by Nguyen,Peter
“You know there’s different type of evil in this world. Just have know which one is in your favor,” Rylan shouts as I walk pass the wooden doors.
I rush up stairs as Faye calls out to me but I don’t reply. I keep walking and notice there’s a door at tend of the hallway, leading to a balcony.
I slowly walk outside and the view is magnificent. Trees that flourished for miles, cloud banks are lower than I thought, making the view seem empty. I want to scream, I want to cry, and I realize I want my mom back. For the first time I feel this emptiness that has left without me actually accepting the truth that my mom is gone. I sit down and stare into the woodland, remembering the good times I had with her. The chores she constantly tells me to do, the lessons she teaches and the unconditional love she gave. I want her back, I want this to all end.
“Hazer?” says a voice behind me, it’s Faye.
“I don’t want to talk right now,” I say.
She comes over and sits next to me. Her arms wraps around her knees, bringing them closer to her chest. We watch in silence which seems for about a minute.
“I never got the chance to say bye to her,” the words comes out soft but it’s enough for Faye to hear.
“Maybe not saying bye is a good thing,” she says.
I look to her with confusion.
“I may not remember anything from my past and may not know who I really am or was, but when you told me to get kids out of danger; I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want say bye to you. I didn’t want it to make it official. Maybe you’ll see her one day,” she says.
The things Faye is telling me wonder if it’s even possible to see my mom again. The way she once was.
“Ok enough with this. I have a surprise for you,” she says.
Faye jumps up and pulls my arm until I’m in a standing position. She leads me downstairs and leaves me in the living room. The room has a head of a Buck hanging above the empty fireplace next to the view of the forest that lies beyond the big rectangular glass windows. I sit down on the warm brown couch and Faye comes out of the kitchen, holding two hot mugs.
“Did you overhear what Rylan and I was discussing?” I ask as Faye hands me one of the mugs. “Just the part where I’m not coming along. He’s right though someone’s got to protect the kids when you come back.”
Faye sits down next to me, laying her head on my shoulder. “So this morning, what were you going to tell me?” Faye asks in a soft voice. I don’t’ know if can do this now, not with everything that is going on. Is it wrong for me to be with her, knowing I did something terrible that made her the way she is?
“I’m not the guy you think I am,” I say trying to clear my voice.
“What do you mean?” Faye looks up at me with her shiny dark brown iris and the fearful triangular diamond mark under her right eye, reminding me the power she can descend on me. I know I’m going to lose her if I tell her, but I don’t want her to love me like this. Not like this. I already took her memories; it’ll be immoral to take her heart.
“I’m the reason you lost your memories,” I said.
Faye slowly sits up and looks at me with confusion. “We were fighting over a Nightshade flower and I had to save my mom. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt, but I had to.”
A long silence follow by a deep breath as Faye moves her hair above her forehead. “I didn’t know it’ll make you lose your memories and Capa’s troop probably found you and made you take the injection and I’m sorry.”
“It was an accident. You did it for your mom. Hazer I forgive you,” Faye nods.
“Wait what?!”
“You jumped in front of that monster yesterday to protect me. I may not have my memories but I know a loyal person when I see one.”
I can feel my pounding heart, drowning in relief. I reach Faye’s soft cheeks, moving it behind her neck as I bring her in for a kiss. A hand suddenly slams on the side of my face as I realize she slapped me.
“That’s for not telling me sooner,” says Faye. She looks at me for a long good second before I pull her in for a kiss. I can feel my heart racing as I move my hands down her waist while she feels the skin underneath my shirt.
BANG!
Faye lets out a scream, piercing my ears. We turn around and Austin is holding a large sniper rifle. “AUSTIN PUT THAT DOWN,” Faye quickly runs to him, grabbing the large weapon away from 6 year old hands. “Where did you get this,” she asks him.
He walks into the kitchen and points towards the staircase. I’m surprise none of us has check what was under there.
We walk down the steps and I’m assuming this is the basement or the weapon supply room. There are all sorts of rifles and pistols, hanging on the wooden wall. “Austin, why don’t you go back up stairs while we check this out, ok?” He nods and crawls back upstairs.
“This must be where they keep all the weapons,” Faye says as she reaches for a hand gun.
“You guys can protect yourself now when we’re gone,” I said.
The weak smile tells me she’s worried, but I know she’ll be safe here while we leave to Devah. I mean what’s the worst that can happen? Cylers invading the house I quickly thought.
“It’s not me I’m worried about, it’s you,” she says.
“I’ll be fine, besides I think Rylan knows what he’s doing.”
“He sure does,” says Rylan as walks down the steps. The pistol Faye is holding suddenly flies out of her hands and into Rylan’s. “Don’t use this,” he says. He walks up to the wall near me and takes a long sniper rifle and hands it to Faye.
“Since you’re a Mirage, your ability gives you stealth; this will make you more deadly.”
“And for you Hazer. This will probably keep you alive,” Rylan hands me a sub machine gun that has a red dot sight attach to it. As cool as it looks, I don’t have any intentions of killing anyone.
“I think we should leave in two more days. The sooner the better for Kala’s sake,” says Rylan.
“I agree.”
After Rylan explains to us how to use the weapons, we all walk back up stairs and place the wood into the fire place. We lit the wood and fire starts to warm the room as the cold invades the house. Stephanie and Austin don’t really know what’s going on but to my surprise they’re a lot braver than I was when I was younger. Living without a father is bad enough but a homeless orphan in the Cyto field really makes me rethink how lucky I was to have my mom. I can’t say the same for Rylan.
~
The cracking fire burns the dark wood, releasing its fumes through the chimney. Faye rests her head against my chest. I pull the blanket over us for more warmth. Rylan is sleeping on the floor and the two kids are sleeping on the second couch, laying their small heads on opposite sides.
“Hey, Ry.”
“What is it?”
“So how are we going fine Kala? I mean we don’t even know where she is or if she’s even alive. I saw the plane crash.”
Rylan starts to chuckle and then replies, “If there’s one thing I know about that girl is that she cheats death. This isn’t the first plane she has gotten herself in trouble or the first plane she has hijacked. She brought hundreds of people to their death during her terrorist missions at the age 9. I know she survived that crash, with or without her gift.”
“She did all of that for Capa?”
“Like I said we never had no choice.”
“Are you going back after all of this is over?” I ask.
“That’s a tough decision, one I can’t make without Kala. We should get some sleep, you’ll need your rest.”
XIII
Rylan swings his axe, causing the tree to lean towards the lake. He swings again and the large pine trees falls down and splashes into the cold misty water.
“You know cutting down too much trees will give away our position,” I say.
“Relax this is the last one,” Rylan says.
I notice Rylan seem different today as if he’s lost in his thoughts, more than usu
al. I would ask him what’s bothering him but I guess it’s just the fact of not seeing Kala for awhile.
My wounds have gotten better but I still feel sore. I think I would have recovered a lot slower if it wasn’t for Rylan.
I glance over to the lake where Faye is throwing the pebbles into the water, along with Austin and Stephanie. Their laughter almost makes me forget the fact we’re in the most dangerous place in the world, the Cyto Field.
“Hey don’t get to close to the water!” I shout.
“Why is there a monster we should be afraid of?” Faye laughs.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Rylan picks up a few woods and heads back towards the safe house, where our fire place has burned all the wood from last night. It kept us warm until the early morning.
I ask Rylan if I can help but he said it’s best if I rest since he’ll need all my strength when we find Kala.
Faye approaches me and sits down beside me. I reach for her hands that are hidden under her long black sleeves. She lays her head on my shoulder as we both watch Austin, tossing pebbles into the water.
“Hey I want to ask you a question,” Faye nudges my shoulder.
“Anything.”
“Once all of this is over. Are we going back to Capa?”
I stare at her with a blank face. I really didn’t give much thought to that. If I decide to stay in the Cyto field, then I always have to be on guard, whatever war experiments the terriories release on us, but if choose to go back to Capa I might be punish for leaving in the first place.
“I don’t know,” I say.
“Well I know what I’m going to do once this is all over.”
“What’s that?”
“By your side. You’re the only one I trust.”
I take a deep breath and turn towards the lake.
“Is something wrong?”
“No it’s just everyone who I’m around always gets hurt,” I say not knowing how to explain that.
“I don’t care,” Faye says.
“Well I don’t want you to get hurt,” I say.
“And that’s exactly why I want to stay by you,” says Faye.
Faye places her soft hands on my lower cheek. She begins pulling me closer and finally our lips meet. I slowly kiss back and then place my hands on her sides, sliding them down to her waist as my body leans in closer.
Austin chases Stephanie around the trees as we walk back to the house. Its surprises me that their already smiling even after their mother’s death. I guess they have each other.
I look ahead and notice Rylan has his hands folded as he waits by the front door.
As we approach him, he has his eyes locked on Faye. The blue emerges from his black iris.
“What are you doing?!” I yell.
All of a sudden an invisible force breaks our hands apart, causing me to fall to the ground.
I look back up and Rylan walks up to Faye and pushes her with his powerful strength. She flies back hitting a tree.
“STOP!” I shout, but Rylan doesn’t stop instead he keeps coming towards Faye. He swings a punch but she quickly dodges it and returning a powerful kick to Rylan’s stomach. He flies back landing on the front porch.
“There it is,” Rylan smiles as a thin stream of blood runs down the corner of his lips.
“What hell are you doing?”
“I’m training you.” Rylan slowly stands back up and faces Faye again. “Your weak. You won’t last a day out here, let alone protect Austin and Stephanie.”
I look over at the two kids as they hide behind front door. Tears flowed down their eyes as they watch the aggression between Faye and Rylan.
“I can take you,” Faye holds up her fist.
“We’ll see,” says Rylan.
Faye suddenly charges towards Rylan but he doesn’t move nor does he flinch. Faye throws the first punch and then a second. He easily dodges all of them and in one quick motion he throws her over his head.
He turns around and just as Faye is about to get up. Rylan holds out his hands and Faye begins to slowly levitate off the ground. Her feet dangle in mid air.
“That’s enough!” I shout.
“She’s weak. She’ll never be able to protect the kids if we leave her here,” Rylan yells.
All of a sudden, a mirage of Faye comes from behind, placing a knife to Rylan’s neck.
“Told you,” she says.
Rylan smiles and his eyes returns normal again. He quickly gets out of Faye’s grip, snatching the knife out of her.
“That’s pretty good, for someone who has been a Redeemed for a few weeks now.
The next couple of hours, I sat next to Austin and Stephanie. We watch as Rylan and Faye train together. Faye is a fast learner with each round Rylan’s moves are becoming more predictable. They stop using their abilities only because it was wearing them out faster, so it’s all fist now.
“Hazer!” Rylan points.
I look up and Faye walks towards us, sitting down next me. “I’m guessing your brother wants to fights you now,” she says.
“Fighting the wounded?” I ask.
“C’mon she already wore me down. This will be a fair fight,” he says.
I roll my eyes. Faye helps me up.
***
The next day, I slowly open my eyes and the fire is out, leaving burnt wood and ashes. The warmth that slept with us is gone; the white morning sky shines through the large windows. The only place that is warm is Faye’s back press against my chest. I place my arm around her, hoping she won’t get too cold. I look over to Rylan and he’s arm is stretched out in a weird position and the green blanket tangles his legs like a net. I glance over to the second couch to see Stephanie and…
I quickly jerk my body up, realizing Austin is gone. Faye and Rylan slowly starts to wake up as I run into the kitchen shouting “Austin?!”
“Wait where’s Austin,” says Faye.
“Check up stairs,” Rylan shouts.
I check each bathroom and every room but there is no sign of Austin. I start to assume the worst as I enter the living room to see if the others have found anything.
“You won’t find him in there!” says a person outside. I look over to Rylan he quietly loads his gun. I peek out from the window and I can barley talk as I see the man who is out to get me. Seth.
He’s holding a gun to Austin’s head; the poor kid has tears running down his cheeks. Around Seth are armed men in white uniform, wearing gas mask. “It’s Seth and he has Austin.”
“We have to save him,” Faye rushes to the door but I quickly stop her. “Stop! I’ll go,” I said. “I’ll shield you if anything goes wrong,” Rylan stands by the wall next to me.
“C’mon I don’t have all day. If you want the kid to breath I suggest you come out now!” Seth yells.
I take a deep breath as I start to think it’ll be my last. I slowly open the door and Seth’s grin awaits me.
“Well isn’t it the boy who I should of killed.”
“Let go of him,” I shout.
Seth chuckles and presses the gun to Austin’s ash brown hair. “Where’s the girl!?” Seth shouts. I realize he’s talking about Faye. “What do you want from her?”
Seth chuckles, “You’re pretty brave to talk like that, and considering you’re surrounded my gunmens. It’s not me who is after her, its Kraven.” Seth replies. “You’re going to have to go through me if you think I’ll hand her over to that devil!” I yell.
“As you wish,” Seth suddenly points the gun at me but I stay calm knowing Rylan will shield me from any danger.
“STOP!”
I look over and its Faye and she’s unarm, holding both of her hands above her head. “I’ll go with you, no one has to die” she says. “Wait what?!” I reach out to her shoulder, but as the moment I touch her, I know it’s not the real Faye. The illusion nods at me. “Let them go and I’ll come peacefully.”
“This isn’t some sort of trick?”
“Th
is isn’t a trick.”
Seth pushes Austin forward and he quickly runs to me, wrapping his small arms around my waist. Faye walks to Seth as I quickly bring Austin inside, shutting the door. Rylan and the real Faye are inside as I look out in the window.
“C’mon we have to go! It won’t last long.”
The illusion slowly disintegrates and the look on Seth’s face is unforgettable, eyes widen, becoming more furious that we had just ticked him.
“C’mon let’s go!” Rylan shouts.
“They surrounded the house. We’ll have to fight our way out,” I said.
We quickly run upstairs and the front door suddenly explode and bullets come flying in, hitting the walls around us. I quickly get down and cover Austin and Stephanie. The bullets start to bounce back from the barrier Rylan is creating. “IN HERE!” Faye opens a bed room door and Austin and Stephanie walks into the room with their hands covering their small ears. “Don’t open this door to anyone, got it?”
The two orphans nod and Faye shuts the door, locking the two in a bed room. “You think we’ll have enough to fight our way out?”
“I’m not going to give up, not for Kala. I don’t care how many men are out there.”
“I’m with you,” I say, letting him know I’ll always be by his side. “You guys wanted use those guns, well here’s your chance.”
We both look at Faye who is seems to be lost in her thoughts. “What does Kraven what with me?” she says.
“I’m guessing he wants his hands on your Redeemed blood,” says Rylan.
“What is that?” I ask.
“Our Redeemed blood is can be used to make more Redeemed Serums. You can’t let him take it. Who knows what he’ll do with it,” says Rylan.
“Wait a second,” I say thinking back to that night we almost killed Seth in the woods.
“What is it?” Faye ask.
“When we were in the woods, you told me Seth took your sister and that you were planning on killing him.”
“I don’t remember!” Faye shouts.
“I’m guessing you wanted him dead, not for revenge but I think you feared you were next. I think he knows who you really are before you lost your memories,” I say.