Byron's heart is pounding and his grasp tightens around Leena's hand. He can't say anything. What should he say if he could? They've been caught and there's no way out of this. Where's Blice? Did they do something to Blice? Isidore was right. They shouldn't have come here. From the looks of it all, it was a trap the entire time. Byron looks up at the ceiling. Cameras. Yep. They fell into the trap, just as the Inquisition wanted.
"Give us the woman and you're free to go." Inquisitor Allen says.
There's no way in hell. "Why do you want her?"
"Leena McSage is of the upmost importance to us."
What did he just say? McSage? Her last name is McSage? Like Blice? Are they related? "McSage?" Byron looks at Leena who is hiding her face from him.
Inquisitor Allen steps closer. "Leena, we have been looking for you."
"Leave me alone." Leena says as her voice shakes and she holds up her machete. "I don't want anything to do with the Inquisition anymore. Just go away."
"You have something very, very important to us and I can assure you that all of humanity will be a lot better off if you give it back without a fight. You were never meant to have it in the first place. The inquisitor who gave it to you did so in confidence that you would give it back when needed. That time is now, Leena. I don't care what happened between you two in your private lives but when we entrusted the inquisitor with that technology, he swore the oath that he would give it back. You don't want something to happen to him, do you?"
Leena gasps and looks down at the floor.
"You still have feelings for him, don't you?" Inquisitor Allen asks with a sharp and taunting grin on his face. "Then why did you run away? Why did you leave him so cold-heartedly when he gave you his heart? Well, I have to commend you on that and thank you for knocking some sense back into him. He has become one of the greatest inquisitors we have ever had because he was so determined to do something right in his life after losing you. And to think that he is the one M.A.G.E. that isn't a failure. And where does the one successful experiment go? Straight to the heart of the Inquisition because he is smart. He dedicated every minute of his existence to the assignment he is on now and I must say, he is doing a splendid job. Don't you agree, Leena?"
Byron grabs Leena and shakes her. "What is he talking about? You know an inquisitor?"
Leena's eyes are dark and brimming with tears as she looks at him. "Byron . . . I'm sorry. I never meant to get involved with him again. I didn't know. I had no way of knowing when you stepped into the bar."
"What are you talking about?" Byron asks.
"Don't say another word, Leena." Inquisitor Allen says. "You are placing our inquisitor in danger with every word that comes off of your tongue."
Nothing is making sense to Byron. He glances back and forth between Leena and Inquisitor Allen. Maybe if he was a smarter man, he could understand more of what is going on. Is this why Leena has never talked about her past?
"Put the weapon down, Leena."
Byron looks at her and his heart leaps in his chest. Leena is aiming his shotgun at the soldiers. She wouldn't. They'll fire if she tries anything.
"This is your last warning, Mrs. McSage."
"I'm not going down without a fight. Blice will protect me. He knows all about you and your ways. Do it. I dare you to shoot me."
Byron notices the barrels of the soldiers' guns. They glitter with a purple swirling haze. He's seen that before. Dark matter magic. "Leena, do what he says. Put my gun down." He holds up his hands. "All right, Inquisitor. We don't want to fight. We don't want any trouble."
"Speak for yourself, Byron." Leena pulls the trigger.
As the shots ring out, Byron dives to the floor behind a safe and covers his head with his arms. This isn't happening. Someone screams and he hears the familiar static sound of dark matter magic flaring up. More screaming scrapes across Byron's ears and all he can think about is Leena. He hasn't heard his shotgun go off again and that is the most terrifying thing. Is she all right? Surely she is. She has her machete and he has seen how good she is with it. If any woman can hold her own against some inquisitors and soldiers, it would be Leena. Eventually, the gunfire stops and feet rush across the stone floor and a helicopter starts up somewhere nearby.
Silence. Byron takes a deep breath in an attempt to calm his nerves. That was way too close for him. They have to get out of here or they will be back. "Leena?"
No answer.
A deep and disturbing darkness fills Byron's chest as he gathers the courage to stand. He looks around the room. Bullet holes dot the back wall and tiny speckles of dark matter swirl and slowly dissolve the concrete. Well, there are no soldiers on the floor. It doesn't look like anyone got hit. Then he sees it. A pool of bright red blood. His eyes follow the smeared blood down one of the rows of gun cabinets. He goes to it and his world shatters. Leena. He goes to her and takes her in his arms. "Leena? Talk to me, baby."
She is trembling and completely covered in blood. "Byron . . ."
Blice runs inside and rolls up his sleeves before dropping to his knees beside Leena. He looks around desperately and finds a puddle of oil on the floor. He drags his finger though it. Get her to a medic. This is dark matter magic.
"Where? Where's a medic?" Byron asks.
Blice picks up Leena in his arms and takes her outside. Byron follows them to a shed. Blice kicks it open and pushes his way inside. There is a small and ancient-looking car. He holds up a set of keys.
Byron takes them and tries to start the engine as Blice places Leena in the backseat. It won't start. "Blice, it won't start. Come on, come on!" Finally, the engine starts and he speeds off towards Rubble City.
14
The sterile white walls do little to calm Byron's nerves. A harsh antiseptic smell stings his nose and burns his eyes. A clock ticks on the wall behind him and every second that passes drives him closer to insanity. This is the most modernized clinic in the wasteland. It's nothing like what Paradise has, but it will have to do. Any medic can sew up some bullet holes, right? It's nothing. She's fine. She has to be fine. Leena won't die in a place like this. She's too perfect to die in such a common place. Angels don't die on Earth.
Blice looks to be in worse condition than Byron feels, actually. He is curled up in a ball under a chair in the corner of the room. He hasn't moved since they got here. Occasionally there is a tiny airy whimpering sound that comes from him.
Byron sighs and goes over to him. He taps him with the toe of his boot. "Blice?"
He doesn't move.
"Come sit with me, Blice. I need someone to talk to and keep my mind off this."
Blice slides out from his hiding place and stands. His face is wet with tears and his purple eyes show a deep and flowing sorrow.
They sit together and Byron studies him. "So, will you answer one question for me? It has to be an honest answer. Do you love Leena?"
Blice shakes his head and hides his face in his hands as he breaks down again.
He believes him. Maybe it's the obvious worry and emotional pain he is in or how pathetic he looks right now, but Byron believes him. All of that doesn't even matter. What does matter is being here for Leena and ensuring that she is okay. What is clear is that Blice cares about Leena as they all do. Each of them has grown close to her in some way or another because she is a kind person with a loving and tender heart. Leena never belonged in a deteriorating world like this one. Angels like her should live in Paradise.
Damien enters the room and sits next to Byron and studies him. "Byron, you have blood all over you."
He picks the rusty dried blood and mud from his fingernails. "It's Leena's."
"What happened? We got here as fast as we could. Isidore is in the van. We heard on the radio that an Inquisition helicopter was spotted near Rubble City and that you three hadn't been seen for a while."
Byron's hands shake with adrenaline and nervousness as he clasps them together in an attempt to hide his worry. "We went over to that armory we found.
Apparently it wasn't actually abandoned. It was a trap the entire time and we were too stupid to see the truth. Inquisition bastards gunned her down with dark matter bullets."
"Damn. So is she . . . ?"
"The medics have her." Byron says. "I don't know anything yet. When Blice and I brought her in, she was still breathing. The magic helped to cauterize the wounds so she didn't lose as much blood as she could have. Leena's going to be fine. I know it. She's tough and nothing will take her from me. Do you understand? You watch. In a few minutes, she will come out here and be all stitched up and back to her perky self. I know it."
"Byron . . ."
"This is my fault." Byron says as he holds his face in his hands. "She never should have been in that armory. I should have made her stay behind with you and Isidore. She wanted nothing more than to help. Now look what happens. I have been trying so hard to protect her from things like this and no matter what I do, it's never enough. And on top of that, Leena's pregnant."
"What? No." Damien puts his hand on Byron's shoulder.
Blice looks at Byron and shakily writes on his pad of paper that is now stained with blood. She was going to have a baby? Are you sure?
"She was pretty sure. And everyone stop talking like this. There's no was. Leena is fine. My baby is fine too. I didn't tell her that I wanted to be a father. I realize now that I do. And as soon as she is done here, I'm going to talk to her and we are going to figure out names for the baby."
"Was she still conscious?" Damien asks.
"In and out. She said . . . she said my name." Byron leans over and hides his face from them.
"You can't beat yourself up. You did what you could. Leena can still pull through. We knew people were going to get hurt."
"Leena isn't just some person." Byron says.
Damien kneels down in front of Byron and looks into his eyes. "You love her."
"I didn't say that." He looks away.
"You didn't have to."
Byron slides down in the chair and stares up at the ceiling. Surely she is going to be all right. They have medicine. Medicine fixes everything. Any minute now, the medic will step into the hall and tell him that Leena is doing better. Then they can go back to Isidore's van and drink all night long. He can have her in his arms again and kiss her like he desperately wants to right now. They can go out to the canyon where the sunrise hits the shards of glass and creates that glittering magical reflection in the air like Leena loves so much. "Damien?"
"What's up?"
"Can you go get Isidore?" Byron asks.
Damien pats Byron's knee. "Of course."
Byron watches Blice who takes a second handful of assorted pills in ten minutes. Is he trying to kill himself? Or is this just how he copes with things? If anyone knows about drugs, it is Blice. If he doesn't want to kill himself, he knows his limits.
Isidore comes inside and he sighs as he makes his way to Byron. "Hey, Damien told me what happened. I'm so sorry. Do you need anything? Can I do anything to help you through this?"
Don't cry. He can't cry. "I just . . . I need to pray and know that she's going to be all right."
"Byron, prayer isn't magic." Isidore says.
"I know, but I have to try. Leena's going to be okay, right? God won't take her from me."
"Some things we can't explain. Some things . . . are out of God's hands."
"No." Byron says. "I refuse to believe that. He can save Leena if he wanted to."
Isidore sighs and takes Byron's hands. "I will pray with you if you want me to, but all we can do is have hope."
"Hope never did me any favors. I need facts."
"Then you are going to have to face the truth about things when they happen and not rely on your false confidence." Isidore says. "You keep saying that Leena's fine, but you know better. It's in God's hands now, Byron. We can't do anything to change what has happened."
"If you weren't a failure, you could take me back in time and I could save her."
Isidore crosses his arms on his chest. "I already told you, it doesn't work that way. Believe me, I don't want to lose anyone. I can't control time. Yes, according to everyone I am a failure. Thank you for reminding me that my purpose in life turned into a mistake. Don't you think that I'm aware of this already? Now, we'll pray. Okay? We'll pray and maybe God has another miracle up his sleeve."
* * *
Byron looks up as the door opens and his heart leaps in his chest. See? Everything is fine.
The medic in white steps into the hall and wipes the sweat from his pink face with a rag. "Mr. McSage, I need to talk to you in here."
Blice shakes his head and hands the medic a piece of paper. Then he pushes Byron to the door. He sits back down and gives Byron a small smile.
"All right, Mr. Erikson. Follow me, please."
The medic leads him to a door and puts his hand on Byron's shoulder. "Mr. Erikson, we've done all we can. Leena's body is shutting down as we speak. The dark matter magic on the bullets made it so no matter what we try to do, we can't close the holes. Worse yet, it's spreading. Her cells are disintegrating and she'll be gone in a few hours. It's extremely painful for her and we are going to let her go. That machine is the only thing keeping her alive. I'm sorry, but there's nothing else we can do for her."
Byron's resolve crumbles. "I can't lose her."
"We have priests and counselors to help you through this. They will work with you."
He slams his fist on the door. "No. I don't need them. Leena isn't dying. Do you hear me? She can't die." Flames spread up his arms as he points at the medic. "She's not dying. I will kill you and everyone here if I lose her. I swear it. Now get in there and save her, damn it."
"Mr. Erikson . . ."
"Shut up. I want to see her." His flames die out and he doesn't care enough to bring them back.
The medic pushes open the door.
Byron steps into the dimly lit room and makes his way to the bed. The only sound is the methodical humming of the machines. The artificial blue glow from the monitors glistens on her hair and her soft lips. She should never be confined in a harsh place like this. Her soul is too beautiful and delicate to be here.
He takes her hand and watches her chest gently rise and fall in ragged breaths beneath the blanket. "Leena?"
She doesn't answer back. Her brown hair is matted to the side of her face with sweat. Her eyelids flitter as she dreams in her unconsciousness.
"Leena?" Byron touches his fingertips to her lips and her eyes flutter open. "Hi, Leena. Please say something."
"Byron . . ." Her voice is weak and trembling.
Byron turns to the medic. "Look. She's talking. She's going to be okay."
The medic puts his hand on Byron's shoulder. "No. I'm sorry. Even that machine won't keep her alive indefinitely. You should say your goodbyes. When you are ready, press this button. I will let you do it when you two are ready. There's nothing we can do. I'll leave you two alone. Say whatever needs to be said."
"Leena, I want you to know that you changed my life. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't come into my life." Byron holds onto her arm and kisses her fingers. "I love you."
She manages a tiny smile. "You . . . love . . . me?"
Byron traces her cheek with his fingers. "I do. I haven't been enough of a man to tell you before now. But I do and I can't deny that."
"Byron . . . I love you too." Leena's hand moves to his and she slips something small and cold into his palm.
Byron looks down and holds it up in the light. A ring. "Leena . . ."
"Guard this . . . with your . . . life."
He adds the ring to the cord around his neck then takes her hand. "I will. I swear it. Leena, will you marry me? I need you. I know that now. You are the love of my life and now . . . now . . ." Byron pushes back tears. "Now I might lose you."
"I will . . . marry you."
"When you get out of here, we will talk to Isidore and do some kind of wedding. Okay? Then I will call you my wife and we will be t
he happiest people on the planet. We will get married by the canyon and we will find flowers and you can braid them in your hair. Then we can have our little family and I can be a daddy. Don't you want that? I know I was against it, but I can do this, Leena. I can do this. I want to be a daddy. I'm sure we'll have a baby girl and she will look just as beautiful as you do. You're gonna be okay. You're gonna make it through this."
"No."
"Yes. I told you that I would protect you." Byron says. "You're not going anywhere. You can't leave me. Not now. Not when we have so much to live for. We have plans. We made plans. Don't you remember? You wanted a house in Rubble City so you could take care of the children. We could have everything. I will get a job somewhere and it will be perfect. I'll take you out to the West Coast and we can go see the ocean like you have always wanted. We'll show our baby the ocean, Leena. We can feed the seagulls and play in the waves. We'll build sandcastles and find pretty shells to decorate it with. Do you think our baby will like that?"
"You . . . can press . . . that now. I'm . . . ready." Leena says.
Byron touches her arm and tries to understand. She doesn't want him to end it, does she? "Leena, I can't. You'll die."
"Please. I'm ready . . . to go. I'm hurting. It hurts so bad. If you love me . . . end it. Please." Leena says as she closes her eyes.
What does he do? There's nothing else he can do. It's over. Byron is losing the one person he has ever loved. No longer will he have her smiling face looking at him in the morning or her warm skin in his arms. Never again will he hear her giggling or see her playing with the children in town. How does it come to this? How does the world lose something so beautiful? They could have run away, far away from here and tried to live a life on their own. Could they have been happy? Leena could have been a great mother. Byron realizes now that he truly does want a life like that with her, but it is far too late to go back and change everything. If he had proposed earlier when he first thought about it and taken her away from this, he could have protected her and even though their marriage would never be fully recognized, they could have been happy. Byron realizes now that he failed her. Like she said, all she wanted was to be loved. Now he is doing the one thing he swore he would never do. He's crying.
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