JUNIOR
Are you sure this is the place?
AMANDA
Yes, I'm sure.
JUNIOR
It's a parking lot.
AMANDA
A huge parking lot.
JUNIOR
It's half past midnight.
AMANDA
That's the time she said to be here!
JUNIOR
Are you sure?
AMANDA
I told you! The phone rang, I picked it up and this lady, Miss Roberts she called herself, told me they would pick you up here and now for the next part of the selection...
JUNIOR
Who's "they"?
AMANDA
I don't know!
JUNIOR
But you're sure this is the right place and time?
AMANDA
Yes I am!
JUNIOR
Bu...
BEATRIX
Kids, stop arguing!
Junior immediately shut up.
JUNIOR
Sorry mom!
BEATRIX
No need to be sorry, dear. I'm sure your sister got the details right.
AMANDA
Thanks mom!
They had to wait another ten minutes before a glint appeared, high in the sky. As fast as lightning, it grew bigger and bigger until it was upon them.
AMANDA
WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!?!
Yelled Amanda, cowering in fear.
JUNIOR
It's them!
The clones' almond-shaped spaceship gently landed beside them, to the relief of Beatrix and Amanda, who until the last second had feared the ship would crash upon them.
Once the ramp had fully extended, out of the ship came Miss Roberts and R-328.
MISS ROBERTS
Junior, good to see you!
JUNIOR
Hmph.
MISS ROBERTS
And this must be your family... Mrs Space, Amanda, nice to finally meet you...
As his mother and Miss Roberts shook hands, Junior felt a shiver go down his spine.
R-328
John Junior Space.
JUNIOR
Yes, sir!
R-328 smiled.
R-328
Konos was glad to know you made it this far.
JUNIOR
So am I!
Junior smiled back. Behind R-328 emerged the figure of a tall, bearded man.
BORIS
We should go. We don't have much time.
Boris was there. That meant one thing in particular.
JUNIOR
Irina!
Exclaimed Junior as he leapt up the ramp.
Once inside the ship, he immediately found her. She was sitting down, strapped in, ready to take off.
JUNIOR
Hi Irina! How have you been?
Irina didn't even acknowledge his presence.
JUNIOR
Really?! You're not even going to greet me?
Again, Irina ignored him.
JUNIOR
So be it...
Resigned, Junior went back down the ramp.
AMANDA
Who's Irina?
Asked his sister, snooping as usual.
JUNIOR
No one important...
AMANDA
Yeah, right... I have never seen you move that fast!
JUNIOR
Drop it!
AMANDA
Come on now, I'm your older sister, you can tell me...
BEATRIX
Amanda, stop teasing him!
This time, Amanda was the one to readily shut up.
BEATRIX
Junior...
JUNIOR
Yes mom?
She looked at him in the eyes, trying to convey with a look every part of her soul, every bit of the love she felt for his son. She looked at him in the eyes and was overwhelmed, as the memory of newborn Junior spontaneously came to mind. Grown so fast, years gone by in a flash, where had they gone? Years of joy and hope, years of sorrow and despair.
BEATRIX
Will you promise me only one thing?
She said, tears welling up in her eyes.
JUNIOR
Sure mom, you name it!
BEATRIX
Promise me you'll do your best.
JUNIOR
I will. Always.
Mother and son tenderly hugged, and while at that time neither of them knew it, they would remember this hug for the rest of their lives.
