Viviane tried to absorb all the information revealed to her about her past. She was overwhelmed by what she heard. She reclined back on the sofa with her body limp since she was drained of emotions from all the mind-blowing revelations she heard. She stared off into space not looking at anything in particular. Even though Viviane was in a daze, Dr. Renard warned her of dangers yet to come.

“Viviane, since you are the only example of the Fountain of Youth Effect, the Order of One Justice will be looking for you. They will want to study your DNA and cellular composition to try and understand how you survived traveling back in time. You must be careful. Stay in hiding and trust no one!”

Viviane snapped out of her malaise. “You said I’d be able to help Anaelle and Marielle. How?”

“I don’t exactly know how, but I knew that I could no longer keep the truth to myself anymore. If things turned out differently, I don’t know if I would have ever told you the truth of your origins. Maybe I’ve done you wrong by telling you the truth. Maybe you would have been happier living in ignorance? But the current danger is real. If you will be able to help Anaelle and Marielle after this, it’s better that you know the truth.”

Dr. Renard paused for a moment and averted his eyes from Viviane. He hesitated before continuing his talk with Viviane. He sounded embarrassed.

“And part of my reason for telling you everything is selfish. Even though it seems certain that you are no longer my beloved Elise, just the fact that some part of Elise lives within you means that as long as you live, Viviane, I’ll feel as if she and I might still exist together at the same time on this earth.”

During the entire time Viviane was with Dr. Renard in his office, a patient Luc waited at the bottom of the stairs for Viviane to emerge. To Luc, the two or three hours that passed felt like more than a day.

Luc heard someone coming down the staircase and he looked up to see Viviane returning to him. Viviane’s steps were slow and she sometimes stumbled on her own feet as she held onto the handrail for support. Luc noticed that Viviane appeared dazed and exhausted.

“Hey Viviane! You look like you’ve been run over by a truck. What’s the matter? What did Doc tell you?”

Viviane was in no mood to reveal her secrets. “I really don’t want to talk about it. I know you’re worried about me, but I just can’t, at least not right now, OK?” She gave Luc a weak smile and a slight shrug.

Hearing the weariness in her voice, Luc knew better not to push her. “Sure thing. Whatever you want.”

Viviane recalled Dr. Renard’s last piece of advice. Dr. Renard told me not to trust anyone, but I can’t rely on just myself. I need help. I think I can trust Luc, Bastian and Aveline, she thought.

“Luc? Could you take me back to Bastian and Aveline? I think I need to keep low for a while longer. Do you think they’ll let me stay for a few more days?”

“Absolutely! There’s nothing Bastian and I wouldn’t do for each other. I’ll just tell him to drag you around with him for another week.”

“Oh, thank you, Luc!” Viviane threw herself at Luc and wrapped him a big hug and started crying on his shoulder as if he was her only friend in the world.

Luc was surprised to be getting that much attention from Viviane, but he tried to be cool about it. “Alright, let’s get you out of here and back to somewhere safe.”

Almost no one traveled the streets of Capital City at night so very few vehicles were on the road. Nevertheless, the empty streets were still well lit by overhead lights and the urban landscape still looked modern, clean, futuristic and white. Electronic road signs with information other than simple directions showed the few drivers where to go. Inside one of these few vehicles, Luc drove Viviane back to Sommet Studios in a military transport. Inside the vehicle, a silent Viviane sat and stared forward out the windshield, not flinching an iota.

Luc tried to catch a glance of Viviane using a side-eyed look, but he could only see that she still did not want to talk. Luc rolled his eyes upward and then sighed before going back to the task of driving. Even though Luc burned with curiosity and was dying to ask her what Dr. Renard told her, he knew better not to bring up the topic.

While trying to think of something to break the ice, Luc noticed something in his rear-view mirror that caused him to panic for an instant. The flashing lights and siren of another military patrol vehicle with police authority pulled up behind Luc. Over the police vehicle’s bullhorn, an officer shouted directions at Luc.

“Please stop your vehicle and remain inside.”

“Damn!” Luc cursed.

“What do they want from us?” asked Viviane.

“Whatever happens, just do what they say, OK?”

“OK.” Viviane heard her heart beat in her ears.

Luc stopped his vehicle and switched off the electric propulsion system.

The following police vehicle also stopped behind them and three uniformed officers stepped out and walked up to Luc’s vehicle. When the officers arrived, Luc recognized them as STS Agents and not as local police. At first, Luc was relieved. He figured he would just explain his way out of the situation. Luc rolled down the window of his military transport vehicle as two STS Agents approached the opened window. The way they walk, the two agents in front block a third agent behind them. Luc prepared his ruse as they approached to talk to him.

“Hi fellas, am I glad to see it’s you!” Luc started off. “It’s me, Agent Luc Coquin of STS. How about that? Just like you guys I’m just doing my job. What’s the problem?”

The two front STS Agents stepped aside to reveal the third agent behind them. It’s Captain Remi Konnard!

“Hello Luc.” Captain Konnard was not happy to see Luc.

“Captain Konnard! What can I do for you, sir?” Luc played innocent.

“Agent Luc Coquin, I’m placing you under arrest for dereliction of duty. Please step out of the vehicle.”

Luc was blown away that he would be placed under arrest by his own commanding officer.

“What? Why???” Luc sputtered.

“For leaving your post without orders and for transporting this civilian woman while on duty and again without an order or directive to do so. Now, please, let’s not make this any more difficult. And please surrender your weapon.”

Luc realized that he had been caught disobeying orders. He was indignant. He stomped out of his vehicle, pulled his gun out of his waistband and handed it over to Captain Konnard. Viviane remained silent.

Captain Konnard leaned into the vehicle to talk to Viviane. “Don’t worry, Miss, you’re not in any trouble. Just remain inside the vehicle until we’re finished here.”

“I was just giving this lady here a ride home to her apartment,” interrupted Luc.

Luc turned to Viviane. “Viviane, tell them you want to go home back to your apartment, OK?”

Viviane got the hint. “OK. What’ll happen to you?”

“Hey, don’t worry about me. I’ll explain it all to the judge and everything will be alright. You’ll see.” Luc gave Viviane a wink.

Captain Konnard issued an order to his subordinates. “You two take Agent Luc Coquin into custody and book him into the stockade until tomorrow. I’ll take the civilian Miss home and bring Agent Luc’s vehicle back to the station.”

“Yes, sir!” responded the other two officers and then they led Luc away and put him into the back seat of their patrol vehicle. They drove away leaving Captain Konnard with Viviane.

Captain Konnard got into the vehicle with Viviane still sitting in the passenger seat. He closed the door and armed the locks and turned to Viviane.

“Now, where did Agent Luc say he was taking you?”

“Back to my apartment,” answered Viviane.

“You’re Viviane Fox, yes?”

“Why, yes. How did you know?”

“We all know about you, Miss Fox. It’s our job to know. Only this time, I’m not taking you back home.”

Viviane did not like the sound of that. “Excuse me?”

“You heard correctly. Instead, I’m taking you to the secret hideout of the Order of One Justice.”

A wave of panic flashed through Viviane! “What are you saying?”

“You see, I’m actually a spy for the Order of One Justice and it’s my final assignment to kidnap you, Viviane, the only surviving example of the Fountain of Youth Effect. Judge Carswell has asked that I bring you to him. He’s very interested in having his scientists study you.”

Viviane put her hands up to her mouth with eyes wide and trembling. She could not hide the fear realizing that she was going to be abducted and whisked out of the UEN.

Captain Konnard tied a handkerchief around his nose and mouth and pulled out a canister of knockout gas. “Don’t be scared. After you breathe this, you won’t feel a thing until we get there.” He sprayed Viviane with the knockout gas.

Viviane tensed up. Her mind raced with panic, but then her eyes closed and her body went limp as she slumped unconscious into the passenger seat wedged between the door and the backrest.

Captain Konnard knew that his cover would be blown soon so he switched on the transport vehicle and sped off to his rendezvous point somewhere at the outskirts of the city near the edge of the ocean.