<div style="text-align: center"><i>“Improvements to massively parallel sequencing have allowed the routine recovery of natural and induced sequence variants. A broad range of biological disciplines have benefited from this, ranging from plant breeding to cancer research. The need for high sequence coverage to accurately recover single nucleotide variants and small insertions and deletions limits the applicability of whole genome approaches.”</i><br/>​</div>Sofia’s brow furrowed and the pressure inside her head pounded dully against her skull. She had read the journal so many times over the past twenty years and it still made little sense. It was true that her intelligence was greater than most around her yet it did absolutely nothing for her when it came to understanding her father’s manifesto. Her parents were scientists that helped perfect the plants in charge for changing the world. While it did help removed the trash and toxicity, they had evolved into something much more dangerous throughout the years.<br/><br/>Sofia lay the book on her lap and stretched her arms high above her head. The tension from their trek weighed against the upper part of her back thanks in part to the research she refused to part from. Her backpack consisted of her water bottle, one change of clothing, four prized pencils, a knife, some dehydrated meat, a brush, three USB sticks, and several of her parent's journals. Clothing wasn't something she owned in abundance, not like she did when she was younger. Her green shifted shirt hugged her slender figure before coming to rest at her hips. Her black shorts offered little protection to the elements but helped to keep her body cool during the summer. On her feet were a pair of worn hiking boots and simple black socks hidden from view.<br/><br/>Her spine lengthened to its fullest, spreading the muscles taunt until a soft pop sounded in the otherwise quiet highway. Relief was instant and she sighed in contentment, craning her neck from side to side in order to relax her muscles further. Tension on her long braid stilled her movements and glanced back down to the weathered pages she had practically memorized. Memory did little to help understand it though she had a small idea of what they meant it didn't help clear the picture.<br/><br/>“Why do I have to be so stupid?” She asked quietly though it was clear the question was rhetoric. Rhythmic pulling of her thick strands resumed and she knew something was bothering her companion. They had grown up together and were practically inseparable which led to the fidgeting behind her. She shifted on the toppled lamp post she had been using as a seat, her feet dangling above the debris littered road, in order to turn back slightly and view the man she had known her entire life. She could see the tension in the way he held himself, his muscular body posed to strike in case of a sudden attack, yet he merely fiddled with the ends of her jet black hair.<br/><br/>It had been her idea to go on this journey. She knew it was a giant risk to leave the ‘home’ they had claimed for themselves. They had familiarity in their town, residents that they could call predictable, and hunting grounds that Dex knew like the back of his hand. Their parents were lay to rest, side by side in this town along with all the research facilities. Sure it was a death trap now given the toxic plants that thrived in the place they were created but if they could manage to figure out a way to get past the fumes, there was a chance at valuable information...information no one understood. She sighed and closed the journal, her short fingernails tapping against the leather cover.<br/><br/>“It’ll be alright.” She finally said, offering him a small smile. “If there is a chance at a better way of life, we should take it. Especially if there is someone there who can actually understand this stuff.” Her fingers stilled, hand splayed across the time worn book. “It’s a chance we have to take.” She sighed knowing her truth did little to calm his nerves, her own were even worse. Her stomach had been in knots all morning and she knew the exact reason why. Leaving all that is familiar, venturing into dangerous unknown areas, facing death at a greater scale, and possibly traveling with crime lords or human traffickers… it was massive risk.<br/><br/>The smell of rancid swamp drifted to her nose at the change of direction from the gentle breeze. Her nose wrinkled in distaste despite the cooling relief from the heated sun rolling down on their exposed skin. Sweat had begun to gather and her brow and she used the back of her hand to wipe it away. They had found the meeting place relatively easy and had been waiting for quite some time upon Dex’s decision. If they were going to group up with strangers then they needed to be the first to arrive. She pushed away the doubt that clawed at the back of her mind and stomped down the fear that welled up in a tightly coiled rage.<br/><br/>“Do you think we’ll make it?” She whispered turning her head to gaze towards the west. The highway was in decent shape. A few cracks here, roots they could easily hope over scattered around the edge, and a few potholes that could do some damage if they weren’t paying attention. The sun’s rays heated the asphalt causing the rise in temperature to be almost unbearable and the distance to seem almost blurry with movement. Somehow she had a feeling that this stretch of the journey would the easiest by far.