#Logan Edra | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

patrick-ch · 6 years ago

Text

Ch.1 Valor Academy

In order to fully grasp the current situation, I have to take to you back to the beginning. Before we became Spartans..

The Year is 2568, a little over a decade after Fire Team Osiris retrieved Master Chief and his team. The 6 of us just graduated from Neo Los Angeles Prerequisite Academy and got accepted into Valor Academy of UNSC. Where are my manners;

my name is Will “Zero” Martinez Age: 21 Height:5′5 Weight: 160lbs Favorite Weapons: Battle Rifle, DMR, and Sniper Rifle, Specialty: Thinking Outside The Box, I’ve never been a fan of conventional thinking, always looking for new ways to come up with a solution.

The tall islander looking one next to me is Pj “Sachi” Hidalgo Age: 20 Height:6′0 Weight: 156lbs Favorite Weapons: Battle Rifle and Sniper Rifle and the occasional Rocket Launcher, Specialty: God Hand, He can tell how much bullets have been shot based on the vibration of each shot, which also allows him the perfect time to reload.

To his right we have Bernard “Relentless” Cabrera Age: 20 Height:5′5 Weight: 150lbs Favorite Weapons: Battle Rifle and any Sniper Rifle, Specialty: God Eye, give him a scope and target and he will automatically know how high to aim and how much to lead his shot within seconds.

And then we have Nathan “Lucky” Nobleza Age: 19 Height: 5′7 Weight: 170lbs , Favorite Weapons: Battle Rifle, DMR, and his all time favorite Dual SMG, Specialty: Perfect Angles, he’s always finding new ways to use grenades or even off angles to shoot from.

Next we have Deneb “Mizu” Arillaga and Ray “X-Ray” Esperanza, these two are the... “HEY MAKE SURE YOU DON’T GET KICKED OUT AND WATCH OUT FOR THOSE TWO!!” a woman screamed from a nearby van. “ YEAH WE GOT IT! NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO THEM! I hope...” Pj says with heavy sigh. “PHILLIP! I mean it, if anything were to happen to them I swear on my grave I will enlist myself and beat all of you in front of everyone! LOVE YOU LITTLE BROTHER!” Sher yells out loud. That’s Auntie Sher, after we lost all of our parents in the Invasion of New Los Angeles, we all moved in with her and her husband Nelson.

We all head to the gate to check in, we are then greeted with an A.I. “Please Scan Your Identification Card.” *Scans ID* “William Martinez, Code Name: Zero, Welcome to Valor Academy” After the rest of us sign in we head to the field for Orientation, as we get to the field we see more and more Fire Teams. Some newbies, and some teams that have been there from the semester before. Pj notices the all female Fire Team. “YOOO! Who is that beautiful piece of everything?!” Pj says with a big smile on his face.

Deneb stops Pj from approaching and tells him “DUDE! That’s Fire Team Demon Rose, Lead by Alexis Shon, call sign “Mercy”, next to her is Kayleen “Shadow” Kamimura, Alice “Rose” Chan, and Logan “Logistx” Edra. They’re called Demon Rose, because they are not only beautiful but they’re also very lethal. Also they are Ranked #2 in the Elite Class, but rumor has it they could have been #1 but Mercy threw the match because she felt sorry for Team Oblivion.

As they’re talking two figures start making their way towards Zero and Company. “DO YOU PUSSIES HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY THEN COME AND SAY IT! And for the record, we won fair in square. Mercy just couldn’t finish that’s her problem, SHE’S TOO SOFT AND DOESN’T BELONG IN THE SPARTAN PROGRAM!”

At that time the Head Master walks to the podium. *Clears Throat* “Welcome to those of you joining us for the first time and those of you that have returned. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Kenneth “Sanctifyed” Obrique and I am the Head Master here at Valor Academy, We at Valor Academy expect the very best of you, as you do the same for the staff and instructors. Today I welcome all of you to a new year, and with something new that myself and a couple of the Instructors here have come up with ourselves, to make sure you do your best. At any time you are allowed to challenge any of the Elite Teams for their spot in the Elite Class . The current rankings are as followed,

Oblivion: Jasen “HB/Steezee” Lau, Ralph “Samurai” Rumbaoa

Demon Rose: Alexis “Mercy” Shon, Alice “Rose” Chan, Kayleen “Shadow” Kamimura, Logan “Logistx” Edra

Atlantic: Ken “Ziggy” Dela Cruz, Bryan “Ah Hell Yeah(AHY)” Gutierrez, Andrew (T-Eyez) pronounce as Ties, Moses “Dandy” Galvan

Gamma : Jordan “BreezY” Barnachea, Gerald “Trigun” Barnachea, Jimmy “Uncreated” Baton, Bernard “Influent’ Credo

Elements: Kathleen “Ice” Tran, Jackie “Fire” Tran, Eric “EXT” Cordova

Fire Teams can have a minimum of 3 Members and a maximum of 4. Seeing how Fire Team Oblivion has two members, they will be demoted to the regular class and will have find one or two more members to make a squad. After this you will locate your quarters and fit yourself with an AI. With this being said, I wish you all the best of luck and Welcome again to Valor Academy.”

“STRIVE! PERSEVERE! AND FEAR NONE!” Everyone chants.

“Excuse me sir, but does this mean we are allowed to challenge an Elite Team right now?” Someone says from the crowd. “Yes that is correct, who may I ask is asking?” the Head Master questions while squinting into the crowd of students. “Sorry for my rude behavior Sir, that would be I, Pj “Sachi” HIidalgo, First Year, of Fire Team Hayabusa.” Pj says as he stands and saultes. “Well cadet, what did you have in mind?” the Head Master asks in wonder. “I would like to challenge Fire Team Oblivion, Sir!” Pj says confidently. “Alright, well do you accept the challenge Fire Team Oblivion?” the Head Master asks. “ Yee we accept, easy claps! Am I right Samurai? We not gonna lose to a team that barely made it through the qualifying test” says HB as he high fives his only team mate. “Okay well that settles it we have our first challenge of the year, Fire Team Oblivion vs. Fire Team Haybusa. But before we can finalize the match we will need Oblivion to find two more team mates to fill in their squad.” “No need for that sir, we’ll take those the one with the big mouth and the one next to him.” HB says confidently. “And what are your names cadets?” Head Master questions. “My name is Deneb “Mizu” Arillaga, First Year of Fire Team Hayabusa B, and I am Ray “X-Ray” Esperanza also a First Year of Fire Team Hayabusa B.” the both of them said.

“Okay, well as of now both of you are now a part of Fire Team Oblivion. The match well be a single match. To win the match you must immobilize the whole enemy squadron. You will be fitted with Mk4 Training armor once you are fitted with an AI, These Mk4 Armor can only handle one armor ability. Active Camo will not be available but Armor Lock, Evade, Bubble Shield, and Dash will be available. Also these Armors can only handle one ability, so choose wisely. Each of you will be given 2 Grenades, a weapon of choice, and pistol. All weapons are loaded with a Armor Locking Agent, that once it comes into contact with a surface and or air, it instantly hardens. As long as you can still move you can fight, so a headshot will only impair the vision. This will test your teams trust in one another. After receiving your AI, you will head to the armory, suit up, and choose your weapons. The best of luck to both teams.”

“YES SIR!” Both Teams yell.

1 note · View note

icecoldflames · 6 years ago

Text

(Chap. 14 + Chap. 15) When Parallel Lines Meet

Masterlist

Previous Chapter

Chapter 14

Virgil didn’t like Mr. Edra. He had lied to him. The Markku group was right.

He felt sort of numb and couldn’t think straight. He hoped Roman would find Canace at least.

Virgil had no idea who Ben was and he knew he sounded rude and cold, but Canace was critical to stop the storm. Ben was just a Markku group member.

If there was no threat of a storm, all of them could have escaped through his portrait.

But that was not possible.

Virgil heard a click and he ducked and fell to the floor. He couldn’t believe he had helped make that deadly weapon.

He couldn’t hear anything over the shrieks and shouts of other people.

Virgil quickly stood up and felt other people against his white lab coat.

The lights flickered on as the floor shook again and he heard a loud crash that resounded throughout the building.

Virgil’s eyes immediately found Mr. Edra who was on all fours, his cane and gun not in his hands.

“Give up, Mr. Edra,” Virgil said slowly and steadily. “We’re giving you a free pass to leave and go to your wife.”

Mr. Edra sprung to his feet quickly, despite his old age, and ran at Logan.

“Don’t...don’t move!” Patton’s voice said shakily.

The air seemed to thicken and Virgil’s head slowly turned to see Patton, his two hands around Mr. Edra’s gun, pointed straight at Mr. Edra’s chest.

Mr. Edra froze in shock and then squinted at Patton. “James Norice?” He asked slowly.

“Patton Fitzroy...natural-born and not afraid...not afraid of you!” Patton exclaimed, stuttering and not able to look Mr. Edra in the eyes.

Virgil watched as Mr. Edra’s jaw slackened and his eyes widened. “What?”

What’s he planning? Virgil asked himself. He didn’t remember anything about Patton but even he knew Patton wouldn’t shoot Mr. Edra.

Mr. Edra seemed to be having the same thoughts. “You wouldn’t dare kill me, Mr. Fitzroy.” His voice was honey sweet and he was smirking.

“Try me.” Patton said, lifting a hand off the gun to push up his glasses.

Mr. Edra, as quick as a cat, grabbed Logan and put him in a tight headlock.

Patton didn’t shoot. Mr. Edra grinned. “I was staked out here ever since you punched in the password into the children’s ward. I gave Virgil another skeleton code that would notify me as soon as it was used.”

Virgil’s eyes flashed back and forth between Patton and Logan being squeezed tightly by Mr. Edra. Of course. Mr. Edra’s always one step ahead. He never trusted me for a minute, he thought bitterly.

He could see Connie a little further away, holding her arm tightly. Kate was in the same stance as Virgil.

Mr. Edra slowly bent down and grabbed his fallen cane. He straightened up again. “I have a daughter, Patton,” he said, deciding to use Patton’s first name. “Did you know she’s natural-born too?”

Silence. Patton’s hands shook wildly. There was another rumble and crash from outside.

“That’s why my wife got sick. Bringing Canace into the world weakened her greatly. I want to find a weather manipulator so we can stop this storm and my wife can live again.” Mr. Edra explained desperately.

“At the cost of children?” Patton asked.

“They signed contracts. Their parents agreed to it!” Mr. Edra exclaimed.

“Roman was miserable,” Connie piped up sluggishly. “He only came here because he idolized you, Mr. Edra. He didn’t know what he was getting himself into!”

“Nevertheless, he came here.” Mr. Edra said, not seeming to realize Roman’s absence. He turned his attention back to Patton. “Would you painfully kill a husband and a dad? I’m trying my best and you’re trying to kill me?” Mr. Edra said, his shoulders sagging.

Patton lowered the gun. “I...I can’t kill him.”

Virgil gritted his teeth. No. He wasn’t going to allow Mr. Edra to roam free. What did Roman say to him? That he called Mr. Edra an old bat? Yes, that was it.

“Old bat,” Virgil mumbled and suddenly white filled his eyes and he felt memory after memory slipping back into his brain.

Running away from the government...breaking into Patton’s house…giving Patton his note...getting caught by Mr. Edra...meeting Roman...Mr. Edra taking him and erasing his memory.

Virgil’s head pounded as memories from his childhood and earlier years at the government came back to him in an endless stream.

As soon as his vision cleared he ran over to Patton and yanked the gun up to Mr. Edra’s heart again, his teeth gritted and his thoughts set on one soul purpose.

Patton’s hands were still loosely on the gun.

In a split second Virgil pressed his fingers down on the trigger the same time Mr. Edra raised his cane and something flew out of the bottom.

Then, everything went black.

***

“No!” Logan shouted as the bullet hit Virgil in the chest.

The needle lodged itself into Mr. Edra’s thigh and Logan pushed Mr. Edra off of him.

Mr. Edra’s face was scrunched up in pain. “A nice little surprise...don’t you think?” He managed to goad.

Logan ran over to Virgil’s limp body, Patton’s body shuddering as he sobbed. “He’s...he’s dead,” he cried.

Virgil’s hand was still holding the gun an his eyes were opened and glossy, looking straight up.

There was a bright red splotch forming on Virgil’s white coat.

“There has to be a way to save him! Right?” Patton asked, looking up Logan, tears glistening in his eyes.

Logan shook his head sadly, feeling wetness from behind his eyes as well. “It’s too late. He’s dead.” He pronounced, kneeling next to Virgil and checking his non-existent pulse.

Logan couldn’t believe it. Virgil was dead. But he killed Mr. Edra.

A wave of thoughts came to him then. What if Patton had killed Mr. Edra instead? Or if Mr. Edra hadn’t bent down to get his cane. Or if he hadn’t come at all and Connie hadn’t run away.

He stood up again, feeling numb and cold from the realization that one of their own was dead, and glanced over at Kate who was slowly ungagging and untying the Markku group through the bars of the pen.

“Let’s go help Roman,” Connie said through gritted teeth, glancing at Mr. Edra’s writhing body on the ground.

“Patton needs some time to mourn, anyway,” she added in, turning away from Patton and Virgil and towards the door.

Logan looked over at Kate, “do you think you could try to pick lock the doors?”

“I’ll try my best.” Kate said, glancing at the keyhole.

Logan and Connie walked up the stairs, feeling much more calmer now that the largest threat they could control was out of the picture.

When they landed on the next floor there was sand swirling everywhere, the wind coming through the broken windows just about lifting Logan off the floor.

“What’s it going to be like on the higher floors?” Connie said quietly, gripping onto the handrail tightly, her short hair flying everywhere.

“Canace or Ben?” Logan asked Connie. “Quickly,” he added in.

“Canace, I’d say Sophie and Roman went to find Ben.” Connie replied, walking quickly down the hallways to where they had seen Canace and Winnie earlier.

They ran up another flight of stairs. Logan caught Connie wincing.

“Something wrong?” He asked worriedly, glancing at her.

Connie held her arm and shook her head, “my arm just hurts a little.” She said quickly.

Logan nodded and kept racing up the stairs, Connie close behind.

He was the first to go into Winnie’s room, the two of them still there, hugging each other tightly through the storm and the window that had broken open.

Broken glass was everywhere on the floor.

“Canace!” Logan shouted over the wind. “Come with us to safety!”

Canace shook her head and pulled herself closer to Winnie.

“We’ll bring your mom,” Connie shouted, walking closer.

“What?” Logan asked, not sure if he heard her wrong. But he knew his ears were perfectly fine when he saw Connie grabbing the back of Winnie’s hospital bed.

They couldn’t get down to the basement again with the four of them. It was practically impossible.

But then he remembered how they were so close to save everyone. Virgil killed Mr. Edra. Of course, it came at a price of one life gone.

Patton’s words from earlier rang in his brain. “Sometimes the heart can be more logical than the brain.”

“Okay, alright. But hurry. Let’s hope Sophie and Roman got Ben.” Logan muttered lifting Canace up onto the bed and then holding the door open so Connie could push the bed through the door.

The wind was against them and Logan came behind Connie to help her push against the brute force of the wind.

Winnie and Canace were curled up in the white blankets, Canace fully covered and only a lump while Winnie had her nose and mouth covered, her eyes clenched shut.

Connie’s left hand slipped off the handle and her right hand pushed it back up. Her eyebrows were scrunched together in concentration.

When they got to the stairs they just stared down the many stairs they had to go down in order to get back down to the basement.

The elevator was too risky and small to go down.

Logan sighed and went to the foot of the bed, his back to the stairs. ‘Lift,’ Logan mouthed to Connie, the wind to loud and against him to speak.

Logan pulled up the same time Connie did.

And now, to walk downstairs backwards thorough multiple flights of stairs.

Chapter 15

Patton limbs were stiff and he couldn’t feel any of his limbs except the weight of Virgil’s head in his lap.

He didn’t know what to do with himself.

If he had just pulled the trigger on Mr. Edra, Virgil wouldn’t be dead and everything would be alright.

It seemed oddly quiet even though Kate was cursing as she was wiggling something inside the lock, and the Markku group was talking amongst themselves.

When Mr. Edra had talked about his wife and daughter...he just couldn’t do it. Winnie and Canace both needed Mr. Edra even if he was a bit...morally different.

He couldn’t imagine if his future husband was shot...or if his dad was killed. It just didn’t feel right to kill Mr. Edra.

And yet...if he had killed him Virgil would have lived.

Patton’s glasses were digging up from his tears and he felt like he might be dead too.

“Patton? Patton?” A voice shook him out of his thought. “Are you okay?”

Patton turned slowly and saw Kate and all of the Markku group staring at him. “Hmmm?” He mumbled.

“Can you check to see if Mr. Edra has anything useful on him? Maybe even the actual key?” Kate asked.

Patton nodded slowly, lifting Virgil’s head off his lap and going over to Mr. Edra’s still body.

He didn’t like digging around in a dead man’s pockets. He felt odd and slightly nauseous as he pulled out a small ring of keys.

Patton walked robotically towards Kate, the keys outstretched in his hand.

“You alright?” Kate asked, cocking her head to the side taking the keys gently. She looked at the keyhole then inspected the keys.

“I don’t know…” Patton shrugged.

Kate pushed one of the copper keys into the hole and twisted. “I’m not good with the emotional stuff...but Virgil didn’t die in vain. We’ve got all the children and perhaps Canace and Mr. Edra’s dead. He didn’t die in vain.”

“I know...but it’s just...I wish I could have gotten to know Virgil better. He was like a best friend. And now he’s...he’s dead.” Patton sniffed.

Kate nodded, “that makes sense. I never really knew him but he seemed like a good person. Too bad he couldn’t have gotten his memory back earlier.” She put in another key. This time, it clicked as she turned it and the door unlocked quietly.

There were cheers from the Markku group but it seemed to just put Patton in an even worse mood.

***

Roman banged on the glass that surrounded Ben.

Ben’s cage was nothing like the rest of the Markku group’s jail.

It was more technological and metallic-like than the dingy dungeon they had just been in.

Ben was in a glass tube, handcuffed to the ceiling, his feet handcuffed to the ground. He was also gagged.

Sophie had remembered that Mr. Edra said he would put Ben in the basement.

The basement wasn’t massive like the other floors but it certainly wasn’t small. There were at least 20-30 doors.

Sophie had been given the password to go into a couple of rooms. They had already been in the basement when Roman went into the room with Sophie and the 12 kids, so they decided to find Ben first.

Roman put Remy in charge of the children while they were away.

“I don’t see a way we can open it!” Sophie shrieked over the wind that had started up a couple minutes after they had walked into the room and turned on the lights to see Ben.

“Keep trying! Mr. Edra got him in one way, there must be a way to get him out!” Roman shouted back, trailing his fingers around the base of the tube.

“I’ll check the walls!” Sophie exclaimed.

Roman prayed Connie was okay. They had heard a loud gunshot a while ago and it had shook him right to the core.

Please let it not be Connie, he had wished at the time.

“I think I found something!” Sophie said loudly, beckoning Roman over to the far right corner of the tight room.

Roman ran over to Sophie where she had uncovered a black pad on the wall.

“I pushed a screw,” Sophie explained before tapping the black pad with her pointer finger.

White letters appeared on the top of the pad. ‘ACCESS DENIED’, it read.

“What kind of password is it?” Sophie mumbled, her eyes focusing on the pad.

“Rhythm?” Roman offered, tapping the black pad.

Nothing happened.

“Shapes?” Sophie said and drew a large circle with her pointer finger again.

Roman bit his lip and, from the corner of his eyes he saw Ben holding up his thumbs.

Apparently, Sophie saw it at the same time and they looked at each other. “Thumb print!” They exclaimed together, their eyes wide.

Sophie tried both of her thumbs to no avail. Roman tried his just in case, though he doubted it.

“No,” Roman muttered. “But I guess that was expected. How do we get someone’s fingerprint to open it up?”

“Oh my gosh! You found Ben!” Connie’s voice exclaimed from behind Roman.

Roman turned his head to where he heard her voice.

Connie and Logan were pushing a hospital bed with Winnie in it. “Where’s Canace?” Roman asked hurriedly, not seeing the young blonde.

“She’s under the blanket,” Logan explained quickly. His eyes glanced over to the glass tube Ben was in.

“It uses a fingerprint,” Sophie said. “How-“

“Mr. Edra. Use his thumb! Quickly!” Logan shouted, the wind becoming louder.

Sophie’s brown hair was slapping against her face and their clothes were billowing out from their bodies.

“Connie, you put Winnie and Canace with the children. Roman and Sophie, you get Mr. Edra.” Logan instructed. “I’ll come with you and see how Kate is faring and then I’m going to try to find the way into Mr. Edra’s underground bunker.”

Connie nodded, biting her lip and sped off with Winnie and Canace.

“We’ll be back,” Sophie told Ben before following Logan and Roman quickly out the door.

Roman opened his mouth to ask how they were getting Mr. Edra’s Fingerprint.

Apparently, Logan was one step ahead of them. “Virgil killed Mr. Edra.” He said with pursed lips.

“What?” Sophie said. “He’s dead?”

Roman’s heart tumbled and lept. His body went cold and he felt floaty like he was in Canace’s theatre or Dr. Cross’ awards ceremony.

Mr. Edra was dead. He was gone. Virgil killed Mr. Edra. On any other occasion, he would have asked Logan if he was serious. But Logan wouldn’t joke around like that.

Logan nodded, and opened the door. “But, unfortunately for us, everything comes with a price.” He frowned.

Roman eyes went to Mr. Edra’s still body on the floor. Then, to the free Markku group and Patton and Kate.

Then, his eyes found Virgil on the floor. “He’s...wounded right?” He asked meekly.

“Mr. Edra had a gun hidden in his cane. When Virgil shot him with the needle gun, Mr. Edra raised his cane and shot Virgil dead in the chest.”

Roman’s own chest clenched with the thought of that sour, prickly, boy, dead on the floor who gave his own life to kill Mr. Edra.

He glanced at Sophie. So that was the gunshot, he thought. Sophie’s face said that she was coming to that conclusion as well.

Logan blinked and then seemed to steel himself. “Anyway, you guys grab him and use his thumb.” He ordered.

Roman and Sophie walked over to Mr. Edra and grabbed him by the feet and legs.

As they made their way back to Ben’s tube, Roman was not blind to the cold stares the Markku group was giving to Sophie.

“I’m sure they’ll forgive you when they learn how you’ve helped us.” Roman said lamely as they came into the room where Ben was held and managed to close the door.

“Here, I’ll hold him up, you use his fingers,” Roman shouted as the door was busted open, the metal door hitting the metal wall with an ear piercing smack.

Roman heaved Mr. Edra’s limp body up into a standing position, feeling disgusted as he remembered he was holding a dead body.

Sophie picked up Mr. Edra’s right hand and pressed his thumb against the black pad. The familiar white words of ‘ACCESS DENIED’ appeared.

She hurriedly picked up his left hand and put the other thumb onto the pad.

‘ACCESS ACCEPTED’ the white words flashed and Roman heard a grinding sound as the tube slid up into the ceiling.

Sophie ran over to Ben and ungagged him, throwing her arms around him. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” She exclaimed.

Roman walked slowly over to them, beginning to untie Ben’s binds.

Ben was looking up at Sophie, a conflicted look on his face. “You threw me away and told Mr. Edra to put me somewhere alone. And now you come here and say you’re sorry?” His voice wasn’t cold or mean, it was genuinely confused.

Sophie rubbed her arms awkwardly. “I guess I just realized how much you mean to me and that the government wasn’t the place for me.”

“Pretty late realizing I mean something to you,” Ben said, standing up and stretching his back and arms.

“Um, we should probably get back to the rest of the Markku group,” Roman interrupted, feeling bad for cutting in on their sibling moment.

Sophie pulled away from Ben. “As you can see, Mr. Edra’s dead.” She said as they followed Roman hastily out the door.

Roman didn’t hear a reply because another rattling shake ran through the entire building. He could hear more crashes and cracks from upstairs. “I hope Dr. Cross and Ms. Denes are okay,” he muttered to himself.

Then, Roman saw Logan in an empty room. “You guys go on,” he said and jogged over to Logan.

“I think this is it,” Logan shouted, “I just don’t know how to open the door.”

Roman turned around in the room. It was completely empty and had no lights, windows, or furniture.

“Is there some secret button or knocking combination?” Roman asked, wanting to add in ‘are you sure it’s the right room?’ but decided against it.

Logan crosses his arms and tapped his foot.

Another earth rattling rumble went through the building and Roman was positive he saw dust fall down to the ground.

A metallic click reverberated through the room and another grinding sound.

The far wall was rising slowly. To where? It was moving at a snail’s pace and for a moment there, Roman just stared at it.

“What in the world?” Roman mumbled as the wall was slowly revealing another single door behind it, a black screen rectangle above it.

Logan didn’t reply, only walked forward and yanked the door wide open, revealing Dr. Cross and a couple of other scientists he recognized.

There was a red blink and suddenly, the black rectangle showed numbers. 1:30.

“Roman!” Dr. Cross exclaimed in relief, coming out of the door and walking up to him. “Mr. Edra was supposed to bring all the children-“

“Mr. Edra is dead.” Logan cut in sharply.

“W-what?” Dr. Cross stuttered, taking a short step back.

Roman glanced up at the black rectangle positioned above the door. His eyebrows furrowed. “Um, why does the clock thingy say 1:00? It used to say 1:30.”

Dr. Cross immediately schooled her racing emotions and surprise. “It’s a countdown until the door closes and locks. Who else do you have with you?” She asked.

Roman was about to speak but Logan cut him off. “All the children and the Markku group,” he said simply; as if he were ordering an ice cream at an ice cream parlor. “Vanilla please!”

“The...the Markku group?” Dr. Cross repeated. “Those ruffians stealing files from the government?”

“The one and only,” Kate said, coming into the room.

She said this the exact same time that Roman said, “45 seconds!”

Logan spun on his heel, ignoring Dr. Cross’ blubbering and turned to Kate. “We need everyone in there immediately. Our time is running out. Hurry, go get everyone and bring them here.” He turned to Dr. Cross again. “How many people can this bunker fit comfortably?”

“It’s only meant for the scientists, Mr. Edra and family, and only a couple of the children.” Dr. Cross said, worry lines creasing her forehead.

“And how many could it fit if we rationed the food and water and got people to sleep on the floor?” Logan kept on.

“Many more,” Dr. Cross said, “however, I doubt there will be enough food-“

“Don’t you have gardens growing or something? A well?” Logan firmly.

“Yes, but-“

“-But what?” Logan pushed, he was frowning and Roman wasn’t sure he wanted to see Logan mad.

“It will take years for it to grow. You know our sunlamps aren’t the best and do not replicate the sun's energy as well as the real thing-“ Dr. Cross explained.

“-We’ll make the food last until the gardens grow.” Logan said defiantly as Kate hearded everyone into the small room.

Logan turned away from Dr. Cross who looked like a berated child. “Children first! Then the Markku group and Winnie and Canace!”

00:20

The children ran inside, some of them crying. Remy was holding one young boy in his arms who was shaking from fear.

00:13

“By the way where is Mr. Bolter? He should have been inside ages ago. All the scientists have been inside since the door upstairs opened around thirty minutes ago.” Dr. Cross asked, ushering the children in.

00:11

“He’s dead as well.” Logan said after a seconds pause. He tugged on his tie and coughed awkwardly. “He and Mr. Edra shot each other and both died.”

Roman noticed Logan looked mildly uncomfortable.

00:10

“Markku group!” Logan called quickly.

Roman glanced at the clock, tapping his foot anxiously. He could have went in with the kids but he decided he would stay and help the others along.

Ben and Kate went through the door, their faces worried and their hands protectively intertwined with one another.

An earthquake-like jolted most the of the Markku group off their feet.

More dust came through and...was it just Roman or did the place just get blown hot air? He was sweating already but the place felt unbearably hot.

Connie gave him a weak smile as she went through the door.

00:05

The Markku group came in, Patton in the midst of them and Logan ran inside.

Roman watched as he did a quick headcount.

“Where’s-?”

“I’m coming! We’re coming!” Sophie’s voice rang through the room, the new wind carrying her voice into the bunker.

Roman’s and everyone’s head spun to see Sophie running into the room, her hair spinning everywhere and her face ashen. She looked like some crazy ghost.

Sophie was also pushing Winnie’s hospital bed with Canace in it. She ran towards the bunker door.

00:03

The bed was slowing her down, that much was clear.

Everyone seemed to be frozen in their shock that somehow...somehow no one had noticed Sophie, Winnie, and Canace were missing. Two of them in a hospital bed.

00:02

Sophie’s eyebrows were furrowed together as she ran to the door, her face morphing into panic as she realized she was going too slow.

00:01

Sophie stopped in her tracks, her hands tight on the bed’s handle. Winnie was crying.

Then, Sophie pushed with all her might as another rattle jolted through the room.

The bed rolled quickly into the door. Everyone parted for it to fit.

00:00

“Sophie!” Ben shouted, his voice cracking.

“Rainflower.” Sophie nodded to her brother, the corners of her mouth tipping upwards.

The door slowly shut with a resounding click.

***

Logan’s mouth went dry as the door shut, Sophie on the other side.

Ben ran drunkenly to the door, his hands grasping for the doorknob. There was none. He pounded on the metal door.

“Purple hyacinth,” Ben murmured, curling up in a ball at the base of the door as Kate slowly walked up to him, sitting next to him.

“Come along, everyone,” Dr. Cross said, “let’s leave them alone.” She managed a small smile.

“How do the doors open?” Logan asked curiously. Was there a way to get Sophie back?

“As soon as they detect the storm’s end, they will open on their own.” Dr. Cross said, opening another door which revealed a common room sort of room with old couches and wooden end tables.

Logan’s shoulders slouched. Sophie was gone. She would die out there in the storm.

He thought she could have made it with Winnie and Canace in tow. But obviously, they didn’t.

Sophie had always been a little tough and stubborn but she was still a part of the Markku group.

Maybe she did turn the Markku group in. But, in the end she did make up for her mistakes.

Logan still didn’t like her betrayal but he wasn’t heartless enough to want her to die.

One person dead, another one who will die, he thought to himself miserably.

Logan glanced over at Roman who was talking quietly to Connie. Roman was smiling a bit while Connie was nodding and frowning to whatever he was saying.

Dr. Cross opened up another door with multiple bunk beds. “Children, I think you should all go to bed. It’s early morning and you need rest.”

Canace let go of Virgil’s hand and walked into the room slowly, choosing a bunk bed in the back of the room.

“Can I stay up?” Roman asked, looking over at Dr. Cross.

“Not me,” Remy said. “Sleep! Here I come!”

Dr. Cross bit her lip before nodding. “Very well.” She closed the door and everyone followed Dr. Cross back out to the common room.

Everyone sat down, a couple of people cross legged on the floor.

For a moment, everyone was silent. Everyone was thinking about the people and things they left behind.

Their families, their comfortable houses, their high-tech phones and cars. The realization that they would be here for years. Stuck with each other.

“We did it. Oh my gosh, we actually did it.” Patton stated numbly.

“Did what? Bring an extra 30 people into the bunker?” A scientist scowled, walking across the room and into another.

Logan looked down at his favourite tie. “It didn’t exactly work out like we were expecting but yes, Patton, we really did it. We brought all the children to safety.”

“If only Virgil was here too.” Patton frowned.

“And Sophie,” a Markku member said.

Dr. Cross seemed stiff. “Nothing is won yet, we still need a Weather Manipulator. Testing will not be cancelled.”

A thick silence fell over the crowd.

“There is a Weather Manipulator.” Logan said slowly, looking up to Dr. Cross. “Canace. Virgil told us.”

From the corner of his eye, Logan saw Roman give Connie a discreet side hug.

***

“Ow!”

Roman swiveled his head to Connie. “Are you alright?” He asked worriedly. He wasn’t trying to hurt Connie.

Connie managed a watery smile. “Yes, of course. Just a...sore spot.”

Suddenly, her body went limp and her head fell back onto the couch, her body convulsing and her limbs twitching.

Logan and Roman were the first ones up, Patton a close third.

“C’mon, Connie, we both know that’s not true. Now come on, what’s wrong?” Roman asked. “We can go somewhere private if you want if you don’t like everyone’s eyes on you.”

Connie shook her head. “No.” She said sharply. Roman took a step back. “I’m okay. Really.” She forced a smile on her face. “I’m fine.”

“Connie,” Roman said, his eyebrows raised.

“You might be my older brother but you can’t order me to do stuff.” Connie scowled.

Roman sighed. “I’m not ordering you to do anything. I just want you to tell us, or just me, what’s wrong.”

“If it’s a sore spot I’m sure Dr. Cross has something for it.” Patton added in kindly.

Connie looked down at her feet, biting her lip.

Then, she slowly began to take of her brown leather jacket. She winced as she revealed her left arm.

Roman felt faint. He wasn’t getting enough air. He wanted fresh air and some wind but they were stuck in this bunker.

Connie’s entire left arm was red and crusty. He didn’t know if it continued to her shoulder or not.

And, on the front of her forearm, a needle was lodged into her skin. It wasn’t extremely deep but it wasn’t under just a few layers of skin.

Where the needle was, gushes of blood was coming out.

“Mr. Edra’s second shot…” Roman murmured, his eyes transfixed on the little needle. He remembered seeing the needle go out of the gun but didn’t catch where it hit.

“Oh dear-“ Dr. Cross said, suddenly standing up and cutting into Roman’s thoughts about how he should have looked to where the needle had landed.

Dr. Cross suddenly bristled. “I’ll go get the first aid kit.” As she hustled out, Roman could just hear her mutter, “where did Mr. Edra put it?”

“Connie…” Logan began his face has crumpled at the sight of Connie’s arm. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“There were more important things to do. Besides, it’s not deep.” Connie said, shrugging then wincing at the pain.

“We could have been able to take it out,” Roman said, feeling water build up in his eyes. “You should have told us.”

“I would just be in the way and another trouble. I would rather die for everyone else to live than live for everyone else to die.” Connie mumbled, moving her left hand and fingers slowly. She wouldn’t look them in the eye.

“I don’t...I don’t think I’m going to make it.” Connie said quietly. “You heard Mr. Edra. There’s no cure for it.”

“We need to stop the blood and take out the needle.” Logan said suddenly, almost robotically. “Then we can think about your arm.” He looked around. “We need something to act as a bandage.”

After a moment of scrambling with no one finding a scrap of material, Logan pulled off his cotton tie over his head and ran his hands over it. “Here, we’ll use this.”

He used the tie like oven mitts and quickly slid the needle out of Connie’s arm. Then, Logan tied the tie around Connie’s arm.

“Does it hurt?” Logan asked.

Connie clamped her eyes shut and nodded. “Honestly? Quite a bit.” She admitted embarrassingly.

Roman’s thoughts went back to Dr. Cross’ statement earlier about his power. “I think you have emotional transferral perhaps pain transferral as both feelings and emotions have both been negative.”

Pain transferral. Dr. Cross said maybe he could transfer pain. He could help Connie! Maybe it would even cure her!

Roman closed his eyes and imagined himself flying into Connie’s heart.

Roman opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was that he was floating above large grey pointy things. They were all over the place like stalactites and stalagmites in a cave.

He could see where Connie would be, it was in the center of the room. However, she was shorter and there were other things around her.

Roman took and deep breath and hoped and prayed that these things weren’t like Virgil’s amnesia.

He waved his arms like a conductor and the spikes shrunk into the ground, floors and ceilings quickly.

Right now, Roman wasn’t worried about where he’d put all the pain. All he wanted to do was to save Connie.

Roman glanced over to where imaginary Connie was sat at what looked like a dinner table set for five, including Connie.

Connie was smiling brightly, her eyes closed. She had on what Roman remembered as her favourite outfit; a purple shirt under dark blue overalls.

As Roman looked at his surroundings he recognized the room. The ghastly striped purple and red wallpaper of their dining room and the dark oak table that Roman and Connie used to stick stickers under it when they were bored. It was their dining room at their house.

Connie was surrounded by four chairs. She was at the head of the table with two groups of two on either side of her.

Roman walked to the closest chair which had his father’s old watch that Roman’s great great grandfather owned. It was matte black with bolder numbers at their respective spots. The hands were thin and matte black as well. It was passed down and Roman’s father owned it.

In the chair next to the watch was Roman’s mom’s favourite lipstick, a dark red called Totally Twig.

Roman went around the table to the other side. He looked at the one closest to Connie.

“Mrs. Fluffybottoms!” Roman exclaimed, noticing his childhood stuffed toy he had left at his house when he left so Connie could cuddle him while he was away.

Roman walked to the next chair, curious to know who it represented. He had seen his entire family. Who would be at Connie’s family dinner?

Did their family have another child Connie didn’t tell him about? Did he have a younger sibling?

Roman looked at the last chair and only saw a neatly folded, blue striped tie.

A tie? Roman wondered to himself. A baby wearing a tie?

He was just thinking about how it looked familiar when Roman heard a small sound, like the quiet rustling of leaves or of a pinwheel spinning.

Roman turned to see more spikes growing steadily upwards from the ceiling. To Roman’s surprise, grey putty was also slinking around like a sloth.

With a wave of his hand again, everything disappeared.

Then, Roman visualized the bunker and he was back in reality, puzzling over the tie and worrying over Connie.

Roman could barely hear Connie say, “my pain’s gone,” before a jolt of pain bloomed onto his forearm and swept up and around his entire arm. He slapped a hand over it in shock.

He winced in pain and glanced around the room, hoping no one noticed. Connie and Logan were looking at him.

Roman’s eyes swept over Logan’s worried and puzzled face to Connie’s-

The tie. The tie that Logan had wrapped around Connie’s arm was the tie that was folded on the extra chair!

That chair represented Logan.

But what did Logan have to do with Connie’s family supper? He certainly wasn’t family.

What if his parents had another child that was Logan? They just never told him but told Connie while he was at the government-

No. No. Roman was getting ahead of himself. Besides, Connie was what was important now.

“-It just...went away,” Connie said breathlessly. She was looking at Logan with wide eyes.

“Can you move your fingers?” Roman asked hopefully.

Connie scrunched up her forehead and managed a little wiggle of her thumb and pointer finger. She shook her head.

Dr. Cross busted in with an array of pills and a small box. “I’m sorry it took a while. The First Aid kit was in a box in the storage room. I also got some pain killers and-“ She cut off her own babbling and busted over to Connie, opening up the white box in the process.

“Don’t bother,” Connie said narcissitically. “Just...just...I’m gonna try to fall asleep.” She closed her eyes then snapped them open. “Don’t poke any needles in me.” She glared directly at Dr. Cross then Logan, then Roman.

“Connie, c’mon, let us try to help you.” Roman held his left arm and squeezed, trying to hold the pain off. “Please?”

Connie shook her head. Roman barely registered the Markku group filing out of the common room, leaving only himself, Dr. Cross, Logan, and Patton.

“Sing me a song instead so I can sleep,” Connie said. “I’ll be up tomorrow.” She said after a moment’s pause, her eyes flicking to the left.

Roman sighed in agony and Dr. Cross glanced down at Roman’s right arm which was clenched tightly around his left arm.

He remembered his first ever stage show he did in school, Disney’s Coco. He had been casted as Miguel.

“Remember me Though I have to say goodbye Remember me Don't let it make you cry For even if I'm far away I hold you in my heart I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart-“

“Roman,” Connie interrupted. Roman abruptly stopped. “I hope you know that I didn’t for one day, not think about you. ‘Oh! Roman would love this play!’ Or ‘Roman wouldn’t be a chicken and go on the new zip line!’”

Guilt consumed Roman. Connie had, since day one, been against him going to the government but once everything was signed and he’d be going in the next week, she sort of just let it drop.

And when he went away, he forgot about his sister and how old she was, what she looked like.

Roman grabbed Connie’s hand and kept on singing.

“Remember me Though I have to travel far Remember me Each time you hear a sad guitar Know that I'm with you the only way that I can be Until you're in my arms again Remember me”.

Connie closed her eyes, and then opened them for the last time. She smiled weakly at the three boys in the room, then closed her eyes once again for eternity.

Roman looked up at Logan then Patton.

Patton pulled a small blanket from a couch and put it over Connie.

They stayed in silence in different corners of the room.

his was where they would be staying until Canace grew old enough to stop the storm. This was where they would live out the prime time in their lives. This was where they would be.

The three of them had all lost something. Each of them were broken.

The Rebel could not save everyone.

The Illegal lost his best friend.

The Lab Rat no longer had a his sister.

And the Fugitive was no longer on the run.

There was another rumble in the Earth and crash as the world fell apart above them.

#sanders sides #sanders sides fanfic #sanders sides fanfiction #virgil sanders #patton sanders #logan sanders #roman sanders

6 notes · View notes