Disclaimer: I am not Pittacus Lore. So I own nothing. A/N: So I know I should be working on Destiny of Ten, but this plot bunny jumped into my head a little while ago and flatly refused to leave. This prologue shows what happens leading up to John's choice, and ends just before he makes it. Everything in italics is taken from the book.
"She is," I agree. I shouldn't have, but it just fell out of my mouth. "Not as pretty as you, though. You're the prettiest girl I know. You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen."
"But you don't have to stay away from Six like you have to with me."
"When we go on walks we have to be invisible, Sarah! It's not like we can just hold hands and walk down the street. We have to hide from the entire world. I'm hiding just as much when I'm with her as when I am with you."
Sarah shoots off of the bench and turns around. "You go on walks with her? Do you hold her hand when you two walk down the street?"
I stand up and approach her with my arms out, the sleeves of my coat still caked with dirt. "We have to. It's the only way I can be invisible."
"Have you kissed her?"
"What?"
"Answer me." There's something new in her voice. It's a mixture of jealousy and loneliness, and enough anger to give each word a kick.
I shake my head. "Sarah, I love you. I don't really know what else to say. I mean, nothing's happened."
A tsunami of discomfort crashes into me, and I rifle through my vocabulary to piece together the right words.
She's furious. "It was a simple question, John. Have you kissed her?"
I open my mouth to answer that of course we haven't kissed, that I don't even want to kiss Six, that I love Sarah and will forever, but I'm interrupted by none other than Six herself. She's with Sam, who's carrying my Chest, and they look very eager to leave.
"Come on John, let's go," Six says as she approaches. "They're hot on our trail- we don't have much— oh!" She lets out a gasp of surprise, having seen Sarah for the first time. Sam leans over and whispers something in Six's ear- she nods, and then gives a slight grimace.
"I didn't realize I was interrupting something," Six says, a sudden chill in her voice. "But as nice as this little reunion is, we really have to get going. Now."
A cannon blast sounds in the distance, emphasizing her point. But I don't move. I'm frozen to the spot, wanting to go with Six, but at the same time unable to leave Sarah's side.
"Nice to see you too, Six," Sarah says, breaking the silence. Her phone buzzes in her pocket but she ignores it. She walks straight towards Six, lifts her chin, and glares her in the eye.
Six doesn't back down, but regards Sarah as if she were some sort of mildly interesting insect.
"You can leave now," Sarah says. "John doesn't need you anymore."
"That's funny," Six says, "because that's exactly what I was going to say to you. As a matter of fact, John does need me. And I need John. Because we have a war to fight, and neither one of us can do it alone."
Sarah scowls. "I need him too!" she demands. "He's in love with me and we're meant to be together, and there's no way I'm letting you stand in our way."
Six bites her lip and I can tell she's trying to stop herself from punching Sarah. Sam seems to notice it as well- he drops my Chest and puts himself between the two of them, keeping them apart.
"Everybody just calm down," he says. "We can settle this lat—"
He's cut off abruptly by an explosion just to our left. I can feel the heat of it, but thankfully it wasn't close enough to do any damage. A scout staggers out of the bushes behind us, carrying a cannon that he's in the process of reloading. Six takes three quick steps towards him and decks him in the jaw, sending him reeling backwards. She follows up with a quick punch to his gut and then a chop to his windpipe that turns him to ash. I'm just glad she found somebody besides Sarah to take her anger out on.
"See what I mean?" Six demands, her arms coated with ash. "How could you be so selfish as to take John away from this? This is the very reason he's even on this planet in the first place!"
"You know what?" Sarah says angrily. "I'm sick of listening to your pathetic reasoning and excuses. You just want John for yourself. And you know what? So do I. So why don't we let him decide, then. John either stays with me, or he goes with you. His choice. Either way, you can get out of here quickly, so your petty little war doesn't get interrupted."
"Fine," Six spits angrily. She walks over to Sarah, and joins her in looking at me. They both look deadly serious, and it's only Sam that keeps them from going at each other. "Make the right decision, John. You're here for a purpose. If you stay with her, you're abandoning your mission."
"You promised you'd never leave me, John," Six says. "Don't break that promise now."
I'm torn. Do I continue to fulfill the purpose of my mission, or do I follow my heart? And for that matter, which way does my heart even lean anymore? I look up at Sam, hoping he'll offer some guidance, but he just shrugs.
"I'll be with you either way, John," he says. "You know that."
"Come on," Sarah says impatiently. "It's me or her. If you really love me this shouldn't be a difficult decision."
"Please, John," Six begs. "I need your help to find the others."
"All right, all right," I finally say. I can't stall much longer. I have to make a decision now.
"I choose…"