Author's Note: First, the new picture for this story is taken from National Geographic's article Dead Sea Scrolls: Mystery Solved?. Secondly, I am so sorry for how long it took to get this chapter up. I've had a lot going on, and I'll try to get the last three chapters up soon. Third, if you're a new reader, this chapter (and this entire story) will make no sense unless you've read the prior books in this series; The Final Battle and Pushing Through.
This chapter takes place one day before the first chapter of Pushing Through. It focuses on Nick Dean. Also, I highly advise that you listen to the Halo 3 theme (One Final Effort) in the action scenes. You'll know when you get to them. Please feel free to review, and check out my profile page for links to a video chat on Facebook with fellow fan-author Farley Drexel. I also have my name so you can find me on Facebook. Thanks for reading, and enjoy Chapter Eight!
"Nick?"
Nick Dean heard nothing as he stared out the side of the hovercar. His eyes slowly moved from side to side, absent-mindedly studying the leaves falling off of trees. Yet his mind was wholeheartedly focused on one amusing thought. A year ago, I'd never have been in this hover car.
Nick managed a tiny smile as he contemplated that thought. A year ago might as well have been a lifetime. It would have been the beginning of sixth grade, the start of his time at Retroville Middle School. Seeing as how it was after school, he would have been playing video games at Ike's house. Maybe doing homework with Betty if she'd worn something particularly pretty that day.
"Nick?" The voice was a little more urgent now.
Nick still heard nothing. Yes, he would almost certainly be doing one of those two things a year ago. What he would not be doing was riding in Jimmy's hover car.
Nick's smile dropped as he felt a tiny pang of guilt. It's not like I made fun of him or anything. Nick narrowed his eyes and agreed with this thought. He'd never tormented the genius, certainly not like Butch or Cindy ever had. They'd just been in different circles. Jimmy was a dork, someone who was more interested in doing homework and watching the Discovery Channel than going skateboarding or catching a game. Nick was the opposite. He was king of his class. It wasn't that they were enemies or anything; it's just that they weren't friends.
Jimmy finally took his eyes off of the road and stared at Nick curiously. "Uh, Nick? You okay?"
Nick's dropped smile turned into a frown. Why hadn't he ever considered Jimmy a friend? They'd saved their parents together. They'd had a good time breaking into Ms. Wolf's classroom.
And he trusted me.
Nick gently bit his lower lip as that thought raced through his mind. A month ago, it had been Jimmy and Jimmy alone who had trusted him to lead their classmates. It was Jimmy who had made him their army's general, Jimmy who had come looking for him when he'd disappeared on Little Boy. It was Jimmy who had listened to his fears of never seeing his father again.
Nick's teeth dug deeper into his lip.
But it was me who shook his hand before the attack.
Jimmy flicked on the hover car's autopilot and stared at Nick with clear concern. He opened his mouth and hesitated for just a moment. "Nicholas?"
Nick blinked his eyes and shook his head before turning to Jimmy. He replayed the question in his head for a second before his expression turned curious. "James?" he hesitantly asked.
The two boys stared at each other for a second before Jimmy flipped the autopilot off and turned back to the dirt road. "Are you okay?" he slowly asked.
Nick ran a hand through his hair and huffed in amusement. "Yeah, fine. What's up?"
Jimmy turned the hover car onto a real street and merged in with traffic. "We're nearly there. What's the name of this place again?"
"Lazer Bolts," Nick quickly shot back. "The best laser tag arena and arcade in Texas," he quoted the business' motto from an old commercial. He caught sight of a street sign labeled Metus Avenue. "It's like a mile from here. On the right. Can't miss it."
Jimmy nodded and slowed to a stop at a red light. He could feel a dozen glances from nearby drivers as they stared questioningly at his hover car. He ignored them. "So, uh, thanks for inviting me," Jimmy offered while rubbing the back of his neck.
The uncertainty of Jimmy's tone caught Nick's attention. "Thanks for the ride," Nick shot back.
The light turned green, and the hover car lurched forward. Jimmy drummed his fingers along the steering wheel before glancing at Nick out of the corner of his eye. "Nick, can I ask you something?"
Shoot. The response appeared in Nick's mind, and he immediately shook his head to rid himself of the word. He settled for a nod.
Jimmy gave the road his attention once more as he kept his eyes peeled for their destination. "Why did you invite me along?"
Nick's voice hardened. "What do you mean?"
Jimmy didn't let the silence drag out. "Don't get me wrong, I…appreciate the invitation. And I'm far from a master on social etiquette, but isn't it unusual to invite a friend to your little cousin's birthday party?"
Nick noticed they were pulling into the parking lot and closed his eyes. If it were Butch or even Ike, the answer would have been out of his mouth in an instant. Just needed a ride, dude. Looks like I owe you one. Nick hesitated for another second and waited until the hover car was parked.
"I…I kind of need your help," he slowly got out.
Jimmy stared at Nick curiously. What kind of help could Nick need at a birthday party? "What do you mean?"
Nick glanced at the building's front doors and then back at Jimmy. "I like Mikey, Neutron."
Jimmy stared curiously at Nick. "That's your cousin, right? The one the party is for?"
Nick nodded. "He's a good kid. But his brother, Damian, is an asshole." Nick scowled and his hands curled into fists. "He's always had a problem with me, and I'm not in the mood to put up with his shit today. So I asked you to come to keep me from punching his ugly face in, okay?"
Jimmy studied Nick. He rarely saw his friend so angry. He slowly nodded. "Um, okay, Nick."
Nick unclenched his fists and sighed. He rubbed his forehead before meeting Jimmy's gaze. "Sorry. It's just, you'll see when you meet him. I don't want to ruin Mikey's party. Just keep me from attacking Damian, okay?"
Jimmy studied Nick for another second before nodding. "No problem."
Nick managed a small smile. "Thanks, Neutron."
Jimmy gave another nod, and the two boys got out of the hover car.
The private room was full of dozens of second-graders. Nick and Jimmy stared at each other with a mixture of smugness, intrigue, and disdain. Two boys barreled past them with imaginary laser guns in hand. They fired off pretend bolts with a loud, "Pew pew!" and collided with a third child.
"We were never this bad, were we?" Nick dreadfully asked while leaning against a wall. He scanned the large room for his cousin and came up empty.
Jimmy slowly shook his head, first in negation and then with amusement as he saw a young boy and girl arguing. "I hope not." Jimmy caught site of a half dozen empty pitchers of soda on the large central table and smiled. "The sugar might be to blame."
Nick followed Jimmy's gaze and shook his head. "I should have brought Estevez. He'd fit right in."
A few seconds passed, and then the door opened to reveal a heavyset man in his early forties. In spite of the smile on his face, his eyes were sunken and he seemed on the verge of collapsing. Jimmy eyed the man with worry, but Nick merely smiled and pushed himself off of the wall.
"Uncle Ray!" he happily shouted.
The man caught sight of Nick and desperately smiled back. "Nicholas, thank god," he wearily muttered while approaching his nephew. The two shared a very brief hug as Jimmy followed his friend.
Nick smiled wider. "Where's Aunt Clarice?"
A flash of worry raced through Ray's eyes. "Sick with the flu." Ray stared at the horde of children and sighed. "She can't even get out of bed. I think she's the lucky one."
Jimmy awkwardly twiddled his thumbs, and Nick suddenly remembered that his friend was standing beside him. He motioned to Jimmy and introduced him. "Uncle Ray, this is my friend Jimmy. Is it alright if he stays?"
Ray eyed Jimmy with curiosity before pleading filled his eyes. "If you don't mind earning your keep. Can you at least try to keep some semblance of order in this place, please?"
Jimmy offered a smile back. "Sure."
Ray nodded. "Michael's in the bathroom. I was just checking on the cake; it'll be here in a few minutes. Then these kids can go to war. Are you two going to play laser tag with 'em? I'm sure Michael would be glad to have you on his team."
Nick's right hand trembled as Jimmy's eyes saddened. Both boys stared at each other for a split second before breaking their gaze. A single image shot through Nick's mind; Cindy lying in a puddle of blood. He shook the thought aside and slowly met his uncle's gaze.
He didn't have to answer. The door opened once more to reveal a tiny brown-haired boy. The child looked at his classmates before catching sight of Nick. His grin tripled in size and his eyes lit up. "Nick!"
Nick's fears slowly dissipated as he caught sight of his cousin. The young boy walked up to him as Ray smiled and headed to the table to grab a drink.
"Hey, Mikey," Nick happily uttered while crossing his arms and staring down at the boy.
Mikey smiled even wider and looked around the room. "I'm so glad you came! Can you believe this place? I had no idea Dad would do all this!"
Nick leaned back against a wall. He coolly crossed his arms and smiled down at the boy. "Sure, rub it in," he playfully muttered. "You know what I would have given to have my party here when I was your age?"
Mikey grinned wider and noticed Jimmy. Nick followed Mikey's gaze and motioned at his friend. "Mikey, this is Jimmy. He gave me a lift here in his hover car."
Mike's eyes shot open in delight. "Jimmy Neutron? The one who fought all the aliens?"
Jimmy was shocked at the recognition. "You heard of that?" he asked.
Mikey nodded exuberantly. "Nick told me all about how you two went in space a couple years ago! He said you fought some evil egg-aliens and saved your parents! And Nick beat a giant chicken single-handed!"
Nick's smile dropped as he stared nervously at Jimmy. Jimmy responded with a knowing smile before nodding at Mikey. "Yeah, it was definitely a fun fight to watch."
"I'll bet!" Mikey shouted. He suddenly looked at his partying friends and sighed. "I'm in second grade, and all we get to do is play dodge ball." The boy kicked the floor in agitation before staring at Nick with a hint of betrayal. The look in the boy's eyes sent a small wave of pain through Nick's chest.
"I heard you went back up in space last month," Mikey uttered while crossing his arms in disgust. He noticed that Nick was doing the same and quickly let his limbs dangle by his sides. "Why didn't you take me along?"
Nick's face fell at Mikey's words. The boy had no way of understanding the absurdity of his request; his face showed only confusion and betrayal.
"Mikey, you don't…"
"When you came back from space the first time, you said you knew I could have helped you fight the eggs! Why didn't you take me?"
Nick slowly raised his right hand up to his hair, but the usual tremor made him stop halfway. He clenched his fist instead and hid it behind his back. "Mikey," he let out a weary sigh and tried to explain himself. "Up there, you, you don't…"
Jimmy suddenly stepped forward. "Mikey, unfortunately we couldn't get anyone to help last month. There was a giant force field covering the entire town. No one could get in or out."
Mikey stared at Jimmy curiously. Nick soon followed. "Like, a wall blocked you in?"
Jimmy offered a smile like a teacher might offer his pupil. "Exactly. So that's why Nick couldn't bring you."
Mikey slowly nodded in understanding. He looked up at Nick and offered a tentative grin. "But next time, right?"
Nick forced a smile on his face. "Next time."
The three boys stood in silence for a mere second before a boisterous voice filled the air. "Like they'd bring you instead of me."
Nick's head shot to the side to see a tall fifteen-year old strolling his way. The boy had a cocky smile plastered on his face and huffed in amusement when he saw Nick. Nick merely clenched his second hand into a fist.
"Damian," Nick all but growled as the teenager joined their group. Nick could feel Jimmy's curious gaze shifting between Damian and himself as Mikey took a small step backward.
Nick kept his gaze on Damian as the boy sneered wider. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mikey mirroring Jimmy's gaze, although the boy's eyes were filled with worry instead of curiosity.
"I'm…I'm going to go see when the cake's ready," Mikey nervously stuttered. He smiled at Nick before running off.
"See ya, dude," Nick quickly shot back before glaring at Damian once more.
"So you did end up coming, huh?" Damian asked while crossing his arms and glaring at Nick.
"No reason not to, Damian," Nick shot back.
Damian turned to Jimmy and smiled in amusement. "So, finally come out of the closet, huh? Good for you, Nick."
Nick all but growled as he clenched his fist tighter. "Still jealous I got a girlfriend before you?"
Damian shrugged. "Yeah, I'm so impressed by your ability to date someone for a week and then be dumped." Nick's scowl was all the bully needed to continue. He sized Jimmy up before nodding. "This one seems cute, though. I'm sure you two will last."
"We're not gay," Nick angrily uttered. "In fact, he's got a girlfriend."
Though Jimmy had faced a hostile alien race and maniacal teenager not a month prior, he still was growing anxious over this confrontation. Nick's defense gave him the courage to smile at Damian. "Yeah," he happily uttered.
"And she's pretty hot," Nick aggressively added.
"Yeah," Jimmy shot back with more confidence. He then pulled back and eyed Nick in shock. "What?"
Nick's eyes bugged open as he glanced nervously at Jimmy. "What?" he innocently asked.
Damian laughed before spinning around and walking away. "Enjoy your first fight, guys."
Nick glared after the teenager for several seconds before unclenching his fist. "Asshole," he muttered under his breath. He let out a deep breath and uncurled his fists. The presence of Jimmy's gaze was palpable, so he asked "What?" a little too harshly.
Jimmy didn't flinch. "What's his problem, anyway?"
Nick scoffed while marching to the table and grabbing a cup of soda. "How should I know, Neutron? Maybe some people are born jerks. Maybe he's jealous he doesn't get to go save the world. Go ask Libby if you want answers."
Jimmy poured himself his own cup of soda and eyed Nick curiously. "Libby?"
Nick downed his cup and shook his head. "She's like your group's shrink, right?" Jimmy began to ponder that thought, but Nick didn't give him time. "Forget it. Uncle Ray looked worn out. Let's try to get things under control."
Nick's stomach growled as he took the last bite of his cake. The pastry before him was the first thing he'd eaten all day. Whenever he was nervous, his stomach always seemed to twist itself into knots. He savored the creamy frosting in his mouth before tossing his plate into a nearby trash can. Across the room, he locked eyes with Mikey and smiled.
Nick could hear the eager whisperings of the children. They had all sucked down their cake; the few with food left on their plate were being scolded to finish. None of Mikey's friends could wait to play laser tag. Nick bit his lip as he watched a trio of boys chase a girl around the room while pretending to shoot at her.
"So, this is pretty fun," Jimmy uttered from behind Nick's back.
Nick couldn't tell whether or not Jimmy was sincere without seeing his face. Nick spun around and examined his friend. The genius didn't seem sardonic, but he wasn't grinning in ecstasy either.
The boys stared at each other for a long moment; so many emotions etched across their faces. Joy, anxiety, fear, and relief all showed in their eyes. Nick finally managed a half grin. "Sure is. This place has more than laser tag. Up for some air hockey?"
A steady smile spread across Jimmy's lips. "You do realize that game is nothing more than computing angles, right? I…may have an advantage!"
Nick rolled his eyes and pulled a dollar bill out of his pocket. "Never took you for a shark, Neutron." Nick jutted his head towards the door and led the way. He stopped ten feet short when Damian crossed their path.
"Where do you think you're going?" he snarled while crossing his arms.
Jimmy held his position and slowly tightened one hand into a fist. He was scared but not paralyzed with fear, ready to fight if necessary but truly did not wish to do so. Nick's reaction was far less muted.
Nick couldn't keep from shoving Damian against the door. His jaw clenched shut, and his hands curled into fists as soon as they were taken off of Damian's shoulders.
Shit, Nick angrily thought as Damian shot daggers at him while bouncing off the door. No harm had been done, but Nick couldn't deny that he'd been the one to instigate this confrontation. You're supposed to be better than this, he scolded himself.
"Nick," Jimmy gently warned while uncurling his fist.
Nick nodded. "I know," he shot back. The calmness in his voice surprised him.
"What's your problem, dickhead?" Damian snarled while shoving his face in front of Nick's.
Both of Nick's hands trembled. He wasn't sure if it was due to anxiety or the effort it took to keep from striking Damian. Nick breathed through his teeth before slowly shaking his head.
"No problem," he got out. He took a second and felt himself calm down.
Damian glared at Nick a moment longer before pulling away. "You didn't answer."
It took Nick a moment to remember the question. Ordinarily he still wouldn't be interested in satiating Damian's curiosity, but he didn't want to escalate things any further. Not with some of Mikey's friends still watching, not with the party still going.
"The arcade," Nick answered. His voice was flat; neither threatening nor inviting. "Air hockey."
Damian laughed. "You shittin' me? This party's finally about to get bearable. Dad went to check if it's laser tag time."
Nick hesitated a beat, just long enough for his racing mind to come up with an excuse. "Notice that the three of us are twice the size of everyone else here?" he muttered while motioning at the sea of little kids surrounding them. He hesitated when he stared at Jimmy. The genius' frown kept Nick from stating the exception to his statement.
"So?" Damian grumbled.
"So it wouldn't be fair," Nick quickly answered.
Mikey had caught wind of the argument and come over. He smiled up at Nick. "Don't worry, Nick! I want everyone to play."
"Very generous, little bro," Damian chuckled while glaring at Nick once more. "What's the matter, you scared? Worried you don't have the skills to beat me even with all that training," he used air quotes with disdain, "you got in space?"
Nick forced his mind away from Goobot's ship. "No, I just," he answered. His voice wavered ever so slightly. It was more than enough for Damian to pick up on. More kids were watching now, and Damian fed off their interest.
Damian took a step closer to Nick and Jimmy. He glared deep into Nick eyes. "Oh, I get it," he said with feigned comprehension. "Why wouldn't you play laser tag when you've fought in a real war? Because you lied about everything you did last month!"
An excited murmur picked up among the children. Nick and Jimmy were too confused to respond.
"I bet you didn't do anything up there," Damian growled while giving Nick a shove. "I bet you hid in your rocket while the real men did the work. And I bet all those little scrapes and bruises you kids got was your fault!"
Nick reared his arm back and, held it a fraction of a second, and thrust it forward with all his might. His fist was halfway to Damian's face when Jimmy desperately shoved his arm aside. Nick ended up missing his target by a half inch.
"Neutron!" Nick seethed while spinning around. Damian cracked his knuckles and narrowed his eyes.
Jimmy's eyes were wide with shock. "You said to stop you!" Jimmy swallowed and nodded. "Nick, don't do this."
Nick stared at his friend for a long moment. His teeth still clenched, he managed a nod. He would listen to reason, but that didn't erase any of his anger. He spun back and faced Damian.
"You think I'm nothing? You have no idea what the hell went on up there. But I'll show you. I'm kicking your ass in laser tag. And when I do? No excuses, no do-overs. You lose and you'll know that I'm better than you. And you'll have to deal with it."
The cousins stared menacingly at each other. Damian wasn't moved by Nick's words. Nick narrowed his eyes further. There were few things more infuriating than someone who couldn't understand how pathetic and wrong they were.
"And when you lose," Damian seethed, "you'll have to deal with the fact that you're nothing but a gay little kid who's alone and…" Damian glanced down and grinned at Nick's slightly trembling right fist. "Scared," he finished before spinning around and leaving the room.
Nick breathed deeply before facing Neutron, who looked shocked, frightened, and a little sick.
"Nick," he slowly explained, "this is a bad idea. There's a reason we didn't play paintball with Sheen two weeks ago."
Nick's blood was still boiling. "It's laser tag, Neutron," he angrily muttered. "It's bolts of light. We'll be fine."
"We?" Jimmy asked.
A tall twenty-something man wearing a Lazer Bolts t-shirt happily strolled into the room and clapped his hands. He flashed everyone a wide smile. "Alright, kids! We're all set for you guys to gear up. Who wants to play laser tag?"
The children's excitement dwarfed their sizable interest in Nick and Damian's feud. They happily followed the man as he led them towards the laser tag arena.
"My name's John, and I'm going to help you get set up. Now what you kids will be playing is our 'Squad Elimination' game," he explained while leading the mass of children around a corner. "It's our most popular game type and is a heck of a lot of fun," he cheerily went on.
The man hesitated to open a door marked Armory. As soon as it opened, the children gasped in excitement. The area was filled with dozens of laser tag vests and rifles. A dark blue light bathed the entire room.
"Awesome!" Mikey shouted out to everyone.
The employee chuckled and let everyone go inside. He closed the door behind him before leaning his back against it. "You'll form a team from two to four players. Each team has ten lives that you share. So make sure to help keep your teammates from getting tagged."
The man pulled a vest out of its cubbyhole. A short tube connected the vest to a rifle, which the man let hang above the floor. "This is your vest," John explained. "The laser gun is attached to it," he pointed out. "You put it on by slipping it over your head and putting your arms through like this," he explained while slipping the device on.
Once he'd adjusted the vest, he motioned at a map of the large arena on a nearby wall. "The object of this game is to be the last team standing. If you shoot an enemy player in any part of their vest or gun, it will beep. That means you lost a life and locks the gun from firing and the vest from being hit until you go back to one of the barracks stations," he explained. He helpfully pointed out the four barracks stations in the corners of the map.
"Once you step inside one of these stations, the gun and vest will start unlocking. You'll have five seconds until you can shoot and get hit, so I'd get running if I were you," John said with a hint of menace that delighted the children.
"Maybe your teammates will go back to the barracks and cover you when you respawn, or maybe they'll stay where they were and keep fighting. It's up to you guys. There's plenty of places to hide in and behind when you're inside, but there will be lots of enemies too. Keep moving and stay sharp," he told them.
He looked over his gun and pointed at a small button beside the trigger. "Your gun can fire ten shots at a time. When your shots are up, press this button. It will reload your gun, but it takes a few seconds until you can fire again."
Nick immediately shot up his hand. His eyes were locked on the instructor with an intensity that frightened the man. "How long? What's the reload time?"
The man hesitated under Nick's unnerving stare. "Um, it's less than five seconds. Three, I think."
Nick absorbed the answer and nodded.
John broke away from Nick's gaze and smiled at the other excited children. "That's about it! Now, there are some rules, and we ask that you do follow them." His voice was filled with a new seriousness that made the children pay close attention. "There's no lying on the ground, because someone might trip over you. We also don't want anyone climbing on the barriers. We ask that you don't run around, please. At most, just do a quick jog from cover to cover. Make sure to keep your gun firmly held in both hands at all times. And lastly, absolutely no physical contact. None," he warned. "Everyone understand?"
The crowd voiced their affirmation before the man's easy-going smile returned. "Alright then! Everybody pick your teams and get suited up. If you need any help getting the vest on or have any questions, let me know. Come get me when you're all set up, and I'll sync your gear with your teammates. Have fun!"
Nick marched towards the nearest wall and grabbed a vest. Jimmy slowly followed him and watched as he quickly slipped it over his head and adjusted the straps until it was snug. Nick grabbed the rifle hanging near his hip and felt its weight. He aimed it at the map across the room, closed his left eye, and stared down the sights. Satisfied but far from happy, he grabbed another vest and all but shoved it in front of Jimmy.
Jimmy stared at it with sorrowful eyes for several seconds before meeting Nick's glowering stare. "Nick, this is still a bad idea."
"Neutron, I told you," he growled, "it shoots light! We will be fine."
Jimmy swallowed and mustered some confidence. "You told me to keep you from fighting Damian!"
"And you did!" Nick shot back. "How many times do I have to say it? It's laser tag, it's plastic guns, it's a game!" he angrily whispered. Jimmy recoiled at his tone. Nick hesitated and clenched his jaw. Eventually, he sighed. He lowered the vest and stepped closer to Jimmy.
"I hate him, and I can beat him," he quickly whispered. "We can beat him," Nick sincerely added. "He has no chance, none, against us."
Jimmy shook his head. "Nick, that's not the point! I don't, I don't want to…" he let his voice trail off as his eyes caught sight of the rifle.
Nick's eyes dropped at Jimmy's tone. Guilt began to wash over him. I can't make him do this. He looked around the room and felt his stomach sink. There wasn't an option to play alone. Nick had no doubt he could handle Damian one-on-one, but there was going to be fire coming from every direction. He'd need someone to cover him, someone he trusted. Besides, having a little kid on his team would drain his lives. He sighed once more and faced Jimmy.
"I need this," he whispered.
Jimmy's resolve cracked at Nick's broken tone. Jimmy had only heard his friend sound like this once before, back when they were alone on Little Boy's firing range. Jimmy's face fell as he looked down at the gun once more.
"Please, have my back," Nick desperately added.
A second passed, and Jimmy slowly nodded. He hesitantly grabbed the vest and slid it over his head. Once it was in place, he grasped the rifle with trembling hands.
"Thanks, Jimmy," Nick offered with a weak smile. Jimmy nodded once more just as Mikey and one of his friends came up.
"Nick, this is going to be so cool!" he practically screamed. "We're finally fighting together!"
Nick's stomach twisted once more as he stared at his little cousin. He looked across the room and spotted Damian grinning at him. Nick's gaze hardened as his gaze flitted back to Mikey. He knelt down and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I, uh, I've got to do this one solo," Nick struggled to say.
Mikey's joyous voice dropped. His brown eyes fell to the floor. "You mean with Jimmy."
Jimmy's face drooped lower in response. Nick shook his head. "It's not like that. Hey, there's two matches during a party, right?"
Mikey nodded. "Let me and Jimmy take care of this one, show your brother who's boss. Then I'll show you the ropes and help you win next game. How's that sound?"
Mikey looked up at Nick. "Sure," he muttered, but it was clear to Nick he wasn't satisfied.
Nick didn't know what else he could say. He merely squeezed Mikey's shoulder and got back to his feet. "Cool," he uttered as Mikey and his friend walked away.
Nick watched the boys approach another two kids without a complete team. For a long moment, Nick couldn't bring himself to look away. All he'd wanted was to keep from ruining Mikey's birthday, and he'd failed. He began to hate himself.
"Nick," Jimmy gently said, "are you okay?"
Nick sighed and grabbed his gun. "No." He spun around and forced a joyless half-smile on his face. "Let's get our stuff synced."
Nick and Jimmy stood side-by-side, rifles in hand. Nine other children stood beside them. Some of them formed battle strategies that Nick would have laughed at had he been in the mood. Some eagerly looked over their guns and aimed them all around. Still others all but squealed in unbridled glee. Nick and Jimmy stood silently, waiting for the door to open.
Three other doors like the one in front of them existed in the arena's other corners. They would open at the same time. The players would have ten seconds to get into position before their guns and vests would come to life. Nick and Jimmy stood and waited, each lost in their thoughts. Until the doors opened.
The deep booming voice filled the arena as the two friends breached the entrance. "Ten!" it ominously shouted.
"High cover," Nick growled as and Jimmy jogged towards the ramp that led to the balcony. Most of the children around them ignored the rule about running, but Nick was playing by the book. He had no intention of losing due to his stride being too quick.
It took seven seconds to reach the balcony.
"Three!" the voice roared.
Nick and Jimmy vaulted over a two-foot high cushioned wall in their way.
"Two!"
The boys dashed between two columns jutting from floor to ceiling.
"One!"
They slid into place behind a chest-high wall. Nick felt his blood cool and heart race as his gun hummed to life.
"Begin!"
It all came rushing back.
"We have Goobot pinned down and need you to bring your entire army here on the double. Swarm, swarm!"
Jimmy's voice filled Nick's headset and breached his ears. The half hour of waiting was over. A half hour of sitting alone in his rocket's cart. A half hour of wincing at every exclamation of pain and sighing in relief at every battle Jimmy and Cindy survived. A half hour of being helpless.
That was done. Now it was time to prove to Jimmy, himself, and their army that he had trained them well. It was time to keep the suicide team alive. It was time to finish the fight.
"You heard the man!" he roared into his headset. He grabbed his pistol off of the seat beside him and narrowed his eyes. "Betty, Ike, Brittany, take us to that ship! Move! Move!"
Nick shoved the memories to the back of his mind. They kept playing and nipped at his brain. He tried to ignore them. "Hostile right!" Nick shouted while popping out of cover and catching sight of a clueless seven year-old. In half a second he'd aimed down the sights and fired his shot. The boy cried out in frustration before hurrying towards the barracks zone to respawn.
"He's down!" Nick added while sidling towards the wall of the balcony.
Jimmy noticed this. "Take shots, I'll cover you!" he instructed while peeking out of cover. He caught sight of two more kids charging across the balcony and dispatched them in four shots.
"Come on, come on, come on," Nick hurriedly whispered through gritted teeth. He scanned the arena, firing a shot at every child he saw. He hit every target, but couldn't find the one he was looking for. "Come on, you son of a bitch."
Nick raced across the ship's hull with his entire army in step behind him. His eyes spotted the hatch that Jimmy and Cindy had used to board the vessel. "Dead ahead!" he roared.
He slid to a stop in front of the hole and pointed the gun straight down. He scanned the room beneath. There wasn't a hostile in sight. "On me!" he shouted while tucking his pistol behind his back. He lowered himself down the hole and dropped straight down.
He hit the floor hard but unhurt. He whipped his gun out and took cover beside the open door. He heard thump after thump as children jumped down the hole after him. He took a deep breath to steady his aim, crouched down, and popped out of cover. Two Yolkians holding spears raced towards him.
"Yolkians!" he shouted while firing two shots. Each hit a control panel and sent the aliens crashing to the floor.
"Any more?"
Nick spun around and saw Betty peek out into the hallway. With her brown hair tied into a ponytail and her pistol aimed beside his, Nick was struck by her beauty for a precious moment. He forced it to pass and shook his head. "Let's grab whatever weapons they had on them and move!"
"Nick!" Jimmy shouted. Nick pulled away from the overhang and faced Jimmy. He saw a kid out of the corner of his eye and spun to his left. He dropped the target.
"That's ten," he muttered while thumbing the reload button on his rifle.
"They're coming up on both sides," Jimmy warned him while taking another shot.
Nick's rifle beeped, and he aimed over the balcony once more. Three shots took down two more kids in the arena below.
"Let's get down there!" he ordered. "Against the wall, under the balcony."
Jimmy considered this for a fleeting second before nodding. "We'll have cover above and behind."
"That's what I was thinking," Nick agreed. "Ready?"
"Hang on," Jimmy uttered while reloading his rifle. Nick swiveled back and forth to keep their area clear of hostiles. "I'm set!" Jimmy shouted.
"Then let's go!"
Nick jumped down the last three steps with Betty in tow. A shot from Nick's pistol knocked out a control panel, and a round from Betty's gun blasted out the bottom half of a second alien's eye. The creature roared in pain while dropping its spear. Betty lunged for it and made the catch before it hit the ground.
"Remember us?" Nick roared while pinning the injured creature against a wall. He held the shell in place with his left elbow and smashed the visor in with his pistol. All of Nick's rage bolstered his blows as he bashed the pistol again and again into the alien's brain.
"Nick!" Ike shouted while pointing ahead. Over a hundred children filled the stairwell and the beginning of the ship's fourth level. They all stared at the enormous space before them. All that filled the kilometer-long floor was computer banks, machinery, and dozens of Yolkians.
Nick narrowed his eyes at the creatures. Some were trapped motionless, previously disabled by Jimmy and Cindy. Many more weren't. Frightened and unarmed crew members dashed around in chaos, but others spotted the humans and held their ground. Nick noticed at least twenty soldiers, each clutching a spear. They began to bark orders, and the crew members slowly joined the warriors.
Nick gritted his teeth in hatred. He turned around at his own warriors. Betty tossed the working spear behind her, and a tall boy Nick's age grabbed it. That made him the second with a working spear. Some carried rocks from their brief stay on Ergo 22. Nick, Betty, Ike, and one other child had pistols. Most were unarmed.
The opposing armies glared at each other and readied their few weapons. Silence filled the air as the last of the Yolkians fell into formation. Nick locked eyes with one of the lead soldiers. They each moved forward at the same time.
"Charge!" Nick screamed while running forward and firing a bullet into the creature's visor.
The memories mixed with reality. Sweat poured down his body. His blood felt tainted with ice. Time simultaneously slowed down and sped up. This wasn't a game. This was war.
"Cover!" Nick roared while vaulting over the edge of the ramp. He dropped the few remaining feet and landed in a crouch. Targets flitted by, undisciplined hostiles waiting to be mowed down. Taking them out was child's play. His gun had no recoil, his opponents no skill. Child after child fell.
"Reloading!" he roared while reaching for a magazine that wasn't there. Instinct took over and he tapped the small reload button before he could comprehend his mistake.
Jimmy could hear the change in Nick's voice. "Nick?" he shouted in concern while ducking behind a barrel.
Gunshots roared through the ship as bullet after bullet tore into the aliens. They shredded control panels, shattered glass, ripped eyes apart, and embedded themselves in green viscera. The space between the armies was down to ten meters, and forty aliens still charged. Four spent magazines clattered to the floor.
There were only three spare clips for the four guns. Nick, Betty, and Ike slammed their new rounds in, but Nick took his finger off the trigger. "Melee!" he roared as loud as he could. They outnumbered the aliens more than two-to-one, and they might need the bullets later.
Chaos filled the floor. Only three soldiers had withstood the gunfire. A spear slammed into a young girl's leg; another slashed a band of skin off a teenage boy's arm. Rocks shattered visors and crushed brains. Blood, both green and red, fell onto the floor in a steady rain.
Nick slammed a fist into a crewman's visor and spread cracks throughout. The alien wasn't deterred and pinned him to the ground. Nick grappled with the beast, groaning in fury and terror. The alien grabbed his neck and squeezed. Nick gurgled as his throat was coated with fire.
A knife flew through the air and shattered the monster's weakened visor. A second blade came immediately after and lodged itself in the alien's brain. The creature toppled onto Nick, dead before it connected. Nick shoved it aside and climbed to his feet. He spun around and saw a black-haired girl throw a blade in another direction before Betty ran up and blocked his view.
"You good?" she asked in fright.
"Good!" Nick shouted back while looking around. He saw another one of his friends get punched hard in the face; another teenager tore open his hand while shoving a fist through the broken glass of a Yolkian's visor.
Yet it wasn't the humans who were hurting. Yolkian after Yolkian dropped to the ground. Nick stared around at the carnage and saw no hostiles left to fight. He let out a few ragged breaths as his headset crackled to life.
"Nick? Nick! What's going on?"
Nick's eyes darted from side to side, catching sight of hostile after hostile. There's still more, he nervously thought. "There's still more!" he shouted as his gun finished reloading.
Jimmy fired his last shot and stared at Nick in confusion. "There's over thirty kids and three hundred lives, Nick! This will take a while!"
There's over three hundred of them! Jimmy's augmented voice swam through Nick's mind. Nick's heart slammed the wall of his chest. He needed cover, cover on more than one side. "Let's go!" he ordered Jimmy.
Nick vaulted over his cover and sprinted across the arena. Jimmy hesitated and then set off beside him.
"Nick, what are you doing?" he shouted. "We can't run!"
Nick shook his head while firing a trio of rounds, taking down a pair of third-graders. "We're not running!" he shot back while sliding behind a wall. "We're finishing this!"
Jimmy got in cover beside Nick and stared worriedly at his friend. "What are you talking about?"
Nick spotted a good piece of cover twenty yards away. It was a small fort, a ten-square foot building made of cushioned walls. A firing window sat in one of its three walls. "There, we'll hold there!" Nick roared. "Cover me!"
Jimmy stared desperately at Nick. "Nick, are you - "
"Cover!" Nick roared while jutting out from behind his wall. He took another kid down and then set off.
Nick knew his only chance was to reach the target. He could hold there, have Jimmy cover the open wall while he finished the hostiles from the firing window. He just had to survive the run.
Things were slower now, the adrenaline saturating his blood. A Yolkian filled the corner of his eye. He saw his arms raise inch by inch, watched as he raised the rifle and took aim. The shot connected and hit its control panel.
Another alien burst out from behind cover and charged. It poised its spear as it came too close. Nick sidestepped the blow and shoved the alien hard.
"Nick!" Jimmy's terrified voice shouted in the distance.
Nick couldn't pause to shoot the Yolkian. He had to trust that Jimmy would keep it off his back. He jumped over a low wall and landed without missing a stride. Two aliens stood before him.
A shot from his gun took one down. The second he shoved aside with his rifle. The creature slammed onto the ground and roared in pain.
"Nick, stop!" Jimmy's scream was desperate now.
It was too late to stop, too late to turn back. Nick was nearly there. He reached the wall of the fort and swung around to the back. He'd caught the two creatures inside by surprise. There were still hundreds of Yolkians still out there. He didn't have the ammo to lose.
Nick slammed the first alien visor-first into the wall. It collapsed as the other two Yolkians spun around and stared in fright.
"Nick, stop right now!" Jimmy's scream pierced his ears. The voice was closer.
The lights around him brightened. The alien knew its fate and stared at him in horror. Nick slammed his rifle into its visor.
"General Dean, I order you to stand down!"
Nick froze. He could not understand why Jimmy would give him that order in the middle of hostile territory, surrounded by aliens. He blinked, and it all came back.
Mikey was lying on the ground, blood spilling from his nose. He was wailing in pain. Nick stared in confusion. He glanced down and saw the red spots on his gun.
"You bastard!" Damian screamed while slamming into Nick. The boys bounced off of the cushioned wall and collapsed onto the floor. "You sick fuck!" he roared while slamming his fist into Nick's face.
The blow snapped him awake. As his head bounced off the floor, Nick remembered the children he'd shoved. He replayed pushing the kid into the wall he'd just bounced off of. He felt the tremor shoot up his wrist as his gun slammed into Mikey's face.
Blood mixed with tears on his cheek.
Nick's eyes slowly moved from side to side, absent-mindedly studying the leaves dropping from the trees.
"Nick?" Jimmy's voice was barely a whisper.
"Don't," Nick could barely get the word out. "Just don't." He could sense Jimmy's eyes on him. He could feel the undeserved compassion.
A silence filled the air. "Okay," Jimmy finally offered.
Nick sighed and felt the large cut on his cheek. A single punch was the only retribution he'd been given. The employees had broken up the fight. Jimmy had feverishly tried to explain Nick's 'episode', as he'd called it. Nick's uncle brought Mikey to the hospital for his broken nose. The party was ruined, Mikey was hurt, and Nick was ashamed. He'd ruined everything, gone well beyond what he'd promised himself he wouldn't do.
Five minutes passed with no words spoken. Finally Jimmy sighed and slowed the hover car. He pulled to the side of a dirt road and landed the craft. Nick turned farther away from his friend.
"It wasn't your fault," Jimmy told him.
Nick wanted to get angry at Jimmy's stupidity. He wanted to yell at him, to tell him that of course it was his own fault. The only thing he could do, though, was wipe away the tears that burnt his eyes.
"Nick, believe me, I know you feel guilty. I…I understand that," Jimmy slowly offered. "I…I get it."
Nick took a shaky breath and forced himself to stop crying.
"This happens all the time to people who've," Jimmy paused and desperately searched for the right words. "Who've been through what we've been through."
"Neutron," Nick croaked out.
"Nick," Jimmy desperately interrupted. "If I'd done what you did, what would you do?"
Nick hesitated. "If you broke my cousin's nose? I'd punch you in the face."
"You got punched in the face," Jimmy countered.
Nick didn't know what to say. He wiped a hand down his sore face and sighed. "I screwed up, Jimmy," he mumbled. ""I screwed up so bad."
"He knows you didn't mean it," Jimmy offered. "Mikey. He knows that. And you're uncle understood."
Nick couldn't help but sniffle as he wiped the last tears away. He breathed deep and said, "They, they…" He hesitated, unsure if he could say what came next. You can say it to Jimmy. "They'll hate me."
Jimmy slowly reached out and put a hand on Nick's shoulder. Nick slowly faced him. "No they won't."
"How do you know?" Nick weakly asked.
Jimmy waited just a moment before offering a small smile. "I'm a genius, remember?"
Nick waited and then slowly nodded. "Guess you are," he quietly offered.
They sat in silence for a long moment. Nick eventually looked at Jimmy, whom he could tell was deep in thought. When the boy spoke, his eyes had clearly saddened.
"Nick," Jimmy slowly began, "I'm handling a…project tomorrow." Jimmy took a slow breath and nodded in self-affirmation. "I'm putting a monitoring device on the moon."
Nick wasn't in the mood for vagueness. "What are you talking about?"
Jimmy sighed. "It's a side project I've wanted to work on for a while. I'm putting a device on the moon that will let me know if anything approaches Earth. Anything like a, you know, like an asteroid or something."
Nick stared at Jimmy. "Why?" he flatly asked.
"Because," Jimmy licked his lips and paused once more, "it's just something I've wanted to do for a while. But when I'm up there, I'll see where this all started."
It took a few seconds for Nick to understand. "Where you were attacked."
Jimmy nodded. "Yes. I prefer to have a partner when I go on trips like this. You should come with me."
Nick looked at the floor and rubbed his forehead. "Neutron," he began.
Jimmy shook his head. "It will help. And I need the help."
Nick could almost hear desperation in Jimmy's voice. He looked up and studied his friend's expression. There was something hidden in his eyes. "And it's for asteroids?"
Jimmy slowly nodded. "Asteroids, other debris, just any…unforeseen incident," Jimmy slowly offered.
Another silence filled the air. As Nick accepted this, he thought of what it would be like to see where their adventure had truly begun, to witness the remnants of the only battle he hadn't been part of. On cue, Jimmy spoke once more.
"It will help," he assured Nick.
Nick slowly nodded. "Fine," he flatly agreed. "I'll go."
"Okay," Jimmy quietly answered while starting up the hover car. He lifted it off the ground. "Thanks."
Nick rested his head in his right hand and stared at the trees once more. It will help. Jimmy's words repeated themselves in his mind. He didn't know if he believed them. After what he'd just done, he didn't know if he could be fixed. He felt the cut on his cheek and thought of his little cousin lying in his own blood. No, Nick wasn't sure if he could be fixed. But he knew that he needed to be.
