by Shepp, Roman
“Always.”
Phil set his drink down on the ground. “Sometimes I find it hard to grasp the magnitude of what's happened, of all we've lost. It's like it still hasn't sunk in yet. While we've been running around out here, people have been dying. People who can't get the right medication or medical care, people who can't find enough food. And the worst thing is that I don't see a way out of it. How are we going to come back from this?”
“I don't think we are,” Rosa said bluntly. “The world has changed, and we have to change with it. The only thing we can do is honor the memories of those who have gone before us and try finding some peace. I still can't believe I'm saying things like this.”
“It suits you. I think you'd make a good leader.”
“I don't know about that.”
“You pretty much are one already,” Phil said.
Rosa considered his words for a few moments and decided that he was probably right. During her time with these people she had taken on the duties of training them and forming them into small groups who had hunted Hugo's patrols. So far, they had been quite successful and had developed far more quickly than Rosa could have foreseen.
She was beginning to question her own attitude toward life as well. For so long she had turned away from any human attachments, figuring it was easier to live life by herself. Yet now that she was a part of this group, she found she was enjoying it. She liked helping people discover new skills. There was nothing more wonderful to her than seeing someone's face light up after they had hit the target with a bow and arrow for the first time.
The camp had been busy making weapons such as bows and arrows and javelins, getting ready for the attack on Hugo's community. As far as Rosa was aware they were the last defense against Hugo, and if they weren't successful, then war would be waged in the city and more people would die. It should have been time for the fighting to be over, but she wasn't sure if that time ever would come.
At least she had Phil. The two of them had become good friends. Rosa liked how he still kept a positive attitude despite all that had happened to him. He didn't like talking about what had happened to his arm, but Rosa had gathered a few things, and she was impressed that he had managed to endure such hardship. She didn't have much love left for Jane, though. That woman had betrayed them by going off with a man she claimed to hate, and there was nothing that could redeem her in Rosa's eyes. Phil was convinced Jane had been forced to leave, even though that seemed like the sort of lie someone would tell themselves instead facing the truth about someone they knew.
Rosa had been sure that as they scoured the forest they would have come across some sign of Jane or Saeed and the others, but there hadn't been anything. She hoped the others had found safety somewhere.
Adam came over to them, looking sheepish.
“Rosa, I was wondering if you'd like to say something to everyone before we leave tomorrow morning?”
Rosa almost spat out her drink. She'd never been the person people turned to give inspiring speeches, but the encouraging look Phil gave her made her nod and she rose to her feet. Adam cried out that Rosa was going to say something, and all eyes turned to her. She started to think about what Adam would say.
“I know that none of you wanted this. That you all devoted your lives to non-violence, and I'm sorry that you have to break your vows. I wish things could be different, but sometimes to be strong we have to adapt ourselves for the greater good. You all have shown great strides, and I hope that when this is all over you can go back to living the lives you want. I'm not going to stand here and tell you that this is going to be some glorious fight, because war is never clean or majestic. We've all lost people in this world. We've seen things that we never should have seen, but it's time to reclaim this world as our own.
“You had a home, and this man has taken it from you. He twisted the meaning and vision for the community and now he wants to march into the city and cause havoc. We're going to stop him. It's going to hurt some of you. There's a good chance that not all of us are going to make it back, but we have to keep fighting for each other. We have to show this man the strength of our honor and prove to him that he can't get away with what he's done.”
Rosa took a moment to breathe and think of her next words. She scanned the faces looking up at her, the flames of the bonfire being reflected in their eyes. In them she saw the same thing she had seen in Don's eyes whenever he spoke about the chance that he would not see his child.
“I know plenty of you are scared right now because we don't know what is going to happen. This is all uncharted water for most of you. It's natural to be scared. Just do your best and try to keep your head. Remember your training and take things one moment at a time, one breath at a time. If you do that, then we can get through this and we all can come back here and celebrate.”
“Can you go through the plan one more time?” a voice shouted out to her, followed by nods of approval. It wouldn't hurt to go over things one last time. The more times they went over it, the more likely it was that people wouldn't lose their heads.
“The archers are going to go in first. Try taking out as many dangerous people as you can. Fire all you have. Shower the camp with arrows. Cause panic and disarray. If they're surprised, then it will be harder for them to organize themselves, and the quicker we attack the harder it's going to be for them to get to their weapons. We want to make sure they're at a disadvantage to improve our chances. After our first attack we'll move in on the camp, and we'll try to take Hugo captive. I'm assuming there will be people, you know. It's important not to hesitate, because that will get you killed. Once we have Hugo and anyone else who is trouble, we can try ending the fighting. Maybe the community can go back to the way it was, the way you want it to be.”
When she said it like that it sounded so simple, but Rosa wasn't naïve. She knew it was going to be hard work. It was going to take every ounce of blood, sweat, and strength that these people had. They began talking among themselves, telling each other that they could do this, that they could take back their home. Rosa hoped the positive attitude would persist through tomorrow and would help combat their nerves.
Shortly after giving her speech, Rosa excused herself and returned to the small hut that had become her shelter. Stretching out her body, thought about the following day, and hoped it all would go according to plan. She had worked hard to train these people, although training and being in the middle of a war zone were two different things entirely. She was disturbed from her thoughts by a soft knock at her door. Rosa knew it was Phil as he cleared his throat. She pulled back the sheet that served as a door and leaned against the wall, folding her arms across her chest.
“I liked your speech, Rosa.”
“Thanks.”
“Actually, I was wondering if I could ask you something.”
“Go ahead, shoot,” Rosa said, smirking. Phil seemed a little more nervous than usual. He took a deep breath.
“I thought that maybe when this battle is over we could go for a walk somewhere, spend some time alone?”
“Like a date?”
“Like a date.”
Rosa pressed her lips together. “No, Phil,” she said, and watched his face fall for a moment before she spoke again.
“No, it can't wait until after the battle because it's not guaranteed that either of us will make it back alive.” With that she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the hut then threw him down on the floor, and lost themselves in playful, intimate laughs.
The following morning Rosa awoke feeling refreshed. She glanced down at Phil and smiled. For a one-armed man he certainly had a lot of tricks up his sleeve. She nudged him awake and the two of them went to get some breakfast.
The mood around the camp was anxious, and the tension was palpable. Most people were quiet, unsure of what to talk about while on the cusp of something so important. They got underway as quickly as possible, moving through the forest like the wind toward Hugo’s community. They set up their position
s as they had planned. This is where their intimate knowledge of the camp came in handy. Rosa glanced at Phil and found herself hoping that he had survived the day.
Rosa gave the order to fire and a flurry of arrows flew through the air, peppering the community. They heard cries and shouts of anguish.
“Attack!” Rosa said, leading the charge. Phil was beside her, his arm ready to be wielded. They ran into the camp screaming.
“We're here for the one who betrayed us! We're here for Hugo!” Adam shouted.
Arrows were littered around the community, as were bodies, but there still were plenty of people left to fight. To Rosa's surprise the people there already were wielding weapons as though they were prepared for the attack, and then she saw why. At the far side of the camp was a huge man. She experienced flashbacks to the bunker where the masked man had taken control and killed Don and Steve without any struggle whatsoever. For a moment she thought it might be the same man. She shook her head.
Focus.
The huge man turned and roared. While he had seemed to be attacking the camp beforehand, he now was united with it in fighting Rosa's forces. The two armies clashed on the battlefield, using whatever was at hand. The weapons consisted of knives, javelins, spears, daggers. Some people even picked up arrows from the ground and used them. Rosa yelled to her army to hold the line and keep their heads, but she could hear them crumbling. The pacifists weren't used to war, and they were being scorched by the fires of combat.
Suddenly there was a bright light. Rosa looked up and told people to move. Someone had set a piece of wood on fire and launched it into the middle of them. Agonizing screams pierced the air as the flames latched onto flesh and wouldn't let go. The victims ran around in panic, throwing themselves to the ground in an effort to douse the flames.
In the distance, Rosa saw the big man running forward, barreling through people and sending them toppling like bowling pins. She braced herself, ready to face him, even though she didn't know how she was going to defeat a man like him. But she'd find a way. For Steve and Don and all the other people who had lost their lives.
“We've lost too many!” Adam called out, his voice hoarse. Rosa glanced around and cursed when she saw the number of dead people lying on the ground. More than she had planned for.
“Should we retreat?” Adam added.
“No. There's no turning back now. This is a surprise attack. If we stop, we've lost all advantage we have,” Rosa said. There was only one option, and that was to continue the fight.
“If we leave, we'll just be hunted down, and we're not going to die like that,” she said through gritted teeth.
With Phil by her side, she charged forward, using all her training to take down the enemy. She fought hard, and with great determination, but it didn't seem to be enough. There were just too many of them. Then she heard her name being called. Looking around, she saw Jane, Saeed, and Tara standing in the middle of the battlefield.
Rosa called out for everyone to follow her and then sprinted toward Saeed and the others. Phil was the only one who managed to make it with her, though.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Jane asked.
“The people who captured us used to live here. They escaped. What are you doing here?” Rosa said, glaring at Jane. Jane glanced at Phil and looked ashamed.
“I'm sorry for what happened. I was scared, confused. I shouldn't have left. But these people have to be stopped. We have to do something,” she said.
Rosa looked around. Recriminations could come later. There was still a war to be fought and the more she looked around the more she worried. It seemed as though the force she had been leading had been decimated, and they all were straggling, fighting for themselves, not as one unit. Rosa was prepared to fight some more, but death was closing around them all.
Chapter Sixteen
Matthias had been in a blind rage when the attack first had begun. He'd wanted to tear up everything because of Hugo. It was time for Matthias to take control. Then he looked around and saw that another enemy was daring to threaten his community, the one he was destined to lead. He roared and ran into the crowd, sending many of them flying. They were no match for his strength. Nobody was! He was going to show them all how he was the mightiest, and how he was the only one who deserved to lead them.
Now his rage had faded and he ordered others to his side, sending them elsewhere to attack. He united the community and they fought as one army, and quickly they gained the upper hand. It was a glorious victory, and only proved to Matthias that he had been right in thinking he could take command. It had happened sooner than he had imagined, but Hugo's time as leader was over.
Dead bodies littered the ground, and then he saw Jane and Saeed standing in the middle of the battlefield. Matthias grinned as he approached them.
“Do you see what I have been talking about now?! Do you see the might of this place? We never will be subdued. We are strong, and we will own this country!” he cried.
“We have your leader,” Jane said, and brought Hugo forward. Matthias looked around. He saw Natasha standing there. Nearby was Frank, who had returned from whichever rock he had been hiding under. Matthias felt a supernatural energy rush through his body.
“Stand down. This war is over,” the woman standing beside Jane said. Matthias continued walking forward. He had eyes only for Hugo.
“For so long I have been standing by your side. For so long I have been doing as you asked, all for the promise of a future where I would be important. Then you cast me aside for some politician. You don't deserve to lead these people, Hugo. You're weak. You're a failure. You're nothing.”
“And you're just a henchman,” Hugo said.
Matthias growled and lunged forward. Before the others could react, he'd grabbed Hugo by the neck and hauled him down to the ground. Matthias strangled him and twisted his neck. A sickening crack snapped through the air, and Hugo's body fell limply to the ground.
Natasha began approaching him and Matthias smiled. “This is a new dawn for us all. Only the strongest shall survive, and the strongest shall lead. Follow me and we never will have to wait for glory again. I am Matthias, and nobody can challenge me!” he roared. His words were met with cheers and gasps in equal measure. He looked at Frank and Jane and Saeed. All the people who had wronged him. Hugo had been too soft with them. He wasn't going to make the same mistake. It was finally time for him to take his place at the head of the table and shape the world in his image.
“I'll challenge you,” someone said. Matthias turned around to see who dared say such a thing. The crowd parted.
“Oh my God,” Jane said behind him. Matthias tilted his head and looked curiously at the people standing before him. There was a man with a baseball bat, a dog, and a man wearing a mask.
Chapter Seventeen
Quentin had been troubled ever since Tony had declared he would stay with him for the rest of his life. There was something about the man that Quentin just couldn't work out. All his life he had been used to people ignoring him, judging him. The only few people who ever had shown him any kindness or compassion had been his squad, Carol, and now Tony. But why? Quentin long since had accepted that he was a monster, so why was Tony continuing to help him?
The voice inside his head, Carol, kept telling him that he was worthy. Had Quentin been wrong all this time? Tony had been telling him lots of things too, things that gave him headaches. What if he was right? What if Quentin had made a mistake in trying to kill all the happy people? It didn't seem fair that Tony should sacrifice his life just to make sure Quentin didn't kill again. Quentin was so tired...maybe it made sense not to kill.
But then why was he spared when so many others had died?
The moment Tony stepped forward Quentin knew what to do. One look at the man standing before them was enough for Quentin to be sure that Tony wouldn't stand a chance. Not when all the advantages were the other man’s. As Tony stepped forward Quentin shot out a hand and pulled him back. Tony l
ooked at him with surprise.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I should be the one,” Quentin said.
“You don't have to do this.”
Even now Tony still was being selfless. Quentin didn't think he ever would understand this man. But as he looked around he saw the other people he had tried to kill, the ones who had been in the bunker with Tony.
“Everything has been taken away from me. Maybe this way you don't have to suffer the same fate,” Quentin said.
“Thank you,” Tony said.
There was genuine gratitude in his eyes. It had been a long time since Quentin had put his life on the line for someone else. It took him back to the days when he was in the army, when he was a part of something bigger than himself. After being cast out into the wilderness, Quentin started to feel like he was beginning to belong again.
“Who do we have here?” the other man asked.
“The man who is going to stop you,” Quentin said, and after that there were no more words.
The two gladiators clashed in the arena that was made for them by everyone else moving back into a circle. The tension in the air was palpable, but Quentin blocked it out. This was what he had been trained for most of his life. This was where he belonged. The other world had been alien to him. Civility had been a hostile atmosphere, but here he could be free to be himself. The other man was strong, with muscles packed upon muscles. However, Quentin was tall and strong as well. The two of them locked arms and wrestled each other, testing each other’s strength. Matthias seemed to be surprised by how strong Quentin was.
Matthias tried putting his leg around Quentin's calf to upend him, yet Quentin managed to resist. He relaxed his grip and barged his shoulder into Matthias' chest. The titan staggered back, astonished that Quentin could cause him pain. However, it only served to enrage him. He swiped with one fist, which Quentin was able to block. Then he came at him with a knee strike, raising it into Quentin's gut. Quentin doubled over, the breath being driven from his lungs, and then he felt two heavy clubs battering his back, sending him to the ground. Quentin quickly turned around to face the sky, but Matthias was already on him, straddling him. Quentin blocked his blows with his forearms, then quickly smashed his fist up into Matthias' chin. Blood sprayed out. Quentin could taste the blood on his tongue. Quentin pressed the advantage, though, pushing himself up, punching Matthias in the neck.