our light when we were surrounded by darkness. And she is the one who reminded me that we are all human. She was kind when the world was cruel. And she saved my life when I could not save myself.”
Donya looked at the camera and smiled. “I am not a hero. I am just a girl who believes in love and justice. And I believe in Louis. And I believe in us. We have been through hell, but we have found heaven in each other. And that is what matters. That is what I want to share with the world. That love is stronger than hate. And that hope is stronger than fear.”
Louis smiled at her. He looked at Savannah. “This is Savannah Ellington. She is from Atlanta. She is a survivor and a fighter. She has seen the worst of humanity and has not given up. She is loyal and brave. She has a temper that can burn, but a heart that can heal. She is the one who taught me that strength comes from within, and that you can overcome anything if you have the right people by your side. She is the strongest person I have ever known. And she will never tell you that herself.”
Savannah looked at the camera. “I ain’t have no speech. All I gonna say is this. I’ve been through some shit. And I’m still here. And I’m not going anywhere. I’m with Louis and the others. And that’s all that matters.”
Louis smiled at her. He looked at Cherish. “This is Cherish Nowak. She is from Kentucky. She is a sweet and gentle soul. She has a pure heart and a kind spirit. She has been through more than anyone should have to endure, but she has not let it break her. She is the one who taught me that there is goodness in the world, even in the darkest of places. She is the one who reminded me that we are all worthy of love and happiness. She also taught me what courage looks like when you are afraid. She is the light in our lives. And she’s the best chess player I’ve ever met.”
Cherish bit her lip, then smiled, tears gathering in her eyes. She looked at the camera. “Hi,” she said, her voice soft. “I’m Cherish. And I’m happy to be here. With my family. I love them. And I love Louis. And I’m excited for our future. Together. In Hawaii.”
Louis smiled at her. He looked at Maeve. “This is Maeve Fyres. She is from West Virginia. She is a fierce and proud woman. She is a mechanic. She knows how things work, and how to fix them when they break. She is strong and resilient. She is the one who taught me that you can survive anything if you have the right tools and the right attitude. She is the one who showed me that you can be tough and tender at the same time. She is the one who fixed me when I was broken. She came from a place so different from here, yet she chose to fight for people she did not have to fight for. She made a hard choice for a better world.”
Maeve’s throat moved as she swallowed hard. She looked at the camera. “I don’t like giving speeches. I’m a mechanic. I like to fix things, not talk about them. But I will say this. I’m not a hero. I’m just a person who did what I thought was right. I was a soldier in the People’s Army of West Virginia. I saw a lot of bad things. And I did some bad things too. But when I saw Louis and the others, I saw a chance to do something good. I saw a chance to help people who needed help. And I took it. And I don’t regret it. I’m proud of what I did. And I’m proud of who I am now. I’m with them. And that’s all that matters.”
Louis turned back to the camera.
“We crossed the continent together. We left blood on that road. We left parts of ourselves behind. We came back as something new. We are not the people we were. We are a family. Eight people who will live together, grow together, and build something new.”
He tightened his grip on Angelique’s hand. She squeezed back.
“Angelique and I will not be getting married. Not in the way you expected. Because the story we lived together changed us. And the people we became do not fit the plan that was made for us.”
He glanced at Angelique. “We love each other. But we love them too.”
Angelique nodded. “We do. I was raised to be a princess. I was supposed to marry Louis, secure an alliance, and play my part in a political game. I thought I was ready for it. I was wrong. I found something better. Something real. I found love. And friendship. And strength. Not just in Louis, but in all of them. I want to be with them. As a partner. As a friend. As a sister. As a member of a family we built ourselves. This is the life I choose. And I am proud of it.”
Louis smiled at her. He looked back at the camera. “I know this is a lot to take in. But tonight, we want to thank you for caring enough to look for us. To hope for us. To believe we would come home. We are home.” Louis leaned toward the camera. “We will keep living and we will keep loving each other. And if you have a problem with that, you can fuck off.”
He smiled.
“Thank you for watching. Thank you for listening. We will see you soon.”
He ended the stream, and the red tally light went out.
Venessa clapped her hands once.
“Well done,” she said. “Very well done.”
Louis stood, and the others rose with him. Cherish wiped away her tears, still smiling. Donya laughed and hugged her. Maeve exhaled slowly. Willa picked up her phone and checked the numbers. Savannah shook her head, then smirked at Louis. Angelique touched his face and kissed him. Gladice whooped and threw her arms around both of them.
“Fuck, that felt good,” she said.
“It did,” Louis said.
Venessa was already making calls. “Yes. Highlight clips ready. Social team. Stand by for the family photo release. Yes. Put the statement on pause. We don’t need it anymore.”
Philip and Maria opened the door and came in. Philip clapped Louis on the back. Maria hugged Angelique, then faced Gladice and the others.
“You did something brave tonight,” Maria said. “All of you.”
Constantine and Judith entered last.
“Your mother and I are proud of you,” Constantine said.
“I know,” Louis said.
Constantine said. “I meant all of you. Tonight was the most-watched broadcast in Dominion history. But more importantly, it was honest.” He looked around the group. “Now there’s another matter. Robin just arrived. He’s waiting in the office. And he has updates on the people who abducted you.”
Louis met his father’s eyes. “Then let’s go see him.”
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