TEN YEARS EARLIER
JUNIOR
Are we there yet?
Junior asked, as he saw the sign "Welcome to Illinois" through the side window. His father, who was driving the car, laughed.
JOHN
No Junior. We still have a long way to go...
AMANDA
Yeah, don't be stupid!
BEATRIX
Amanda, don't insult your brother.
Beatrix automatically responded, without even looking back at them.
JUNIOR
You don't know how long it's going to take! Only mom and dad know!
AMANDA
But it's going to take days to get to New York!
JUNIOR
Days!?
Asked Junior, bewildered.
AMANDA
Correct. But how can you know? You're only in the first grade after all... I'm already in fourth grade!
She proudly declared, clearly impressed by her own achievement.
BEATRIX
Amanda, I said don't insult your brother!
JUNIOR
Yeah... quit it, loser!
Their mother turned around this time.
BEATRIX
Junior, don't insult your sister!
JUNIOR
Yes mom...
Junior turned to look outside the window again.
BEATRIX
Why are you stopping now, dear?
JOHN
It's the Mississippi River!
BEATRIX
But we also stopped to see the Missouri, dear.
JOHN
But this is the Mississippi!
Beatrix looked at her husband, half exasperated, half resigned.
BEATRIX
Fine... I guess we can stop to look at another river...
JOHN
You won't be disappointed.
They parked the car and walked the short distance to the panoramic point.
JOHN
There it is! The Mississippi!
AMANDA
But we just saw it a few hours ago...
JOHN
No, that was another river.
AMANDA
They look exactly the same...
JOHN
They don't!
AMANDA
I'm bored. I'm going back to the car.
BEATRIX
I'd better go with her...
JOHN
Yeah, yeah, you'd better...
Jokingly answered John.
JOHN
You don't know what you're missing!
He turned to his son.
JOHN
Junior knows what I'm talking about.
Junior was looking transfixed at the river. He was caught off guard when his father hoisted him onto his shoulders.
JOHN
Here, have a better look.
It was now almost sunset, and the fading light gave the water a deep, glittering gold color. That moment Junior had shared with his father was one of his fondest memories.
As he was hopelessly staring at the dark world below, out of the window of the plane that was taking them all back to New York, the sun finally came into view. For months Junior had longed for the comfort of its warm rays, had dreamt of the moment when winter would be over, and a new day, a new life could begin.
Instead, the faint orange light of the sun glimmering on the ocean brought back that memory of his father, and Junior couldn't hold it together any longer. He started loudly sobbing, letting the tears roll freely down his cheeks, but he didn't care. He wasn't the only one. Everybody was in pieces, gathering their thoughts and beating themselves up for what had happened. The clones had said that they would let them know their decision, but the undeniable fact remained.
They had failed their task. And that fact alone left them very few chances.
Everything they had tried to bring all of them together was for naught. He and Irina had worked hard together, but it was all for nothing.
Junior stubbornly shook his head. He hadn't given up hope. He couldn't and he wouldn't.
He looked around at Irina, but she was curled up, her head hidden between her knees. Junior found it hard to look away from her. After all that time spent together, they would probably never see each other again.
