He was getting loopy from the rollercoaster of his emotions and lack of sleep. And Alex, typically the optimist, felt the weight of the decisions that they had faced. Frankly, the “solution” was unacceptable; there were too many unknowns. He’d spent a lifetime of planning for this moment, and the results left only a possibility of success. But that possibility was all he had right now. That, and an evening alone with her. Tomorrow, Alex would face his greatest fear; it was second only to losing her again to death. He would have to tell Valeria the whole truth about who she was and what was about to happen. That thought left Alex nauseous and dizzy. How would she respond to the information, he wondered. Would she run from him, only to face her fate alone? That thought forced his stomach into his throat. Alex stopped and leaned against a tree. Breathe! Having her die alone would be more than he could bear. Or would he be able to convince her that their plan, no matter how wild, was worth the effort—only to lose her again because of that effort?
