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Chapter 49 left off with Mel flipping out at Wanderer’s revelation. Wanderer has a secret which she vowed to keep, no matter what…but the circumstances have changed. As much as she absolutely hates the Seeker, she doesn’t not and will not be held responsible for her death.
The wild humans wait. Wanderer has a brief word with a devastated Lily. “I said that life and love go on. But why do they? They shouldn’t. Not anymore. What’s the point?” says Lily. Wanderer doesn’t have an answer, and she retreats away from the crowd to be alone. She goes to Jamie’s and her room and it is there she must ask herself the question; can she do this–make this sacrifice to save a life?
Melanie protests at once, but Wanderer’s stance is firm on the subject. Even though Melanie insists that Wanderer’s life is worth more than her own now, Wanderer just won’t give in. “You’re too self-sacrificing. You don’t have any limits. You need limits Wanda!” Melanie tells her.
As Melanie weeps, Wanderer reflects on her life as a human. She inspects her body and muses over the human senses she’s come to accustomed to. I’d lived in so many bodies, but never one I loved like this.
Time is up and Wanderer goes to find Doc, who shall be dominantly instrumental in her plan. He’s alone, and she finally reveals that she knows how to remove a Soul from a body, something that Doc has been trying to figure out forever. She proposes to tell Doc on the following conditions: 1) He is not allowed to kill any removed Souls. He has to ship them off to other planets. 2) Wanderer doesn’t want to be shipped off to another planet. She wants to be buried beside Walt and Wes. 3) Doc is not allowed to tell anybody about the 2nd condition.
Doc realizes what Wanderer is asking of him and Melanie continues to protest. He doesn’t want to do it, although Wanderer points out that this is the knowledge he’s wanted all along. He shakes his head, back and forth, but Wanderer knows that they have a deal and that she will show him how it’s done and he must abide by her terms. The chapter ends off with Wanderer going to get Jared in order to prepare for a raid.
