I'm actually quite impressed with the fact that I managed to get this chapter done in time. I only started it a couple of hours ago. Last chapter got the most reviews I have gotten for any chapter so far which was very exciting. So keep up the reviewing. It makes me very happy to get reviews... wait I told myself that I wasn't going to beg for reviews with this story... oops. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter. I can't wait to show you the next chapter (not that I've written it yet) but there will be a major surprise in it. Also I keep forgetting to say this but a big thanks to gypsie rosalie for helping me come up with the name for Skye's brother and for putting up with all my annoying questions. Actually while I'm on the subject of thanking her I will just say thanks for everything, particularly listening to my constant questioning and slight freak out over a certain message. Thank you very much my dear. Alright I should stop rambling. Enjoy.

Chapter Thirteen

13 August 2138

It was the next day when they finally heard from their kidnappers. Lucas had managed to get some sleep but he was nowhere near being comfortable there. He longed to go back to the base, back home, back to his father. It was just when the prisoners were just starting to relax when the Rebels made contact. The prisoners hoped that if they sat there quietly they would be forgotten, or at least left alone, just until the soldiers came to rescue them.

The Rebels didn't come down to see the prisoners, for which many of the prisoners were glad. None of them wanted to be reminded of their captors, seeing them would only make the situation worse, it would become all the more real. Alone they were just trapped in a room, with the Rebels there they were captives. Instead the Rebels made contact over the loud speakers that were situated in every corner of the room.

"Attention prisoners," came a loud voice. It seemed as though the man who spoke was in the room with them, like he was surrounding them, like some sort of great demon or hell monster. It was enough to frighten many of the children and even some of the adults.

"We have made contact with your soldiers." A collective murmur ran through the crowd at this. So the soldiers weren't dead, or at least not all of them were. Many of them would admit to thinking that the soldiers were dead, how else would the Rebels have managed to break into the base and kidnap them? Though there weren't many that would share this thought, hope was still a very prominent emotion and not one that they wanted to douse. There was still hope left for them. There was still someone out there to save them.

An ominous silence fell across the room before the voice spoke again, this time to the soldiers. Unknown to the prisoners, the Rebels had managed to send a hologram message to the soldiers. They were also playing it over the speakers so that the prisoners could hear. It was the best way to create mass fear and panic.

"We have your women and children," the voice continued, addressing the soldiers this time. The prisoners waited anxiously, wondering what the purpose of this broadcast was.

"You have twenty-four hours to get here."

The sound of gasps and cries could be heard throughout the room. There was a time limit now, a deadline. Things weren't looking as hopeful as they were a few seconds earlier.

"If you don't arrive by then we will start torturing them," the voice continued harshly, causing the prisoners to become even more frightened.

"If you don't get here in the next forty-eight hours we will begin killing them."

The room was filled with screams at this latest revelation. Children began crying as they turned to their mothers for comfort. Even the younger children, who didn't completely understand why they were there, understood this.

They had been given a deadline and now a deed. The soldiers had been given an ultimatum. If they didn't save their families in time they would be tortured and killed. Their loved ones were the ones who would pay the price. There wasn't a soul in the room that didn't understand this and who wasn't frightened for their life. The next forty-eight hours would be crucial, the next twenty-four in particular. No one wanted to be tortured, or worse killed.

"Dad will make it, right?" Lucas asked his mother with a worried expression on her face.

Ayani wished that she could reassure him and promise that Taylor would make it to them in time and save them yet she knew that saying that would be lying. She couldn't promise that he would be there. She knew that twenty-four hours wasn't a very long time when you were trying to find your family and save them. She didn't even know if Taylor still had the men to save them, they could have been killed in battle before the Rebels broke into the base. There was still no guarantee that they would all make it out alive. Time was running out. Yet Ayani knew her husband and she knew that he would do his best to get there and save them. He wouldn't stop until he had them home safe and sound. He would do everything in his power to save them and bring them home.

"He'll make it," Lucas announced, sounding as though he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else. He had faith in his father. Lucas knew that Taylor would save them.

Lucas looked over at Skye. It was a habit now. They would often glance at each other throughout the course of the day, that was when they weren't actually with each other. Lucas could see tears running down her cheeks. Her brother sat there comforting her yet she was still upset. The latest news had obviously frightened her, it had frightened them all. It saddened Lucas to see Skye this upset. He had become quite fond of her over the course of the past few days. He saw her as a little sister and she saw him as another big brother, even though she already had one.

It wasn't to be said that Matt didn't like Lucas; it was just that they just weren't the best of friends, not like Lucas and Skye. Even though it could have been assumed that Lucas would make friends with the other boy who happened to be around his age, he found himself becoming friendly with Skye. There was a tiny bit of jealously towards Lucas. The younger boy did seem to have a better track record of comforting Skye than Matt did recently, especially with his stories of his father and his heroic acts. But that didn't mean that Skye didn't love her brother. She did, she loved him very much. She still needed her biological big brother. He meant the world to her. She would be lost without him.

"Go to her," Ayani spoke, encouraging her son to comfort his younger friend. She was glad that Lucas had made a friend, even if she was only a child. Saying that, Lucas was still very much a child too.

Lucas stood up and walked past the groups of families that were situated around the room. There was sadness and fear everywhere; it was not a good environment. When he reached Skye he knelt down in front of her and gently pushed her chin up so that she was looking at him. Her face was streaked with tears and it was obvious that she was frightened and upset.

"Don't cry," Lucas comforted gently as he reached out to brush her hair away from her cheeks before reaching out to hold her hands loosely in a comforting and brotherly gesture. "It's okay. My father is going to come and he is going to rescue us all."

"Now where's the happy little Skye that we all know and love?" Lucas asked, prompting a smile to appear on Skye's face. Though they were in a horrible situation they had still managed to find time to smile. It wasn't all bad in there, Lucas and Skye had had some good times in there, although Lucas would have much rather had those good times back at the base.

"There she is," he said with a smile before standing up and promising to visit her later. Skye returned to Matt's arms. Though she was feeling a lot happier, she still needed a hug from her big brother.

As Lucas walked back he once again looked at the scene around him. The Rebels had caused so much pain and devastation and they hadn't even started the torturing yet. Lucas wasn't even sure why the war was going on. All he knew was that he had been dropped straight in the middle of it. It was political, he knew that much, but he didn't see what could warrant this sort of drastic action. Why were the Rebels so eager to kill just for their own personal gain? There wasn't even much to be gained from this heartless and cruel action, it wasn't like the civilians could fight back against the Rebels. They were caught up in something that they didn't even need to be involved in.

"Is Skye alright?" Ayani asked as Lucas sat back down next to her. She had met Skye a few times over the past few days and had grown to like her, she was a lovely child.

"I told her that dad is going to come and save us," he replied as he nodded. Ayani remained silent. She couldn't confirm nor deny this hope that Lucas held on to and so she chose to remain silent. There was nothing wrong with a little hope. There was nothing wrong with being optimistic. She would let the boy hold onto this hope, even if her hope was fading.

"She's a sweet girl isn't she," Ayani spoke, distracting herself from her thoughts. Once again Lucas nodded, yet he didn't reply. He was thinking about his father and his promise to Skye that Taylor would come and rescue them all. He truly believed that his father would come and save them. Lucas would make sure that he, his mother, Skye, Matt and Deborah would all make it out of there alive. That was his promise and he was going to stick to it. He just hoped that his father would hurry. Time was running out, there was already less than twenty-four hours. The clock was ticking.