Phoenix Ashes Master

by Anne, Melody

  “Yeah, I like how you think.”

  Their voices faded as they kicked open the front door and walked outside. Elise had another moment of terror when they paused next to one of the vents not far from where they were sitting.

  “Hey, did you see any crawl spaces underneath the house?”

  “No. Didn’t even think to look for one.”

  “We should—”

  “Where in the hell are you guys? You’re late!” a voice called. It had to be over a radio as the words were coming out slightly distorted.

  “We’re on our way, boss.”

  “Get back here now. There’s a situation.”

  “Yes, sir,” the man answered before the two of them quickly disappeared into the night.

  “We’ll do a better search tomorrow. Let’s see what the boss wants,” was the last thing Elise heard before the two men were out of range.

  None of them made a sound for at least ten minutes after the men were gone. Elise was too afraid it was a trap and they were circling back.

  “Can we go back up? I’m scared,” Cheryl whispered.

  “Not yet, baby. Just a little more time,” Elise told her as she rubbed the girl’s head.

  After what must have been a half hour passed, she decided the coast had to be clear. They were leaving right away because there was no way she was sticking around and giving the men a second chance at finding her. She should’ve listened to her instincts and never gone in the house.

  It was too late to berate herself. All she could do at that point was get the kids to safety. She prayed there was somewhere else to go. She wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be able to run and hide. What kind of a life was that anyway? How did so many do it for years upon years? Why were there such bad people in the world that made them have to run and hide?

  She was losing her faith in mankind and a higher power. How could there be a loving God who’d allow any of this to happen? How could there be so much evil in the world? Was it truly in so many, waiting for the right time to make itself known?

  Elise wasn’t sure of anything anymore. But as she held her children in her arms she did know she’d brought them into this world, and it was her duty to keep them safe. She’d go on for as long as she could, and pray it would all be okay. It couldn’t stay this bad forever.

  Chapter Thirteen

  *** John ***

  “We have to go, John. I know you don’t like the idea of leaving your sister, but she has Jayden and he’d never let anything happen to her,” Cassidy said as she paced the small room.

  “I don’t think it’s the right time,” he argued.

  “It’s been the right time for months. I’ve gone on a few missions without you, but I have to go farther now. We need to band together. We have to notify the other groups out there. This planet will never be safe if we continue hiding in here and pretending everything is right in the world. Vyco won’t quit and Josiah is far away with the council. We’ve made a good stand and are fighting back, but it’s not enough. We have to unite with the other groups. We can’t do that unless we find them.”

  “I don’t want to leave our base with less protection.”

  “John, they have an arsenal of weapons, an overprotective immortal with powers beyond what the two of us have together, and very well-trained guards. They’re going to be fine. I feel it. We have to go. There are many people out there who are lost, wandering around with no purpose — needing a reason to keep on living. We have to find not only the lost, but also the other groups who have banded together. If we unite, the enemy doesn’t stand a chance, not even with Vyco’s help. Evil can never triumph when good refuses to back down. The only power Vyco truly has is fear. As long as he keeps us afraid, he wins. Have faith in Jayden to keep your sister safe.”

  “I . . . you’re right,” John conceded with a bowed head. “I just don’t know how to let go. It’s been my job for so long to take care of Phoenix that it feels like a betrayal to leave her behind. What if she comes with us?” he asked, excitement lighting his eyes.

  “We wouldn’t be able to accomplish what we need to. Both of us would be too concerned about her safety. You know that,” Cassidy admonished with a smile to counter her exasperated tone.

  John got up and paced the room, passing Cassidy each time he turned. He knew it was time to go. They had to make the world a safer place, and they never would by hiding out in the dark. That didn’t make the decision to leave his sister, friends, and family behind any easier.

  “I love you, John Light — more than you can imagine. One of the reasons I fell in love with you was your loyalty to your family. I’d never ask you to change that. I’m only asking you to make a better world for them,” Cassidy said as she gripped his arms, stopping him mid-stride.

  “I don’t know how I made it through a single day without you, Cassidy. You bring me so much joy. Of course, it’s time to go. Let me tell my parents and Phoenix. We can leave tonight.”

  His lips descended in an intense kiss, passion flowing between them as they forgot about the war-ravaged world for just a moment. When he was locked in her arms, nothing else existed. He couldn’t fathom being without her.

  He’d seen so many families come in with a missing parent or missing children. He watched as each of them slowly started building their life again, but they always seemed a shell of the person they must have once been. They eventually smiled, but it always looked brittle. A distance was apparent as they’d speak to others.

  To lose someone you love more than yourself must be a gut-wrenching event. He hoped he never experienced it. He was eternally grateful Cassidy had saved his family from the pain of losing him.

  “John, we’ll never get out of here if you don’t stop that,” Cassidy gasped as she pulled away, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes sparkling.

  “See, it’s not such a bad idea to stay,” he whispered seductively as he pulled her back to him and once again kissed her silent. Whenever their lips connected, it felt like it was the first time. He somehow knew the feeling would never go away because he’d been lucky enough to find his soul mate.

  John finally managed to pull himself away, giving them both some space so they could breathe. He wanted nothing more than to finish what he’d started, but he couldn’t be selfish. There were people counting on him — more than they actually knew.

  “Get what we need. I’ll find my parents now.”

  He walked from the room without looking at her again — fearing he wouldn’t be going anywhere if he did. It didn’t take him long to find his mother. She’d managed to make a beautiful greenhouse out of one of the buildings with a multitude of windows. She was bent over, pulling weeds from a few of her plants.

  He took a moment to admire her. She was a stunning woman, with golden blonde hair and youthful skin. She didn’t look like a woman in her fifties. Amazingly, she still had a sparkle in her eyes, a bounce in her step, and a smile that could light the entire base. She was a true treasure. John was glad his father appreciated her so much. She deserved to be loved like she was the last woman on earth — she was that special.

  “Your tomatoes look great, Mom.”

  “Oh, John! You frightened me,” Janet said as she turned with a jump and smiled at him. There was that smile he loved so much.

  “I’m sorry. I enjoy watching you get a few minutes of peace,” he said as he came over and kissed her glowing cheek.

  “Never apologize for visiting me. There is so much chaos and fighting going on, then add in all the scavenging hunts and new refugees, and it sometimes feels like I go months without seeing my brilliant children.”

  “You’d never survive months, Mom. I’m glad you brought that up because it’s the reason I’m here. It’s time for Cassidy and me to leave for a while. We’re hopeful it won’t take longer than a month, but we have to travel the country and let the others know of our plans. We have to get this in motion so we can have our homes back, regain our fre
edom, and stop living in fear.”

  He started pacing as he talked, stress once again filling him.

  His mother smiled at him, but he saw the fear and sadness she was trying to hide. He hated hurting her, and hated bringing her more worry than she was already dealing with. He knew she knew it had to happen, but she wanted to keep her family together. There was nothing wrong with that.

  It was a new world though, and they all had to do their part to make it a better place. That didn’t help when saying goodbye though. It hurt because they all knew that anytime they left, there was a chance they’d never come back. For that matter, a bomb could hit their seemingly secure base right now and kill them all. There were no guarantees. Though, if people truly knew how susceptible they were, they’d have a hard time sleeping at night.

  This war might’ve begun in what seemed the blink of an eye, but it had been planned for years. It could’ve been even worse. They could also get everything back, and then lose it all again. There was evil in the world, and there were always those willing to exploit the weak or complacent to hold power.

  John could hope all day long that good would eventually triumph, but with his new understanding of good and bad, he wasn’t sure he’d be fully optimistic ever again. It was a much darker world out there than he’d imagined could exist. It made him want to keep his family in a nice safe bubble where he could watch out for them and guarantee their safety.

  “I understand, John. I’ll miss you every minute of every day, but I know you need to do this. I’m so proud of you, son — so very, very proud,” Janet said as she rose and walked to him. She gripped his hands, stalling his movements.

  “Always remember who you are, John. Don’t let the evils of the world sink inside your heart. Protect yourself, and promise me you’ll return home,” she said while looking him deep in the eyes.

  “Of course, Mom.” He would promise her whatever she wanted, even if he wasn’t confident in his words. He’d do anything to give her a sense of security.

  “I know this sounds strange, but I had a dream. It frightened me quite badly. It was during the last week we were in the caves. You were dark, John, so very dark. There was no light about you. I just . . . I know it was just a dream, but I’m worried about you. Please, promise me you’ll come home no matter what. Please, don’t let anything happen that will destroy your soul.”

  John was frightened as he looked into his mother’s eyes. Did she know something he didn’t? Was something bad going to happen? No. There was no way anything could happen. He pushed off the thought, shaking his head as he lightly chuckled. He was more vulnerable than usual lately, so his mother’s concerns were easily seeping in.

  “I promise to come home, and I promise not to stray to the dark side,” he finally answered when it was obvious she wasn’t letting him go until he gave her a reply she wanted to hear.

  “I love you, John. Stay safe. I'll be waiting for you — counting the days until you return. No matter what happens in life, remember where you came from and who you are. We will make it through anything if we remember that.”

  He wrapped his arms around her in a tender embrace. He held on for a long while, fearing for some reason it might very well be the last time. She held him as well, seeming to have that same feeling. Finally, he let go and stared at her a moment.

  “You really are an amazing mother. I’m so grateful for the life you have always given Phoenix and me. We have been so fortunate though we haven’t said it to you enough. Even when the rest of the world was going to hell, you cradled us and made sure we were safe. Thank you, Mom,” he told her.

  Tears filled her eyes as she gazed at him. She lifted a hand and spread her fingers out on his cheek.

  “You’re my son, John. That bond is too deep for anyone to break. I would gladly give my life for you yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Remember that when you feel no hope. Remember that no matter what happens in life, there are people out there who need and love you no matter what. Remember that if you have a soul inside you, you have the most valuable thing in life to lose. I love you. Your father loves you, and you know how much your sister loves you. Come back to us,” she said, her words filled with tears.

  He hugged her one more time without saying anything. He hated that he felt as if this was the last time he was going to see her. He prayed it was just his paranoia, and not an omen of the future. Finally he had to let her go.

  John fought the growing lump in his throat as he walked from the greenhouse. If his goodbye with his dad and sister were even half as bad as the one with his mother, he’d be a wreck before they ever left. He was too emotional to see Phoenix, so he headed for his father next.

  It was a difficult night by the time John spoke to everyone he needed to tell. His father had held him and told him pretty much the same thing as his mother. His hardest time was with Phoenix.

  She sat on her bed as he moved into her room. She looked up, her eyes filled with sadness.

  “When are you leaving?” she asked.

  “Tonight,” he said. He sat down next to her and she scooted close to him and put her head on his shoulder just as she’d done a thousand times before.

  “I know you need to go, but I hate it. I worry every single time we’re apart,” she said. “I’m trying to be strong, but sometimes, I don’t want to be. Sometimes I want to be normal teenager and be selfish and pouty, and demand I get my way.”

  John chuckled. “You are a normal teenager like that sometimes, especially around Jayden.”

  She smiled, but there was no humor in the expression. “I love you, John. I love you more than I can explain. I don’t ever want something to happen to you. I don’t ever want us to not be close. There are so many people in this world who don’t value family or friends. I don’t want the darkness on this planet to consume any of us. I don’t know why I’m so scared. We’ve all been out on lots of missions, but this time I’m truly scared. I don’t want you to go, even though I know you need to. And I want to be brave, but at the same time, I feel as if I’ve had to be brave long enough. I just want this all to end.”

  He was quiet as he sat with his sister. He sighed as he wrapped his arm tightly around her and rested his cheek on the top of her head.

  “I know exactly how you feel because I’ve felt it all. It’s very hard for me to leave you behind. But Cassidy is right. If we want to have a normal planet again, we have to work together, and the only way to do that is to become one giant force. It’s much safer for Cassidy and me to go out there than for any of the mortals in our camps. I can’t promise everything will be okay, but I can promise to do all I can to come back to you.”

  Phoenix’s body shook with her quiet sobs as she stayed locked at John’s side. He didn’t try to offer more comfort. He’d said what he needed to, and she had to let her grief out. It was a long time for both of them as they processed their feelings.

  “You come home soon. Don’t be a hero. Save as many as you can, but don’t enter impossible situations,” she finally said.

  “I can’t make that promise to you. But I can say I don’t have a death wish. I will do everything in my power to stay the man I can look at in the mirror, and still come home,” he told her.

  “I wouldn’t expect anything else but that,” she said.

  The two of them stood, and John pulled her close and gave her a long hug. He told her he loved her and then stepped from her room. Her quiet sobs followed him down the hallway as he left, finding Cassidy waiting for him, her own tears spilling down her cheeks.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said to him as she wrapped her arms around him.

  “I know this has to be done, but it does break my heart,” he told her.

  “We will do all we can to keep the promises made today,” she assured John.

  “I love you, Cassidy, and love how much you love my family,” he told her as he looked into her beautiful black eyes.

  “They are my family now too,” Cassi
dy said. “I couldn’t love you and not love them.”

  “We’ll come home,” he assured her.

  “Good,” she said with a wobbly smile. “Because I have plans for a very boring, normal life in the near future. I’m so glad I married you,” she said.

  “It was the best decision I ever made,” he said.

  He gave her a long kiss that reminded him why he did everything he did. Yes, he loved his family with all his heart. But Cassidy was his soul mate. She was his other half, and she was essential to his very existence. Without her, he’d be nothing. That’s how soul mates worked. It was almost better not to find that person, because you couldn’t comprehend what true loss was until you’d met your other half.

  But now that he had found her, he was eternally grateful she was his. John’s eyes were suspiciously bright as he and Cassidy walked hand in hand, leaving the base. They were a team now and they’d fight the enemy together.

  His gut told him something was very, very wrong, maybe they shouldn’t go anywhere —somehow the fates had aligned against them for this mission. But he shook off those thoughts as he gripped Cassidy’s hand tightly in his, and they moved silently through the night together.

  They had a mission to complete and he couldn’t allow fear to stop them. He was going to pave the way to a better future for all of the people he loved. He wouldn’t stop fighting until he gave it to them.

  Chapter Fourteen

  *** Phoenix ***

  I had the worst nightmare yet last night, this time with Vyco involving John. I know it’s because John left with Cassidy, possibly for months. Even though I’ve been telling myself this repeatedly, I have a nagging feeling in my stomach, like something terrible is going to happen to him. Of course there’s dread every day that bad things will happen, but this feeling is very different. It’s scaring me more than my nightmares with Vyco frighten me.

  John’s my big brother, my hero, the person I’ve always been able to turn to — I can’t think about something terrible happening to him. He came back from the dead for me. He won’t leave me again. I need to remember that when I’m panicking.