Countercurrent

by Jessica Gunn

  “How is he doing?” I asked her.

  She shook her head. “Only a minute, if that.”

  “Initiating self-destruct,” I said and typed in Captain Marks’s detonation code. I’d hacked this code my first day on the job as an intern.

  “Valerie!” Chelsea shrieked.

  I spun on her. “We need to overpower him enough before he’s trapped so that he does burn from the time-energy. SeaSat5 is a Link Piece, Chelsea. Even a spent one in these conditions should be enough to end him for good, so stop getting in my way and just make a damn Return Piece already.”

  Her eyes rounded and I knew what she was thinking. SeaSat5 had been home to me, too. It’d been where Trevor and I had worked, and where she and Trevor had met.

  SeaSat5 had changed everything for each of us. But it didn’t make us who we were. We’d done that on our own.

  Chelsea looked away and settled her gaze on the Link Piece manufacturing device. A few seconds later, she looked up. “It’s done. Sophia, Weyland—Charlie, too. Help me?” They gathered around Chelsea, all of the super soldiers, and put their hands on top of hers—the hand that held her engagement ring. Trevor was about as home as it got for Chelsea. “Get ready to bring us home.”

  I joined them and passed the word on to Trevor.

  “Self-destruct in ten seconds,” chimed the alarm. I gulped. He still wasn’t here yet.

  “Trevor!” I called over the communications channel.

  Nothing. No response.

  Chelsea cried out. I spun on her. “Don’t you dare let go of us for him.” My words cut even me, but I knew Trevor would want us to survive even if he didn’t. So even if it killed me to leave him behind, I would. I would a thousand times and I knew Chelsea would, too.

  “Five seconds,” the self-destruct alarm rang again. “Four. Three. Two. One. Self-destruct imminent.”

  The ship began to shake and heat up, and at the very last possible freaking second, Trevor’s form appeared in a wave of blue-hot light that flickered out as soon as he landed, leaving cracked, burned skin behind all over Trevor’s body. I clamped a hand onto his arm and pulled him to me.

  “Go!” I shouted.

  Chelsea’s eyes closed and the super soldiers brought us home.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  CHELSEA

  The problem with thinking too much about “safety” and “home” in a vague way was that your brain tended to misinterpret the word. Sometimes safety meant your family, friends, or the love of your life. Sometimes it was a memory, like whack-a-mole in your best friend’s yard. Sometimes it was a place, like the Franklin.

  And sometimes safety got misinterpreted with irony, and the group you were bringing back to your own home-time was transferred into the middle of exactly where they didn’t want to be when we got back from our mission.

  The Admiral’s office at Pearl Harbor.

  I wasn’t exactly sure how quickly security showed up in full gear, guns aimed in our direction, but I did know that I didn’t care. My sole focus was the man in my arms, being half-carried by Valerie and me to the group. Weyland knelt next to us and hovered his hands over Trevor’s time energy burns. The same type of burns I’d gotten earlier today from my powers.

  “Hands up!” one of the MPs shouted. Guns readied and cocked. “Do it—now!”

  Weyland’s eyes met mine, but he didn’t budge. We’d come this far, we’d defeated General Allen. We weren’t going to let Trevor die right here, right now. Not after everything.

  The burns receded as we were continually threatened. One by one, the other Atlantean super soldiers, Sophia and Charlie included, were bound and went willingly. We’d known this would happen. Even Lexi managed to keep her mouth shut.

  We just had to talk to Captain Marks or the Admiral face-to-face. Explain everything. Then, maybe, at least the other soldiers would be let off the hook.

  When Trevor’s burns had disappeared altogether, leaving red, angry skin behind, Weyland backed off and we all submitted to imprisonment. I gulped as I watched Trevor, unconscious, be wheeled away from me on a gurney.

  The last thing I saw was a solitary confinement cell door being shut in my face.

  I lost track after five hours. But at five hours plus some undeterminable amount of time, I was finally let out of the cell and led to a bathroom where I was, finally, allowed to pee. After relieving myself, a herd of MPs escorted me to the same briefing room where, not that many months ago, Atlas’s design had been revealed to Trevor and me.

  The MPs sat me in a chair. A large device I recognized as the one we’d used to keep Dave from using his powers during SeaSat5’s rescue a year and a few months ago sat in the middle of the table. Ten MPs and a power-killing device just for little old me? I snorted. The last thing I wanted to do after saving this place and everyone in it was hurt them.

  But they don’t know that. All they saw was us stealing Atlas and SeaSat5 and returning with neither of them. Oh, and Trevor had been still alive.

  Turned out the show wasn’t solely for me. One by one, the others were ushered in, all accompanied by an extra power-killing device and their own troupe of soldiers. They sat Trevor alone at the back end of the room, away from any windows and away from the water cooler they’d forgotten to remove. I chuckled despite myself. Trevor couldn’t control powers anymore.

  Could he?

  At least he was still alive. He’d survived his fight—whatever had happened during it—with General Allen. Valerie was looking at him, too. Inventorying his remaining injuries like I was. He flashed us both a quick thumbs-up. It settled my racing heart.

  Admiral Dennett, Captain Marks, General Holt, and Major Pike filed in. The glare of pure, raging Pompeii fire that burned in Pike’s eyes near melted me into the chair. It might have if I weren’t so sure we had been in the right.

  No one spoke. Not even Sophia or Weyland defended themselves.

  The other military officers deferred to Admiral Dennett, who chose to remain standing in front of this apparently-despicable crew. “Here’s the thing,” he started, looking at each one of us in turn. I gulped when his stare landed on me. “It’s quite obvious that something larger is going on here, something not many people knew about. We’re just not sure what it is, who was involved, why you stole our ships, and when all of this secrecy started.”

  “Sir—” literally everyone on our side of the room said at once.

  We stopped, looked at each other, and then turned all eyes to Trevor. He should be the one to explain. He was the one who had to prove he was actually himself—and alive—after all.

  “Yes, Mr. Boncore?” said Admiral Dennett.

  “Assuming that’s really you,” Pike said. The venom in his voice dripped from his lips.

  Trevor held up a hand. The entire military brass flinched. Pistols aimed on Trevor.

  “He’s good!” I shouted. “Jesus—put those down if you want the truth.”

  Admiral Dennett waved his hand and his soldiers fell to ‘at ease’ position. “Go ahead, Trevor.”

  Trevor slid his hands behind his back. Probably for the best. They thought he still had powers. “Yes, I’m alive. No, you’re not getting your ships back, Admiral. But yes, we did steal them for a plan and that plan was to kill General Allen—which we’re fairly certain we did.” He paused and the officers, even Major Pike, were too stunned to speak. Trevor continued. “Well, I think I killed him.” He turned to Valerie and me. “He’s definitely trapped either way, but considering the energy burns I had on my skin, he’ll be burned alive before very long. We got him. It’s over.”

  “Energy burn?” Captain Marks asked. “How did you all end up on the same side again? And where is SeaSatellite5?”

  “We blew it up, sir,” Weyland said. “Atlas, too. It was the only way.” His gaze traveled to Trevor. He’d come so close to dying when he’d taken General Allen’s powers. So, so close.

  “Maybe you should start at the beginning, Trevor,” General Holt said. “And eve
ryone take a moment to chill out before that happens.”

  Admiral Dennett cut a glare at General Holt. “These people stole military property and committed treason, among many other crimes, against this nation’s military. Even if they have a perfectly reasonable explanation, that doesn’t change what happened.”

  “Agreed,” said Captain Marks. “But if this collective group of super-powered people haven’t escaped yet, it’s rather obvious they won’t. Will you?”

  “No, sir,” was the chorused answer.

  “See?” Captain Marks said. “There you go. Please, Mr. Boncore. From the beginning.”

  Major Pike seethed in his chair, his jaw clenched tight.

  Trevor took a deep breath and said, “It started months ago, right after you guys showed us Atlas for the first time. That was when we and Valerie first heard about the Lifestone being missing from Lemuria.”

  He explained about his mother’s request, but also our collective worries about General Allen. About how we’d used Valerie and Ezra to alter our memories once the pieces of our plan had been in place, but also how our plan had gone horribly wrong. About the day I’d shot Trevor and how most of that had been a lie. Trevor told them about forcing me out of TAO’s hands to make me free later, about how we’d needed SeaSat5 and Atlas to trap General Allen with the dinosaurs. But then how that planned had failed when he’d murdered Abby, using her for her heritage. About how Trevor had had a power this whole time—his malleability, like how fire could bend metal—and how General Allen had thought Abby might have had it, too.

  Trevor explained about the black hole and how there had been no way to recover either vessel from Germay’s time. Valerie and I filled in the gaps along the way. Things like how she’d met Charlie and the army of super soldiers they’d been amassing.

  When we were done giving our best defense, no one spoke. Too shocked, again, for words. I didn’t blame them. When I’d found out about Trevor still being alive, I hadn’t been able to speak either. I couldn’t imagine what it was like to hear all of this for the first time and in full.

  Major Pike spoke first. “Holy shit.”

  The three senior officers stared at him, stunned by Pike’s uncharacteristic—though not really, lately—expression.

  “We realize that this might not rebuild your trust in us,” Trevor said. “Me, especially. But Valerie and my uncle can give you back your memories, so you see the truth of the various situations in which they were changed.”

  “And if this means none of us can work for the military again, we understand that, too,” said Valerie.

  In the very least, I was ninety percent sure the two of them were banking on that. Working as Lemurians for the military hadn’t gained them anything other than love. But love wasn’t enough on its own. It wasn’t a life. A life was what they both deserved, love included. As for me, I’d already been out for months. It wouldn’t faze me in the least.

  “That is rather probable,” General Holt said. “At least where TAO is concerned.” His gaze fell to the Admiral’s. “Although I’m inclined to believe that all of this is enough evidence against further Link Piece travel.”

  “General?” the Admiral asked.

  “We created a ship that can time-travel,” he said frankly. “We’re not that far from being Atlas ourselves, doing it because we can. It’s not right.”

  Major Pike’s eye twitched. Obviously, no one had told him he might be out of a job. “Sir?”

  “Oh, don’t worry, Major. We’ll get you reassigned,” said the Admiral. “But a dissolution of TAO would complicate matters for reassigning you.” His words were aimed at all of us in general, not only me or Trevor or Weyland. “I’ll admit, I’ve never been in quite this position before. When half the things you all did speak treason and the rest speak to heroic deeds when faced with no other option… I don’t know what to do, as hard as that is to admit.” And just like that, Admiral Dennett’s presence changed from that of a surefooted, seasoned military leader to that of a weary man ready to hand over the wheel to someone else.

  No one spoke again, for so long that Captain Marks picked up the talking stick. “I think it’s safe to say we won’t keep you guys locked up here forever.”

  “Agreed,” said General Holt. “You did save us all.”

  I risked a glance at Trevor. “No, sirs. He did.” Trevor’s face reddened, but he didn’t look away. “If anyone deserves to get out of this one unscathed, it’s him. He risked it all to see the plans followed through, from infiltrating General Allen’s army to sacrificing himself.” Something close to pride—if, you know, this whole thing hadn’t been horrific—warmed my heart. He was my hero, that was for sure. “Trevor deserves immunity from whatever happens to the rest of us.”

  Captain Marks let a half-smile crack through, as if he’d known all along how it’d play out.

  That his crew would save everyone yet.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  TREVOR

  We buried Abby in Massachusetts, not too far from Chelsea’s house, in a cemetery with lots of fireflies in the summertime. I knew she would have loved that. And I loved Chelsea even more for thinking of the idea. Laying Abby to rest in Tennessee seemed too much like dirtying her memory with the stains of how we’d grown up—in the middle of a war we hadn’t wanted.

  But Massachusetts… that seemed like hope. Like home. On days like today, as people paid their last respects to my cousin, I knew it’d bring me comfort to know she’d rest easy away from all of this. But on the days I knew would come, the ones that’d swallow me with grief and with the guilt of knowing I hadn’t protected her like I’d sought out to, Chelsea’s presence would remind me that I did save someone else I loved. I saved them all.

  The funeral hadn’t been big. Not many from my family came because not many had known she had still been alive. But my mother and uncle and Valerie’s brother were there. Chelsea never strayed far from me in any of the time between being discharged from Pearl’s clutches and arriving here today. And I knew she’d never be far from reach.

  When the proceedings ended and the clergyman had said his final prayer, everyone lay flowers on Abby’s casket, all white roses. No colors to bare awful associations and memories. Valerie and I wanted to remember Abby the way we’d always seen her: the innocent cousin, the best older sister. The person we’d both chased fireflies with until all hours of the night.

  When almost everyone else had moved on, Captain Marks and Josh came up last. Once they’d given their flowers, they approached, hands outstretched. Captain Marks gave us his condolences. Valerie’s sobs were uncontrollable. Charlie wrapped an arm around her waist and lay her head on her shoulder but didn’t say any words. Nothing would make this easier.

  Josh approached next. “Sorry, man. I feel like I should have—” A sob choked his last words. Chelsea touched his shoulder, as if she knew what he was going to say, and he held her hand for a moment before dropping it. “I know what it’s like to lose family to war. And I’m sorry.”

  Tears filled his eyes, some form of personal demon waiting at the gates, and I shook his hand. “Thanks, man. We’re going out for drinks if you want to join.”

  Josh glanced between Chelsea and me. “Sure. Maybe just one.”

  She smiled up at us and squeezed my hand. “Are you sure?”

  I nodded. “Yep. Just one more thing. Val?”

  Valerie tapped Charlie on the shoulder, and she retreated to the limo. Charlie came back with a box. We stayed until they’d covered her casket in dirt, and only then did Charlie open the box and hold it out. The five of us each retrieved a firefly-shaped electronic candle, small enough to fit comfortably in the center of my palm, and walked up to Abby’s headstone. One by one, we each placed a firefly there, something for Abby to look down on in case there weren’t fireflies where she was now.

  I’d still look for them every summer and catch one just for her.

  Chelsea and her band had bought out the Franklin that night so we could
gather and drink to Abby’s memory, and to everything—all of this—finally being over. We’d placed one of the last firefly candles in the center of the table. I stared at it almost all night.

  After hours of tears and just as many laughs, the group congregated around a table in the center of the bar area. I had Chelsea on my lap and Charlie was in Valerie’s, and Sarah was fawning over some new boyfriend Chelsea had only just met. Freddy and Captain Marks had shed their dress blues and Weyland had not moved from his wife’s side the entire night. It felt like home, for once, and I held Chelsea tighter at the thought.

  “So when are you all getting married?” Sarah asked, exasperated. “I mean seriously.”

  “Better do it soon,” Valerie taunted. “When Chelsea starts taking the stage with Phoenix and Lobster next year, you might lose her to all the hot European dudes.”

  Josh laughed and threw back a shot. Chelsea reached across the table and smacked his shoulder, knocking some of the alcohol out of the shot glass. “Hey!”

  “What? I can’t laugh when I know she’s totally right?”

  Chelsea’s jaw dropped. “The hell!”

  “Oh, stop,” Sarah said, hushing her sister with a pat to her head.

  My face burned. “Talk to Weyland, then. How many months again?”

  “Too many,” he said, looking lovingly at Erin. “I can’t wait.”

  “Still,” said Valerie. She’d definitely had one too many since she still managed to somehow slur the all of five letters in that one word. “When?”

  I looked up at Chelsea and shrugged. Her head did a little dance, wavering back and forth as she thought it over. “Next summer? After the tour?”