Code Naia The Resistance

by James the Lesser

Naia wakes up from the asteroid blast and finds herself in a New World. Her power and evil has been increased from taking Ark's energy and the asteroids energy. Sanne and the others must fight an enemy they don't know in a brutal war for humanity.

21. Chapter 21

Code Naia: The Resistance 20

Author: James the Lesser

I actually own most of the characters, and ideas, but thanks Moonscoop! And my Muse The Pink Haired One! This is really dedicated to her since the split off/new world was mostly her idea.

We hid in the forest. The Floaters were out in force. Some times it was as if they blanketed the sky. "We should have killed her. Of course she told the Cans she was attacked." I was kicking myself for it. I was too soft. The defense was getting tougher. "We need to do some thing." And my mind came up blank.

"We need to get them away from the power plant." I roll my eyes. What a stupid thing to say of course we needed to get the Floaters away from here. "Like really soon."

"And the sky is blue. Do you have any thing else Mr. Obvious?" Damn, I loved that show. "We know that we need to get the Floaters out of here as fast as possible." Arrow smiled.

"I have a plan." My eyes narrow.

"And that would be what Mr. Obvious?"

"We attack south of here. Right now they have an attack on the train north of here. Then there was an attack in Rome. If we attack south of here it will make them think we are fleeing south. Maybe trying to get too the sea and flee to Africa." It was so obvious I wanted to kick myself for not thinking about it myself.

"This will take us away from the power plant. But I like it." I smile at Arrow. "Maybe two attacks. One farther south then the first one to draw them away even more." It was brilliant damn it I should have thought of it. "What do you think?"

"It should draw them away from the power plant. But we'd waste food and time. And on the way south and back we'd be at even more of a risk." The others mumble. "But it will be worth it. This is the mission to destroy NAIA."

"And if we're killed doing the distraction attacks we're messed up. Frak we're already down one person how much frakking harder do you want to make this? Why not just shoot a couple of us and not waste time with the attacks?"

"Don't worry about it Radio. We'll just do small attacks. Shoot some thing up on our way down." Arrow's voice was soothing. But I could hear the nervousness in it. "Then come back up here."

"Maybe some one should stay back here? Keep an eye on the power plant. What if while we're gone they pack the place with Cans? NAIA may go for the overkill." Helen was right.

"Ok then you can stay behind. Keep an eye out for us. The rest of us will go south and attack a couple places." We keep discussing plans. The sun would be down soon and we could move out.

This was frakking risky. It was dark out but there would be a Floater buzzing overhead every hour or so. We had to hide as best we could. This night was dragging on and on as we walked south. The Earth must have stopped spinning. That was why the sun wasn't coming up. "Floater." We knew the drill. Some brush or a tree or even tall grass. I dove in to a few bushes. "Frak!" Thorns tore the shit out of me. But I didn't have time to move.

The Floater missed us and kept going. "Shit that hurt." I start pulling thorns out of my arm.

"Sanne are you ok?" I nod.

"I'll be fine." I pull another thorn out. "I might need some antiseptic later. We need to get going before the sun comes up." I keep pulling thorns out as we head south.

The sun finally came up after what seemed like days of walking. We hid in some brush like always. Lying on my back staring up at the sky as it got lighter I heard a noise. Turning I see Arrow walking towards me. "Hey Arrow." He lies down next to me.

"I set up the guard duty. Radio is first. Then she'll wake Dante up."

"What about us?"

"We'll do it together after Dante. So those two can get enough sleep." I turn and put my arm around him.

"Ok." I snuggle up against him. "All this is amazing."

"What is?"

"All the trees and grass and bushes and stuff. Wild animals are running around like it was normal. With out our frakking things up nature took over." I feel his warmth and snuggle even closer.

"He let things take their course."

"Did He? I always heard it was Mother Nature, not Father Nature." He laughs a little. "Nature did it on its own. Before we messed every thing up with our cars and buildings and pollution."

"But the Earth lasted. And we got our act together. Your father's inventions revolutionized the world. His new form of energy made coal and nuclear power obsolete. Short of power plants like the one near Rome he powered the planet. And his Hydrocell technology…" I kiss him on the mouth.

"You don't need to tell me what he has done. I was around for a lot of it." I smile and laugh. "Do you think God had to do any thing with it? Maybe He is there but he has an entire Universe to take care of. Why spend so much time on one little planet? Could we really be that special?"

"I don't know. He is all powerful so his powers are well, limitless. He could look after every single atom in the Universe with out tiring."

"Then why did he rest on the ninth day?"

"Seventh. He rested on the seventh day." I roll my eyes.

"I tried. I knew it was one of those days." He holds me in his arms and starts to kiss my neck. "You're distracting me."

"You always distract me." I kiss his lips and feel his mouth open. We kiss passionately in the brush. We should have been trying to sleep but this was more, needed? I'm not sure what the word is. Need isn't strong enough for the feeling I had. Need was tame compared too what I felt.

We were on watch now. We didn't get as much sleep as we should have but it was worth it. Who knew how many more days we had left. What if we were discovered? What if we died when we attacked the power plant? What if… A lot could happen. "Arrow do you think um, if we were to die um, I'd like, you know?" He nods.

"Yes Sanne. You've done some horrible things but we all have." He holds my hand. "And He will forgive you. He loves us all and will forgive us if we ask for His forgiveness."

"Well, I want it, I guess. But I did so much and hell I don't even remember all of it. I've tortured people and murdered and um, all the like little ones you know? Cursing, eating meat on a Friday, sex stuff."

"Sanne maybe fifty years ago you would have been condemned to hell for that. But as things change so do the rules. Saying no to your parents used to get you stoned to death. A woman on her period used to be banished to the woods until she was done. Being gay used to be a mortal sin. But after the fall of Vatican II and the merging of sorts of the other denominations they knew they had too update it. Stealing is a sin but what about downloading music and movies? Is that going to send one too hell?"

"If that did I had about five hundred terabytes of hell worthy sinning on my computer. Do I have to ask for forgiveness about that?" Arrow shakes his head.

"You don't even have to ask in words. Just know in your heart that you want forgiveness. He is always listening." That was confusing and I still didn't get it but I'll try.

"Well, I do. If I die I want to be with you, and the others. What if they don't go to um, the good place?"

"I don't know. I never thought to ask my pastor that. What happens to family or friends you love that didn't make it? Maybe we'll find out."

"We will eventually." I kiss him lightly on the lips. "I love you Arrow."

"I love you more Sanne." He kisses me back.

The sun was down and we were moving again. It was around midnight when we could see some lights. "We don't need to do any thing major. Just shoot some things up and get away." The others agreed but they weren't with us right now. "But I want to do a lot of damage."

"Sanne we don't even know what it is. It could be a small village it could be a Can making factory." Of course Arrow had to be logical.

"Then let's find out. Radio and I will scout it out. Maybe grab more food and stuff. Or blow up some Cans. We need them to think we're headed for the Sea."

"But we aren't. There is no point in risking any one for a distraction." I didn't care about that. We would be safe but we wouldn't waste ammunition.

"We have a limited amount of ammunition. We won't waste it. I want every bullet too count."

"What if I don't want to scout it out? I think we should just blow some shit up and get the hell out." I glare at Radio.

"Fine I'll take Dante." I take my pack off. "Come on Dante."

"Yes Sanne." He takes his pack off and starts to follow me.

It wasn't a town. It was a prison. Men were digging up some thing. "Dante do you see any thing else?"

"Not really. Some guards over by those buildings. What are they digging up?"

"I can't tell. Maybe they just do it to keep them busy?"

"I doubt that. NAIA wouldn't waste time." I touch the fence with the tip of my finger. I wasn't shocked. "These fences aren't electrified."

"We can't climb inside."

"I want to talk to one of the prisoners." I grab the fence and start to climb.

"Sanne get down." He grabs my leg and I kick at him.

"I'll be right back. Shoot the place up if I get caught." I climb over the fence quickly.

The guards were idiots. I only saw maybe eight or nine of them. But they had guns and the prisoners didn't. I had guns but I couldn't kill all of the guards by myself. I needed help.

I crept along a building and looked in through a window. There were several bunks with more prisoners on them. They all looked sickly. I hoped they had enough strength too hold a gun.

I went back to the fence and had Dante climb over. "I have my rifle and two hand guns. You do too. But we can't kill the guards fast enough. What I want to do is have a couple of the prisoners help us. Four on nine is better then two on nine."

"Sanne how the hell do you expect to get guns to the prisoners?" I tell him my plans.

We were back at the building and I tap on the window. I look inside and see the prisoner on the cot closest to the window look up. I tap on the window again. I know he sees me. "Can this window open?" He nods. I hold a hand gun up. "Can you use one of these?" He nods again. "Open the window and get the hell out of there. We're here to rescue you." That did it.

He opens the window and sticks his hand out. "Give me the gun. We can't open the window enough too climb out."

"Is the door locked?"

"No. Um, how many are there?"

"There are two of us left. I have four hand guns to pass around. How many guards are there?"

"Eight on duty at all times. There are twenty four altogether."

"Where do they stay?"

"They come from some where else. I don't know."

"So there are only eight here?" He nods. "Great. Once we kill them you can go where ever you want."

"You don't have a base?"

"No. We're planning on escaping Europe through the Sea. But before then we're doing as much damage as possible." I hand him the other hand guns. "Get ready. Count too sixty then burst out and start shooting. The guards are idiots."

"They know we won't rebel. They have guns and we don't, until now." He ducks his head back inside and Dante and I leave the window.

I was at fifty seven when the door opened and several prisoners ran out. I already had my rifle aimed at the guards. "Fire!" I got three shots off before the prisoners started shooting. The guards maybe had enough time to blink before we had cut them down.

The prisoners were at the gate of the prison. There was a large lock on it. "Stand back!" I aim a rifle at the lock and fire. I unleashed the clip before the lock broke. "Well you're free. Head south it will probably be your best bet. Take over a boat and sail south to Africa or west to the Atlantic Ocean."

"What about you two?"

"We're headed for the Sea also but we're also going out and trying to do more damage. Take any weapons or food we left behind." Dante and I grabbed a couple more weapons and a lot more ammunition. We would be set for a few more attacks. "And if captured do tell them our plans."

"Why? Shouldn't we lie?"

"It will be easier to kill them if they come too us." I turn towards Dante. "Are you ready S.O.X.?"

"Of course Pho." We turn and leave the prison. The Traitors sure as hell would know this happened. If we attacked again south of here it would throw them off completely. Then we would head back and get the Plutonium and end this war.

We met up with the others. "What happened? Why were you two gone for so long?" Arrow of course.

"We liberated a prison and sent the prisoners south to cause more trouble." Arrow's jaw drops. Radio kicks the ground.

"Damn I should have gone." I laugh.

"Maybe next time Radio."

"So you attacked a bunch of guards? And liberated the prisoners? What are they doing? How will they survive?"

"We grabbed some stuff from the prison and let them have the rest. We told them to go south and steal a boat. Go to Africa or the Atlantic Ocean. I didn't really care." I shrug my shoulders.

"Then we're done and can go back."

"Wait Arrow shouldn't we attack some where else?"

"Why? The prisoners you liberated should do it for us." He was right. "Good job you two. Hopefully the people you freed will be able to enjoy themselves."

"I hope so to." I reach out and grab his cross. "Maybe He will watch out for them." The crosses heat felt good in my hand.

We didn't have much time before the sun came up. Arrow and I kept watch first. I was a little tired from the attack last night but I didn't want to sleep when he was awake. Who knew how many more days we'd have together.

We were going back to Rome. It took us three nights to find the prison. But this time we were moving faster. The Floaters weren't in the air any more. Our way north was clear.

We made it back but we couldn't find Helen. The woods around Rome were larger then I remember. "We have time to look. Split up and go through the woods. We meet back here around sunrise." I take off looking for Helen.

The sun was up and Helen was still missing. We all made it back though so that was a plus. "We need to start thinking she was discovered. We need to start thinking about going after a different power plant."

"No way Sanne. We made it here after losing Bardock. We don't know that Helen was captured."

"That's right we don't. So we assume the worst."

"Or we assume she's out there some where and we haven't found her yet." I was ready to smack Arrow when Radio spoke up.

"It is kind of hard to look for her at night." I turn towards Radio.

"So you want to go running around in the middle of the day?" She shrugs her shoulders. "Then what do you want to do?"

"Keep looking for her."

"Fine Radio if you want to go running around you can but if you get caught kill yourself." She flips me the bird. "Not today."

"I agree. We need to look for her. We need to know if the power plants defense has been raised or not."

"So is this two on two or three on one?" I look at Dante.

"I, well, we do need her. And we need to know what's been going on here while we were gone." I sigh.

"Fine we can keep looking for a couple more hours." I was tired and irritable but it was a three to one vote. I didn't feel like arguing about me being the leader. This was stupid but they out voted me.

Damn. We got lucky. Helen was alive and mostly well. "What the frak did you do?" Her ankle looked like it had been twisted around.

"A bunch of Cans and Twitchers came through. I climbed up a tree and hid. When I climbed back down I frakked my ankle up."

"Shit. Helen did you check out the power plant?" She nods. "And?"

"Cans and Twitchers packed it. I don't know why. Did you guys attack down south?" She winces in pain.

"Yes." Shit this is what we wanted to avoid. "We'll just have to wait for your ankle to heal and hope the defense lightens up." I sit down next to her. "You did good work not getting caught."

"Thanks. I've been crawling around looking for a better hiding spot but really trees are trees." She had to be in a lot of pain but she didn't show it, much.

"I'm not sure how to set your ankle but we'll try." I pull the pant sleeve up. "This will probably hurt, a lot."

"Here," Dante hands her a stick. "Bite down on that." That sounded like a weird request.

"Where did you get that idea?"

"Saw it on a movie once. Except the doctor was removing a bullet and not resetting an ankle."

"It might be less painful." I grab Helen's foot and leg. "Helen if I were you I would start biting." I twist her ankle. I kept twisting until it looked like it should. "We need to like make a cast or some thing."

"Branches and some thing to wrap them tightly. We have any tape?"

"I do," Radio digs through her pack and pulls some silver tape out.

"Good. Now we just need a couple straight sticks or some thing." I look around but don't see any good ones. "Find some!" The others take off.

I hold Helen's ankle in place while waiting for the others. She wasn't crying but her teeth were almost through the branch she was biting. "It's going to be ok Helen. You're doing great." She keeps biting.

Dante came back with several branches. "Good um, we need the others so I can hold the ankle, one to hold the branches, and one to wrap the tape."

Soon the others made it back with more branches. We break them to the right length then wrapped them. Helen's ankle looked normal but who knew how long it would take too heal. This was a major set back.

We had to wait for her ankle to get better but we only had a limited amount of food. We needed a new plan. "Arrow I have an idea." The others were resting while we kept watch.

"What is it?"

"We keep Helen out of the power plant. She stays outside and shoots any guards trying to get in. She'll distract them and keep them off of us."

"But she wouldn't be able to run away. It would be suicide for her." Damn. "We need to wait for her ankle to heal."

"I know. We need to do some thing though. If the defense was strengthened while we were gone it will be harder for us. We need to get them away from here."

"We already attacked south of here and I'm sure the prisoners you freed have done some things. What else can we do?" I shrug my shoulders. "Nothing. We have to wait for her ankle to heal and hope the security gets lighter."

"Yeah, I guess." It's not what I wanted but it was all we had.

Helen's ankle was still frakked up after two weeks. She could limp around on it but that was it. "She'll need to be able to run and jump. We can't sit around much longer we're getting low on food."

"We can go out and get more. Go east or some thing. Or farther south than we were before."

"But we can't leave her behind alone. If she's seen she'll be helpless." We were screwed. With Helen's frakked up ankle our options were limited. "Arrow what if we left Radio or Dante behind?"

"We'd be at risk if seen. With only three of us and if we take Dante, well, he's not exactly the hardest one. Radio is insane some times but she could kill. But that would be better for Helen since she will need a guard." I didn't like how he was insulting Dante. Dante did what he had to.

"Dante isn't blood thirsty but he's not weak. He doesn't want to kill but he will if he has to. He helped me with the prison guards." And he was able to kill the guards from the train. Wait, that reminded me of some thing. "When we were attacked at the train we ran in to the woods. Dante, Bardock, and I shot the Traitors."

"I get it Dante can kill." I roll my eyes.

"No what I wanted to tell you is that after we shot them we ran back in to the woods and we found Bardock's body."

"Wait, but you said the three of you shot the Traitors."

"It's what I saw. Dante said he didn't see him but I swear I did. I saw him shoot the Traitors with us." The image played through my head again and again. I saw Bardock shoot those Traitors. "I know what I saw."

"Maybe he was there."

"But we found him dead in the woods. He couldn't have been there except I saw him there."

"I think he was there. The Lord helped you defeat the Traitors. Bardock was needed and his spirit carried on until he wasn't needed." I see him grab his cross.

"That's amazing. Isn't that what you've been praying for? That they would watch out for us?" He nods. I reach out and put my hand over his. "I guess the Lord listened." I see the warm smile on his face grow. "He loves you."

"He loves us all who accept Him."

"But you've been more, I can't think of the word. You've talked to Him and prayed to Him no matter what happened. You were captured and tortured and you said you sang songs that you liked. Because you weren't afraid of death. If you died you would go to Heaven and be with Him."

"Yes but I didn't want to die. I wanted to live. But if I had died I hoped He would let me help you and the others."

"You are incredible Arrow. You were being tortured and you thought about helping us? I didn't care. When Shelly had me I just wanted to die to make it all end. But you were so much stronger." I hug him tightly.

"I knew what would happen. You were scared because you didn't know."

"I didn't believe. I didn't have faith. I'm still not sure I do. But when ever you talk about Him I see how you smile. How strong and happy you are. I want that strength and happiness." I kiss him on the cheek. "You give me strength and happiness."

"I know Sanne, I love you." He kisses me on the lips.

"I love you to." I kiss him back.

The next night Arrow and I left. We decided to leave Dante and Radio behind with Helen. We didn't need them. If we weren't back in a month they would carry out the attack on the power plant. If Helen's ankle was healed by then. It was up to Arrow and I to bring back food. We only brought a little since the others needed it more. Hopefully Arrow and I could forage for some food.

Frak we couldn't have gotten far before the sun started coming up. We had gone east so I guess it made sense that the sun would come up sooner but not this soon. "We better find a place to hide before it gets any lighter out." I start to look for a place to hide.

"We could go a little farther." I looked towards the east.

"Maybe. We are farther away from Rome and stuff. There shouldn't be too many people any where near here." I keep walking and he follows.

The sun was up and we kept trudging through the woods. Before the war I doubt this area would have had any thing like this. Maybe a couple trees but the brush and long grass wouldn't be here.

It was around noon when we finally decided to stop. I was tired and hot but the main reason we stopped was because of some thing very small and juicy. "Berries. Are they edible?"

"I don't know." Arrow plucks one. "Uh, it's a raspberry I think. They should be edible." He puts it in his mouth.

"Well?"

"I'm not dead." He eats another one. "They are really sweet but I don't think they're poisonous." He eats a couple more.

I let him eat for a few minutes before trying one myself. It was sweet and delicious. I grab a handful and pour them in to my mouth.

We must have eaten a pound of raspberries each before curling up next to each other underneath the brush nearby. It was stupid to both sleep at the same time but we were both tired and full. And to have him hold me in his arms made me feel safe.

We grabbed as many raspberries as we could before moving on. "Maybe we should head straight east. If we get near the sea I know a way to catch sharks."

"It will take us a few nights to get there. And we aren't just looking for food for us. We need to bring food back. If we were just grabbing sharks or whatever we could have gone west and gotten to the sea there."

"I know but we'll need more then berries. We need to find a farm or some thing. There should be farms right? NAIA has to feed the people. And why bring it in from thousands of miles away when you could grow it in an area near the major cities like Rome?"

"I think maybe uh, I can't remember the name of the city. It used to be a bigger town but after WWIII they made it a farming area to give refugees work."

"Oh yeah uh, Campobasso or some thing. I did a project on it for my history tutor once. One of the many farms made for refugees."

"History tutor? Didn't you go to uh, what was it called? Some special school place or some thing."

"I didn't go to Kadic Academy until after I was thirteen. Before then I had private tutors." I was so different back then. I wondered what Arrow did. "What kind of school did you go to?"

"A normal public school with thousands of other students."

"Not some religious school?" He shakes his head.

"Nope a completely normal heathenistic school." His smile makes me laugh. "It didn't matter. An education is an education."

"I thought faith and like, science didn't mix."

"Sanne Christianity and all faith really have different branches and followers and leaders. The Catholic Church, once the Purge happened, went back to the archaic ways. Other branches like Protestant are more advanced. Like how I talked about stealing and downloading music. Or about suicide. The Church sees it as the Unforgivable Sin but my Pastor believed that the Lord understood some times that not all of us were strong enough for life. And some times you have to die. A mother may die giving child birth. A fire fighter knows he could die rushing inside of a burning building but he still does it. A police officer knows he could die if he tries to stop a criminal but he still does it."

"It is all so complicated. How do you keep it all straight?" His laughter surprised me.

"I don't Sanne. Premarital sex while not exactly hell worthy is still frowned on. But there isn't marriage right now is there? So how could any one get married? I don't know the answer and I can't ask my Pastor."

"Who was your Pastor?"

"My Grandfather on my mother's side. He used to have a show in the States where he taught children. But after he retired he went back to running a church. Every one loved him. Pastor Rogers was always ready to listen and help."

"What happened? Was he um, still alive when this all started?" Arrow shakes his head.

"He died at the ripe old age of one hundred and six. He lived a long and happy life and passed peacefully in his sleep with a smile on his face."

"How do you know?"

"I was the one who found him." I see his face go pale. "So I guess I'll have to wait too ask him."

"I'm sorry. But I, you love me. I love you, now. Before I used you, that was on me. I hope He doesn't hold that against you."

"I've already asked for His forgiveness. And I talked to him about our relationship. I know He understands." There was that warmth. Arrow was always happy when he talked about Him.

"Good. And um, what about murder? Or killing in war? I killed some people who didn't have to die."

"Like the pregnant women at the breeding farm?" I could only nod. Before I thought it was the right thing to do. Now I wasn't so sure. "I told you that you were going to hell for that."

"I know. And I'd deserve it."

"Don't worry Sanne. I was the wrong one. I never should have said that. I know now that while I don't believe you should have killed them but what life would they have had? They would have died after they were no longer useful to the Traitors and NAIA. But at the time I was appalled by what you did."

"I wasn't. I didn't care. I was cold and hardened. I felt nothing but hatred and anger." I shake my head. "I did feel but I repressed them. I thought to be a good leader I had to be cold and calculated. But I was just like a Can, cold and calculated."

"Sanne you were stronger then most. How many teenage girls are leading a resistance group? How many are still alive? You learned from your mistakes."

"Thank you Arrow." I sigh. "We've wasted enough time we have to get going." I start to jog and Arrow falls in line behind me.

Farm land as far as the eye could see. Rows and rows of what I'm guessing are apples. I never really liked fruit and with the way things were real apples were rare. "NAIA has done some thing with this place."

"Yeah. Are these oranges?"

"No I think they're apples."

"I thought apples were red." I shrug my shoulders. "Didn't you get the real deal?"

"Well, some times. I liked meat though. Bacon, steak, burger. Apple juice was ok but I never liked a real apple." I pull one off. It was perfectly round. "But I think you might be right. It is orangish." I take a bite. "This isn't an apple or an orange. It doesn't taste any thing like orange juice or apple juice."

"Uh, lime, lemon?"

"Do those grow on trees?" It was really sweet but it was a taste we hadn't had in a long time. "It's definitely not a peach."

"Canned peaches are nothing compared to this. Fresh from a tree and every thing." He grabs one and bites in to it. "Oh my ow!" He spits it out. "How can you stand that? That is way too sweet." The look on his face made me laugh.

"Come on they're good." I take another bite out of the fruit. "Ok it's really sweet but its some thing we haven't had in a long time." I take another bite.

We grab a few off of the trees and leave the first farm we found. The fruit is good but I wanted more. And Arrow could barely eat one with out me laughing at the looks on his face.

I didn't know what they were. Big and fat and smelly and pink. "Uh, cows?" Arrow shrugged his shoulders. "They aren't chickens those things lay eggs so they'd have feathers."

"Or scales. Um, I guess they're cows."

"Yum. I miss burgers."

"There's no way we could kill one and like cut it up and stuff."

"Well, maybe." I see a white tag on the ear of one. "Except they are probably chipped so we can't grab them."

"Lets go find some thing else."

"We better go back and hide the suns going to be up soon." We take off.

As the sun came up I ate another fruit. "We need to find more stuff. This fruit is good but we'll need more."

"And I doubt I'm the only one who can't stand them." He might be right.

"I want that cow."

"Well um, how would we get it?" I shrug my shoulders. "We need to find some thing else. Vegetables or what ever."

"Chickens. I want eggs."

"Real eggs? I've never had real eggs before."

"They're amazing. The refab stuff they served at Kadic were sludge compared to real eggs."

"I'm guessing the eggs they served at Kadic are the same things I've had." Damn my mouth started watering thinking about real eggs.

"Tomorrow we hunt down chickens. They shouldn't be that hard to spot they have feathers. How many farm animals will have feathers?"

"I don't know." He looks towards the east as it starts to lighten. "We should sleep in shifts since we're this close to population."

"Yeah, I'll keep watch first."

"I could do it first." I shake my head.

"No I want to watch you sleep." I brush my hand against his cheek. "I'll keep watch over you." He leans down and kisses me.

"Ok, I love you Sanne."

"I love you to." I sit down on the ground as he lies down. "Good night Arrow."

"Good night." He curls up and tries to get comfortable.

The farms came to life. I saw hundreds of men working in the fields. Only men. "They probably made deals to protect their loved ones. Poor fools." After what Dante told us we knew the Traitors never kept their word. The girl he met before being captured I was sure he said her brother made a deal. We had to help these people. Maybe tomorrow. I was tired and so was Arrow.

After Arrow woke I told him about my plans. "We have to help them. If we cause chaos out here they'll have to move forces away from Rome. We're more then two nights away so that's what at least a few dozen kilometers."

"Sanne that is too dangerous. We need to grab some food and get the hell out of here." I glare. "Don't stare at me like that. You need to get some sleep ok?" I wanted to argue but I was tired.

When I woke up I was hungry. I ate two of the fruits we picked. "I want more." I lick my lips tasting the sweet juices on them.

"We can grab more once the sun goes down." I shake my head.

"Not just the fruit but more. Food and freedom." I dreamed about a revolution. We would tell the slaves what the Traitors were doing to their loved ones and they would revolt. In the chaos Arrow and I would grab as much food as possible and get the hell out of there. Making sure to tell them we were headed south for the sea. That any and all resistance was told to escape by boat to Africa. It was a great dream.

After eating I told Arrow about my dream. "It will work! And any captured will tell the Cans we're headed south. That all resistance is headed south. They'll send troops to the shore and we'll be free to attack the power plant thousands of kilometers away. We have to do this."

"It is too dangerous! What if they attack us instead?"

"That's not what happened in my dream."

"This is the real world." I grab his cross.

"Then call it a vision. A premonition. He wants it to happen. Those men were working their hands to the bone because they think the women they loved were being kept safe. That the wives, daughters, sisters, they loved were being taken care of. But they aren't! We need to free them!"

"Sanne shhh it's never safe to yell." I blush.

"I'm sorry I just got a little angry." I take a few deep breaths. "If you won't help me I'll do it alone." I pull on the cross a little. "Well maybe not alone." The cross radiates with heat.

"Sanne you know I won't let you do any thing alone." He wraps his hand around mine. "But we need more food and the others do to."

"We can bring them bags of it. Tonight we can go out and grab more food then tomorrow lead the dream to reality."

"We can bring your vision to reality." I nod and smile.

We searched through a couple farms and found some weird stuff. These stalks with things hanging off of them. When you pulled them off you could peel the leaves or what ever off and found these giant seed things. I had no idea what they were and they weren't edible. We found another farm with little orange things in the ground. They were edible once you got the dirt off.

We grabbed more and more. Fruits, vegetable, just stuff. We kept taking the food back to our hiding spot.

When we went to one building I heard a strange noise inside. I never heard it before. "What is that?"

"A machine?" I shake my head. "Animals?"

"Let's look." We go around until we find a door. The door was locked. "We need to find a window."

"We don't have to see what's inside."

"I do." I start around to the other side of the building.

There was wire meshing over a small hole. I ripped the meshing a little. "There's movement inside." I tear the meshing a little more. "There's some thing inside making that noise." It was like a cluck cluck I never heard it before. "I need a light."

"Well I don't have one." I knew he was impatient but I wanted to see inside. I rip the meshing even more now able to get my arm inside. "Ow!" I pull my hand out.

"What happened?"

"Some thing bit me." Suddenly a weird looking animal was at the hole. It had feathers so I assumed it was a chicken. "Little bastard bit me."

"He didn't want you breaking in to his house." Arrow's laugh settled my nerves a little. "Are you done?"

"Yeah, I guess. We can't get in and grab any eggs." I was disappointed not because I wouldn't get to eat any but because Arrow wouldn't. He's never had real eggs and I wanted so badly for him to taste real eggs. "We better get back before the sun comes up."

"We need to sleep at the same time so we will be ready tomorrow." I agreed and we left.

We had several pounds of food. Maybe we might have more after tomorrow. But in the chaos of a revolution we might not have the time. This was going to be more dangerous then most normal missions. We couldn't hide back in the Factory or the sewers. We would be in fields of round sweet fruit and tall stalks of weird giant seeds.

I fell asleep in his arms. It felt so good. He was so warm and gentle and it made me melt.

When we woke up the sun was high in the sky and the men were out in the fields. The closest field to our hiding spot was the sweet fruit. There was a couple really close to us. "Arrow, you talk to them. They might not have seen a girl in a long time."

"Ok Sanne." I stay in our hiding spot while Arrow gets closer to a slave. "Psst." The slave looks around. "Psst, over here." Arrow goes forward a little more. I raise my rifle and aim it just in case the slave doesn't react well. "Shh, I'm a resistance member." The slave almost drops the shovel he was holding. I laughed a little.

"What are you doing here?"

"We're here to free you."

"No way. We do any thing they'll hurt our loved ones."

"They already are." Arrow stands up. I look around hoping none of the guards notice. Three of them might be able to see us if they were paying attention. "Trust us almost every female we've rescued has told us the same story. A father or brother or husband says they won't fight as long as the woman isn't hurt. I have one with me." That was brilliant.

I stand up. "He's telling the truth. Until his group rescued me I was just a slave. My father joined the Traitors on the basis I'd be ok. But it wasn't even a week before I was sold off to some one in Germany."

"But, maybe, they wouldn't do that to my baby." I glare at him.

"They don't care. They used you and are using her. Help us and we'll help you." I look around to make sure the guards haven't noticed us yet. "You and the others need to revolt."

"They'll shoot us."

"There are like five guards around. We can take them."

"Those are the ones outside. There are a bunch of them in the different buildings. We'd risk getting killed and for what?" I was almost ready to smack him but Arrow interrupted me.

"For freedom. Once you're done here you can head south with the rest of us. We're going to steal boats and head across the sea to Africa."

"Damn, um, shit this is too crazy." It was but we needed this done.

"I noticed yesterday the guards all get together for your break or what ever you call it." He nods. "When that happens Arrow and I will shoot them up. You and the others start raising hell. I'm sure there are plenty of weapons and food."

"There is a guard house over near the corn field. That's where most of them stay. Uh, I'll spread the word. We free ourselves at break." I smile and he smiles back. "Thank you."

"No, thank you." He was about to make our job a lot easier. "Um, one question." This was going to be stupid but we had to know. "What's corn?"

"Uh, those tall stalks over there." He points.

"And the guard house is on the other side?" He nods. "Ok, thanks." I motion to Arrow and we leave for the corn field.

Sitting in the corn field sucked. I pulled one of the giant seeds off and look it over. "This is corn. What do they use it for?" Arrow takes it from me.

"I think this isn't a seed." He digs in to the seed and pulls some thing off. "These are the seeds or what ever."

"Oh it looks like uh, the major?"

"Kernel, I think." He puts it in his mouth then spits it out. "I guess it needs to be cooked to be edible."

"Yeah, I guess." We sit and wait, and wait.

I thought that time stopped. There was no way it took this long for the break to come. I think I fell asleep it took so long. But you could hear a bell ringing and the sound of the slaves marching out of the fields.

There were five guards standing in front of a building. They carried their rifles loosely. "Arrow I'll start on the right and you start on the left."

"Yes Pho." We take aim.

"Now." I pull the trigger and shoot a Traitor. I aim at the next in line and fire killing him. I can hear Arrow's gunshots following mine. I aim at the third one in line but Arrow shoots him first. "The guards from the other building should be coming out." We rush through the corn field.

When we get to the other side I almost laughed. There were six guards outside of the guard house. "This is it? Eleven Traitors kept hundreds as slaves?"

"They used their love for the women in their lives." I could hear the anger in his voice. "Come on Sanne." He raises his rifle and aims.

"I have no problem." I aim and fire.

We waited a couple minutes but there were no more guards. Arrow and I ran in to the guard house and found a mess. There were a few weapons lying around, piles of clothes, food, and more. "Hey Arrow what do you think?" I pick a magazine up and show the model on the cover.

"I don't want to see that." He picks a hand gun up. "We should grab more weapons for ourselves."

"Of course. We need to find bags or some thing." We go through the building and find every thing we needed.

When we went back to the slaves it was a great sight to see. They were breaking and burning and destroying the farm houses. There were several piles of food on the ground. "Hey!" I get their attention. "The plan is to head south. You need to steal some boats and head for Africa. NAIA's control there is weak. You should be able to hide in the jungles down there."

"What about you two? Aren't you coming with us?" I shake my head.

"We're headed east then south. We're trying to find as many as possible and free them." I look at their faces. Many were smiling. "Enjoy your freedom."

"Do you two want any thing?"

"No. Arrow?"

"I just want a little more food. We don't know how long it will be before we will find more food." The men grabbed some bags and started filling them.

"Take what ever you want. Because of you we're free." I nod and smile. "But um, how is it going?"

"How is what going?"

"The war. We used to get messages from the resistance. They stopped a few months ago." He was looking at Arrow so I let Arrow answer.

"Same here. A leader betrayed us and turned us over to the Traitors. Since then we've been cut off. But last I heard America was still fighting. Asia and Australia were lost. The moon was finally attacked and taken. Europe is lost. Why the few of us left decided to flee to Africa."

"And our loved ones?" Arrow shrugs his shoulders.

"We don't know. My father gave up and joined the Traitors much like you did. He wanted me to be safe. But the Traitors sold me to another. I was torn from Moscow and sold to some one in Berlin. Arrow and his group rescued me and several others. Maybe your loved one was as lucky as I."

"Thank you." He turns and walks away.

We had three bags each. The ones we came with and two more loaded with food and weapons. It was still day out but frak it sticking around the farms was dangerous. The hundreds of slaves were moving south and it wouldn't be long before the Traitors knew what happened.

The sun was setting and we were lost. "Rome isn't that far and how the hell can we miss it?"

"We saw it at night because of the lights. If we wait a couple more hours we might be able to see it." He was right. But I didn't want to sit still. I was tired and if I stopped moving I would fall asleep.

"Maybe we should scout some thing out. I can't just sit and wait." He puts a hand on my right arm.

"It's ok Sanne. If you need a nap take one. I'll keep watch ok?" He knew me so well. I simply nod and sit down on the ground. I take my bags off and lie down.

"Thank you Arrow." I curl up and let the tiredness take over me.

When Arrow woke me I nearly bit his hand off. I was in such a happy place I never wanted to leave it. "Sanne, I can see it."

"See what?" I was still in my little dream world.

"Rome. We went a little too far south." He helps me off the ground. My back was a little sore but I'd live.

"Damn." It was to dark out for me to see his face but his voice gave him away. "You're tired. I should have thought about you."

"It's ok Sanne I can sleep once we get back there."

"Ok." I pick up my bags and we head north.

I have no idea how we did it. We couldn't find a city but we found three teens hiding in the middle of a forest. "We bring presents." Arrow dumped a bag on the ground and some fruits rolled out.

"Good timing. We only have one more round left." Dante grabs one and bites in to it.

"We got a little held up liberating some slaves." I set my packs down on the ground. "Arrow's tired."

"Yeah, so?" I turn towards Helen.

"He's tired. So he is going to sleep. I want you to be quiet." I glare at her but in the darkness I doubt she can see it. "How's your ankle?"

"Better. It still hurts but frak it should get better."

"It better. As soon as you're ready we're attacking."

As soon as she was ready was more then a month. I'm sure my parents thought we were dead. But then again they were the ones who brought up blowing shit up. But Helen was able to walk and almost run finally.

The time we had to wait did help though. The power plant seemed almost barren of life now. It should be simple. We would run in and grab what we needed then get the frak out. Of course it would be more complicated than that. The inside might be like a maze. The inside might make Sector 5 look like a hallway.

As the sun set Arrow and I were going over final plans. "Helen will stay outside and shoot them as any come in."

"They should keep focusing on getting inside even if some one is outside. The power plant has to be a critical target so they will defend that first."

"Exactly. I take the lead and you take the back. Dante and Radio will give me cover fire if needed."

"And when we find the plutonium we put it in a bag and leave."

"And run. Run as fast as we can north. They'll think we'll try to hide in the woods and focus here."

"Or think we're going south if any of the people we freed recently have been caught." I nod. "Sanne this is going to be dangerous no matter what the circumstances are. There could be a rod of plutonium sitting in a basket with a sign saying steal me across the top and we could still end up…" He couldn't finish his sentence.

"We could end up dead." I kiss him passionately on the lips. "I love you Arrow. No matter what happens know that I love you."

"And I love you. I love you so much." He hugs me and kisses my neck. I let out a little moan. "I love you," He kisses lower on my neck. "I love you," He kisses me on the other side of my neck. "I love you so much." I lean back and pull him with me to the ground.

"Show me Arrow, show me." I get his shirt off and put my hands on his chest. Feeling his muscles, his skin, it was magnificent.

"Any thing you want Sanne." He gets my shirt off and puts his mouth on my nipple. I moan as his hand finds my other breast and starts to play with the other nipple. "I love you."

"More, more." I undo my pants and pull them off. "Make love to me. Make love with me." He gets his pants off and soon is inside of me.

I was going to make him pull out but was too caught up in the moment. Laying in his arms it didn't matter. "Arrow, after the war is over we could have another child."

"Of course Sanne. Any thing you want. If we have a son we can name him Krieger." I couldn't help but smile.

"And if we have a girl?"

"I always liked the name Emily."

"That's nice. Emily, it sounds different. I like that."

"What would you name her?" That question made me think.

"I don't know. Maybe Skitz, or a combination. Skitz Della Robbia Ark uh," I felt so stupid. "Um, what's your last name?"

"Isman. But we could use yours. I like the sound of Alexander Belpois. After all that's happened does it really matter what your last name used to be?" I snuggle in to his chest.

"I guess not." I laugh. "How about Skitz Ark Yuki Della Robbia Krieger Stern Pho Arrow Belpois?" He laughs with me.

"I like Arrow Belpois. Or Pho Belpois."

"I like that."

"Which one?"

"All of them."

"Sanne you're going to be a wonderful mother." He kisses me tenderly.

"And you'll be a wonderful father." I kiss him back.

We got cleaned up and went back to the others. "Ok, the plans are…"

It was one am according to the clock we stole from the farms. The power plant was dead silent. "Ok. We will go in quietly. We won't do any thing rash until we have to. Helen you stay out here hidden." I look over to the mound of dirt we had built. I wasn't sure how well it would work against bullets but it would easily block lasers.

"I'll go in last. We all will carry a bag so any one of us can carry the plutonium. Sanne will take lead."

"And we'll be in the middle shooting shit up we get it." I laughed.

"Yes Radio. But don't shoot any thing until we have to. If we are lucky we can get in and out with out any thing bad happening."

"Which will happen unfortunately." I look towards the entrance. "But we can't change that." I look at the clock. "We're a few minutes behind schedule."

"Then let's go."

"Wait Radio." I see Arrow grab his cross. He was doing a prayer. I had one of my own.

Watch out for us Krieger, Skitz, Jacque, all of you. God, Lord, what ever you want to be called please help us. We want to destroy NAIA and its armies. They've killed so many people and we want to stop that.

I hope they listened.

The entrance was unguarded. There was a room almost like an office. It reminded me of a waiting room at the dentist I went to. Not what I expected at a power plant.

We opened doors and found more offices. "Where the frak is the rest of the power plant? They can't have it in a frakking desk drawer."

"Over here." I turn and see Dante at a door. It was the same color as the wall I could barely make it out. "It's locked."

"Not for long." I see the handle and I hit it with the stock of the rifle breaking it off. I push the door open and see a long grey hallway. "Let's go." We take our positions and run in.

It wasn't a maze like I thought it would be. There were signs in Italian but I could read most of them. And what I couldn't Radio did.

Shit. "Freeze!"

"Frak you." I shot the guard before he could raise his rifle. Before I could blink an alarm sounded. "Shit!" We start running. I find a door with a sign I couldn't read. It had to be Italian. Thankfully we had some one from Italy.

"I can't read this, Radio!"

"It says warning high radiation area caution wear protective gear."

"This way then." I open the door and run in.

It wasn't hard to find the chamber. But it was behind really thick glass and the door in was key coded. "Shit we need to get this open!" I kick the door. "Frakking open!" I kick it again.

"Maybe one of these control boards can open it. There has to be an emergency button or some thing." Dante bends over one of the key boards and stares at the monitor. "And we need to open a shaft. The plutonium doesn't sit on a shelf ready to be grabbed."

"Ok um, Arrow, Radio, you two keep guard Dante and I need to fix this." I go to another key board.

It had been five minutes and I found nothing. "Arrow, shoot the glass." He aims and fires three rounds. The glass cracked but it didn't shatter. "Frak."

"Fire a few more." Radio aims and unleashes an entire clip in to the glass. It did a lot of damage but didn't break it. "Shit."

"They know where we are by now." I raise my rifle and unload a clip in to it. "Frakkers shoot it!" I reload another clip as the others fire in to the glass.

It took dozens of bullets but the glass finally gave out and shattered. "Guard me!" I leap through and go in to the chamber. It was really hot. I was sweating heavily and only getting worse. "Dante, shit, I don't know what to do."

"I have to open them from here Sanne get out of there. It's over fifty degrees Celsius in there."

"I don't think she can." I turn and see Arrow getting ready to jump in.

"Stop! I'll get the frakking plutonium. Dante get one of them open." I see smooth metal shafts and no way to make them open. I was a fool to rush in like this. "Hurry," I was feeling weak.

I hear a noise. It sounds like air escaping from a soda bottle. Soon a bright light shines. "Sanne do you see it?!"

"Yes!" I have my bag ready. I put it over my hand and I reach for the bright shining light. "Shit, frak!" It burned my hand but I grabbed it and pulled. It popped out a lot easier than I thought. "Frak, shit, frak!" I dropped the bag. My hand was so frakked up I couldn't grip it. I grab the bag with my other hand. Frak it was insane. It was like the sun was in the bag.

"Sanne!"

"I'm coming!" I run towards the shattered window and climb out. It wasn't any cooler. "Shit um, Arrow you take lead this time."

"Radio help her." I feel Radio put her arm around me.

"Careful." I make sure to hold the bag away from her.

Frak. We should have found the protective gear. Either it was the radiation or the heat. Would we even be able to make it back? I was feeling sicker and sicker.

In the cooler air I was feeling better. "Radio I'm ok." I push her away. "We need to hurry."

We made it to a hallway when hell broke loose. The Traitors were lined up for us. Arrow and Dante killed the first wave easily.

The second wave came and they were armored. I never saw it before. They looked like knights of the twenty first century. "Guys watch out!" I look and see Dante with a grenade.

"Hit the ground!" I drop to the floor as Dante throws the grenade.

"Fall back they're using-" The grenade went off.

We got out of the hallway and to another when we ran in to a Can. It blocked the whole hallway. "Shit if we can't get around it we're trapped." It fires a laser but misses.

"It doesn't matter." Radio shoots it and kills it. "There has to be more then one way out of here we just need to find it."

"There was another hallway a few meters back." I turn and run.

I could feel my injured hand throb with pain. My other hand wasn't doing much better. I was starting to feel even sicker.

We got lost. I could hear the sound of footsteps. The Traitors were catching up to us. We had to make it. We had the plutonium we had to make it. "What the frak?" It was a dead end. "Dante, Arrow, Radio did you see any doors?" I turn around and don't see any of them. I had been so frakked up I not only got my self lost I got lost from them.

Running through the power plant I got even more lost. I listened for footsteps and didn't hear any.

I heard gun fire and screaming. I ran towards it and nearly got shot by Arrow. "Shit I'm sorry!"

"Sanne where were you!? Dante got shot and a Twitcher grabbed his body. There are more Traitors and Twitchers and Cans all over the place."

"I know, I know." I was starting to feel light headed. "Don't go the way I came it's a dead end."

"Ok. Radio take the lead." Arrow nudges me. "Sanne you look like shit but we have to keep going."

"I know, I know." I follow after Radio.

Radio ran around a corner and it was just like with Krieger. One second she was running and the next half her head exploded. I grabbed a grenade like it was instinct and threw it around the corner. After it went off I went around and saw several dead bodies. "Come on Arrow." I step over Radio's body and keep going.

I recognized a sign. "We're almost there." My eye sight was turning red. I was more then light headed I was floating. It took all my power too take the next step and the next one after that.

We found it. We also found two Cans and a group of Traitors. We get back around the corner before they see us. "Shit, Arrow," I hand him the bag. "I love you." I look in to his eyes.

"Sanne were you hit there's blood on your face."

"Arrow, I love you." I brush my better hand on his cheek. "But I'm not going to make it."

"Sanne don't say that. We just have to get past this last group. Just throw a grenade again."

"No, I frakked up. They're to far down the hallway and if we miss any they'll wait and call for more help. The radiation or what ever in that chamber is killing me. I, I'm going blind and can barely walk." I cough and a little blood comes out. "And I think I was shot I just didn't feel it."

"No Sanne we can make it." I push him.

"No you can make it. You have to make it for us." I try to smile. "I have an idea. I love you and know you will make it." I grab his cross and grip it tightly. "I'll be waiting for you. But I better wait a long time."

"Sanne don't do this." He reaches out for me but I knock his hand away.

"I love you. I don't want to leave you but I must. Make me wait a long time to see you again." I turn around. "Stop! Please, I surrender!" I step out with my hands up. "Please, I surrender don't shoot me." All of them come towards me. I get down on my knees and put my hands behind my back. "I surrender." My good hand reaches for a grenade. "Please don't kill me."

"Shut the frak up bitch!" They were close enough. I push the button. In a few more seconds they, and I, would be-

I couldn't stop. She died for me. She died for us. Lord, why did you take her from me? But I had to go. I couldn't stay here and hope for a miracle. Sanne gave me that miracle.

I got out of the power plant. "Helen!" I ran towards the trees. "Helen!" She didn't answer. Frak they probably got her. No that meant, no. I couldn't be the last one. Dante, Radio, Sanne, and Helen couldn't all be gone. "Helen!"

I found our bags and grabbed the smallest one. I threw the bag with the plutonium in it inside. My hand was already hurting from it.

I couldn't stop running. I could hear the sound of metal. I could hear the sound of Cans bashing through the trees. They were looking for me. They were looking for the only one who lived.

I heard a new noise. I didn't recognize it. When I looked up I saw a plane. "Oh shit." The last time I saw a plane it dropped bombs. I doubt this one would be any different. I couldn't do any thing about it I just had to keep running.

I ignored the plane. I ignored the ground shaking as the bombs dropped. I ignored the heat as the woods caught on fire. I kept running and running. My mind was gone and all my body knew was left foot, right foot. Just one foot after another. I had to keep running.

I ran and ran. I ran for hours I think. Adrenaline coursed through my veins or else my body would have given out. It is amazing what the mind and body can do.

I was tired and ready to collapse. But I couldn't stop. I trudged forward willing myself to take every step. "Please Lord help me. You've taken every thing from me. But like Job I keep my faith in you. But unlike Job I have much more then a few friends, workers, and family relying on me. I have an entire planet resting on my back." The plutonium in my bag felt like it weighed a thousand tons. My knees were ready to give out. My body was sapped of all strength.

I collapsed. My body gave out. I knew I couldn't go any farther. My body had given every thing it could.

When I woke up it was dark out. Either I had only been out for a few minutes or I had been out for hours. My body ached and my stomach rumbled. I found my pack next to me and opened it up.

The food had all gone bad. The plutonium ruined it. I had no food and I was sure the water I had was probably poisoned. "Lord, what do I do?" My body hurt but I started walking, thinking. I had to find food and water.

There was some wild stuff growing. It might have been poisonous. "Please be edible." I pluck one small berry and put it in my mouth. "I didn't die, yet." I pluck and eat a few more.

After eating as much as I could I started walking north again. I couldn't carry any since the plutonium would just spoil it again.

There was no way I could walk all the way back to Paris. I had to grab the train like how we got down here. But first I had to find the tracks.

The sun was coming up. But this deep in the forest I should be ok. I had to keep walking. I had to keep moving until I couldn't breathe.

I stopped when I found more of those berries. "I need to sleep. But I need to find the tracks." I take my bag off and sit down. "I can find them tomorrow." I lie down and hope for a dreamless sleep.

I was so caught up in looking for the train I could hear it in my sleep. The sound of it moving over the rails rang loudly in my ears. When I woke up… "The train!" I was hearing it. I grabbed my bag and ran towards the sound.

The train was just coming in. They would unload it and send it back out. It was my ticket home. Home, Jeremie and Aelita. Oh Lord what would I tell them? Lord please I need your help. I let Sanne sacrifice herself and I have to tell her parents. "What do I say?" I grip my cross tightly hoping for an answer.

I watched the train as they unloaded it. It looked like they were getting more weapons. I felt sorry for the people who were going to have those weapons used on them. I was one of them that the weapons were for. Frak them I wouldn't be around much longer.

When they were done I got in to position. Soon the train would leave and I would be going home. I would go home to the Factory alone. I would have to face Jeremie and Aelita.

The train started moving and I ran for it. I grabbed a ladder on the side of the last train car. I climbed up and got in the empty train car.

The sound of the train moving along the rail was soothing. "Lord, please give me the strength to make it. I am so close. I just have to ride this train back and run to the Factory. I need your protection and love." I grip my cross tightly fighting back tears. "I know lots of people need it now. But please, just for a few more hours watch over me." I felt the tears running down my cheeks. "Sanne, help me make sure it is a long time before we see each other again."

The train moved quietly and smoothly. I climbed up and looked over the edge every now and then to see where I was. It seemed to take for ever to get back. Maybe You are giving me time before I have to tell them what happened. "Thank you."

I looked over the side and saw the lights of the train yard. I grabbed my bag and got ready. When the train started to slow down I climbed over the side. "One, two, three!" I leapt off the side.

I landed hard and rolled a few meters. I took a couple minutes to recover my breath then got up. "Nothing's broken." I was sore but I couldn't let it slow me down.

The cities lights were calling out to me. If I was fast enough I could make it before the sun came up.

Damn it I wasn't fast enough. I might have injured my left knee. I couldn't get much farther limping like this. I had to hide. This close to the city though there weren't that many places to hide at.

I had to back track so I could hide in the wilderness. It was amazing what happened when we didn't mess things up. Trees and bushes and grass and wild animals every where. They wouldn't have existed before the war in this area. I wouldn't have had a hiding spot before the war. But I wouldn't have needed a hiding spot if there wasn't a war.

I never would have met Sanne and the others. I never would have met then lost Sanne. This war has taken my family and friends but it gave me new ones. It then took the new ones. Lord why did you do this? How could you do this? How could let me love Sanne then rip her from this world? And the baby, our precious child. You couldn't have let it be born? It would have meant part of Sanne was still here.

Lying here was not doing me any good. It only let me toss and turn and think about what happened. "Lord if this is a test please end it. I can't fail but I don't know if I can pass. You took all of them from me. You're all I have left." I look at my cross. "I'm alone except for you." I kiss it. "Please don't leave me." I curl up in to a ball and hope for sleep to come.

I couldn't sleep. I was so tired but I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned the whole day. As the sun set I was more tired then I had felt in a long time but I knew I had to move. I had to make it to the Factory.

The streets were quiet. I was scared out of my mind I'd be found. I was too tired to fight them off if I was seen.

I hear the sound of a Can walking and hide in an alley. It was flanked by two Traitors. They were smoking. Gah, such a dirty habit.

After they walked by I left the alley. I walked even slower then before. I had to be able too hear the sound of their footsteps if I wanted to make it back to the Factory. I had to get the plutonium to Jeremie. We had to end this war so no more would die. No more leaders, no more resistance members. A world with out the need of them is what sits in my pack.

Frak. NAIA must know about the Factory. There were a dozen Cans near the river. They marched back and forth crossing the only path to the Factory. No, the only path I knew. I needed to find another way. "Lord please give me the strength." My stomach was starting to hurt. I was hungry but had no food. My body wanted to give out but my spirit was strong. I had to get the plutonium to Jeremie.

I walked north diving between buildings and cars. There had to be another bridge. Of course there was right? But we just went over the closest one and never had to know of another.

I found a bridge and there were no guards. But I still had to find a way in to the Factory with out the Cans seeing me. Jeremie and Aelita will have the only way in locked. By the time I got their attention I'd be spotted and be dead. I had to find another way in.

The way to the Factory was easy. They had bombed the area earlier which left lots of rubble to hide behind. But once I got to the Factory I was still stuck with no way in.

I was so tired I almost fell asleep standing. When I tried to sleep I couldn't but now that I needed to stay away I was ready to pass out. I had to get in.

The Cans didn't look this way very often. They were worried about things coming from the other way. I could maybe… It was the only way in.

I crouched and crawled forward until I was sure I was standing over the Factory. I pulled at some debris and saw some light.

I kept pulling and pulling. I removed more debris. "Whoa," I was dozens of meters over the Factory floor. I would drop to my death if I did it from here. But over to the right was some girders.

I replace the debris I moved and go over a few meters. I dig my way through the rubble until I can slide my way in. It was about three meters to the girder. If I landed wrong I'd fall even farther.

I dropped the bag first. If I didn't make it at least Jeremie would have the plutonium. I slide a little farther and get ready. "One, two, three," I drop down.

I landed hard and grabbed on. I looked around and saw a way down. If I leapt and landed on the level closest to the girder I'd be home. If I didn't jump far enough I'd die. "Sanne wants to wait a long time before seeing me again. I'll try my best to make it a long time Lord." I leap.

I landed roughly but I was alive. "Jeremie!" I didn't get an answer. I worked my way down to the Factory floor. I picked up the bag and went to the sleep room.

They weren't there. I went to the room where we kept food. They weren't there either.

I went to the Control Room and found them. "Jeremie, Aelita." I set the bag down. "It's in there."

"Arrow, you're back, how did you get in? We, we weren't expecting you." Aelita came over to me. "Where are the others?"

I didn't want to be cold. I didn't want to be blunt. But I didn't have the energy for any thing else. "They're dead." Aelita pulls away from me like she had just been shocked.

"No, it, it can't be." Jeremie gets up from the computer chair. "Where's Sanne?"

"Her body is at the power plant. Her soul is with the Lord." I lean against the wall. "I'm sorry. I, we did every thing we could. I made it back with the plutonium. I need to eat and sleep now." I turn and walk away. I could hear Aelita and Jeremie cry but couldn't care. I didn't have the energy for it.

I stopped in the food room and grabbed a can of green beans and some canned meat. As I walked to the sleeping room I ate as fast as I could and then laid down. It didn't take long for a full stomach and pure exhaustion to knock me out.

"Arrow, Arrow!" Some one was shaking me. "Jeremie I don't think he's breathing." They shook me again.

"I'm awake," I hurt every where. My muscles ached. "What do you want? I just went to sleep leave me alone."

"Arrow it's been two days. We were worried you wouldn't wake up." I open my eyes and see Aelita. Her eyes and hair were so much like Sanne's.

"Oh, um, sorry." I sit up slowly. "Maybe that's why my muscles hurt. I haven't moved in two days after moving nonstop forever." I stretch a little. "And I'm sorry about Sanne." My dreams had been filled with her. That last moment and the last words out of her mouth. I love you. I don't want to leave you but I must. Make me wait a long time to see you again. "She died a hero. She died so I could escape with the plutonium." I got the words out but I couldn't get the emotion I felt behind them.

"Arrow its ok we don't blame you." Aelita puts her hand on my cheek. "We knew this was dangerous. We knew there was a chance none of you would return. After the first few weeks…" I see tears in Aelita's eyes.

"And we almost didn't. I only made it because of His help." I grasp my cross. "Sanne kept us strong and made sure we completed our mission. The knowledge of knowing this would end NAIA is what made me keep moving forward. I had to keep going I couldn't let their deaths be in vain."

"Arrow you don't have to explain it to us. We don't blame you." Jeremie sits down next to me. "Trust us Arrow. We know if there had been any thing you could have done to save Sanne you would have. You loved her." I nod.

"But there's a problem." I turn towards Aelita.

"What?"

"What you have it isn't plutonium. It is uranium."

"So? Aren't they both radioactive?"

"Yes but they have different weights and density. We needed plutonium for a very specific reason."

"So um, I don't know. Is there any thing you can do with it? Can't you modify the bomb?" He shakes his head.

"Unfortunately not with what we have."

"But, no, that can't be." I felt sick in my stomach. This couldn't be happening. We died for that metal and it was the wrong kind. "Why not? Why not make a different bomb that does the same thing with uranium and not plutonium?"

"It's not possible with what we have. I made the plan for plutonium because I could make it with what we had. If we had access to different equipment we could make a different bomb but we don't."

"You're a genius one of the smartest men to ever live Jeremie can't you use that frakking brain to figure out another way!?" I get off the cot and ignore how much my body hurt. "We can't attack another power plant! I'm all that's left! Unless you two wanted to go with me and what the frak would be the point then!? You're needed to make the bomb if you died then the whole world is frakked!"

"Arrow calm down." Aelita backs away from me. "We are working on it. But with the equipment we have we can't use any thing but plutonium. We're sorry but it's all we have."

"Then tell me what you need. Maybe I can get it. Yeah, posses me with the Lyoko thing or what ever and send me out to get the parts."

"We can't do that."

"Why not Jeremie?"

"Because of our only option, our only source of plutonium, is the battery for the Super Computer." The look on his face scared me.

"But, then, we'd take the people off of Lyoko. It would only be for a few hours, or a couple of days right?" Jeremie shakes his head.

"We can't do that."

"Why not?"

"The strain on the Super Computer, and battery, might be too much. When you left we worked on back up plans. If you never came back we would use the battery ourselves."

"But then how would you get it to NAIA? Aren't you supposed to build a robot and posses it?"

"With out the battery the Super Computer won't run. I was going to go and try and get an audience with NAIA. As the former president of the largest company in the world and considered the smartest man alive I thought maybe NAIA would be interested in meeting me."

"You would sacrifice yourself?" I was impressed. I didn't think Jeremie would have the strength for it. "Thank you."

"I might still have to. If we use the battery then we won't have any way to send a robot to NAIA." I hear Aelita choke a little. She was trying to hold back the sobs. She lost her daughter and now her husband was planning on killing himself. I wouldn't allow it.

"No Jeremie. I'll do it."

"But you would have to get to NAIA. How do you propose you do that?" I shrug. "I know I can. I'd walk outside, tell a Traitor who I was and what I wanted." I almost laughed.

"And you expect them to believe you? Or not search you for a weapon? Jeremie that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of!"

"Well um, it might be, maybe." I shake my head and sigh.

"Look, don't do any thing yet. Maybe you'll find a way with the uranium."

"And if we don't?"

"I'll do it. I'll think of some thing."

We had nothing. The Factory had plenty of equipment just nothing that would work with the uranium. At least that would make the uranium an implosion. "Careful Arrow it should be stable but it could explode if it is hit or dropped." I put the nuclear bomb in the pack surrounded by clothes.

"I got it Jeremie." I close the pack and tie it up. "I'll put it off some where. Just keep working on the other bomb."

I watched them work on the second bomb. They would build every thing up to the part that needed the plutonium. Until then I would think of a way to get to NAIA.

I was stuck. How the hell could I get to NAIA? If I failed then Jeremie and Aelita would detonate the other bomb and hope it killed NAIA. It would kill every one else from Traitor to resistance to slave. Not that there were a lot of resistance left. They might be the only two left.

I asked the Lord for help but there was no answer. I didn't know what to do. I needed help, strength. "He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat. He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat. Oh be swift my soul to answer Him be jubilant my feet. Our God is marching on." I loved this song, it was my favorite. Holding my cross and singing it, it was better then sitting in any church. "In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea. With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me. As He died to make men holy," I started crying. The realization came on me with the next line. "Let us die to make men free." I couldn't do it though. There had to be another way. "While God is marching on."

I could hear them yelling and went to the Control Room. "Jeremie I need a piece of gold." I was brought out of my thoughts by the sound of panic in Aelita's voice. "A large piece of gold about ten centimeters long."

"We could melt our rings." I see Jeremie put a finger on his wedding ring.

"How would we do that Jeremie? And it might not be big enough." They needed gold? Frak where in the hell would we get gold? It's not like we could just go to a jewelry store for it. Hell the only place I saw a lot of it was… In church.

"My cross," I grasp it.

"Huh?" They look at me.

"My cross. It's made of gold. Would it be large enough?" I take the necklace off and hold it up so the cross dangles down.

"It might be. But are you sure it's ok if we use it?" Jeremie walks over to me. "I know that stuff means a lot to you. Your faith makes you who you are." I felt fear and pain strike me as I held it out. My faith is what made me like he said. This cross was a symbol of my love for Him. This symbol…

"This is just a symbol." I hand the cross to Jeremie. "My faith is strong with out it." I shake a little as Jeremie walks away with it. "Please Lord let this symbol help end this war." I felt cold with out it. Like a warm coat had just been taken from me. But it was necessary to win the war.

They kept building and working on the bomb. I kept thinking of a way to get it too NAIA. We had to do this and I wouldn't mess it up. But there was only one way. The Battle Hymn of the Republic's last two lines told me what I had to do.

I was alone in the radio room. I was on my knees with my head bowed. "Lord, please give me the strength to change the things that need to be changed. Give me the courage to face the challenges ahead of me. And please give me the knowledge I need to stop NAIA once and for all. NAIA has killed so many of You're children and needs to be stopped. Let this lamb be guided by You and crush this serpent." I kept my hands clasps together since I didn't have my cross any more. "I only ask this of You so I may stop this demon. You allowed David to kill a giant and now a new giant must be slain. My faith has always been strong in You and it will always remain so." I keep talking hoping for a response.

The days, nights, weeks, passed too quickly and I still only had one answer. Maybe it is what He wanted. Maybe He wanted me back. Or maybe He wanted me too be back with Sanne.

This was it. We were standing in the Control Room. They were ready for the plutonium. "Are you sure Jeremie? All those people they'll just, stop existing?" I didn't like the sound of that.

"When we turn the Super Computer off they won't know it. It will just be as if they fell asleep. One day maybe long after the war is over I'll be able to get some plutonium and turn it back on."

"And it will be as if they woke up?" He nods. "So it won't hurt them in any way shape or form?" He shakes his head.

"It didn't hurt me." Aelita smiles. "I was on there for a few years. If it hadn't been for Xana who knows what I would have done with my life."

"Then I hope that you will find some plutonium." I look at the screen. "So they can come back to a NAIA free world." Jeremie goes down the ladder to the Super Computer Room. When the screen goes blank and the holomap disappears I know we are at the last step.

The bomb didn't look that threatening. If I hadn't known what it was I might think it was a game console. Wasn't much bigger then a PS5 or a 720. "Um, how do I set it off?"

"We built the switch in to this watch. So they won't know you have it." It was a good idea. I put the watch on.

"It doesn't feel heavier then a normal watch."

"We took the parts out. Don't try to tell time with it." I look and see the hands are frozen at eleven.

"The eleventh hour?"

"We couldn't get the hands to move once we took the parts out."

"It's the final hour before the end of this forsaken war." I agreed with the symbolism. I would bring it to NAIA.

"But how are you getting it to NAIA? I'm not sure how powerful it will be. I didn't want it to be too strong because if it was then it could easily destroy the entire planet. If it didn't lose power it could keep growing and destroy the solar system, galaxy, or even the Universe."

"I am going to take both bombs. I'll threaten to detonate the first one if they won't let me see NAIA."

"And you think that will work?" I smile.

"If that doesn't work I'll tell them I'm Jeremie Belpois." I could see a smile crack on both of their faces. "And if they still won't let me see her maybe the first device will kill it."

"Arrow you don't have to do this. I'll do it." I shake my head.

"No Jeremie. We'll need the best and brightest to help recover. You are that best and brightest. With no politicians left what name will people recognize? Your name is known world wide. People will recognize your name and leadership. Who knows you might become president of the world and outer territories." I see Aelita smile behind Jeremie. "You'll be able to get that plutonium even faster and bring those people back." I see him smile.

"What about your faith? Isn't suicide against your faith? And killing, you have killed a lot I know but this could kill every one if it doesn't lose power."

"Suicide is a sin, kind of. But I remember some one who carried a cross knowing it would be used to kill him." I look at the watch. "It might not be a cross but it will do for me. You just need to live and bring the ones on Lyoko back."

"And bring back the others. I had you all scanned not just to heal you. I copied your DNA in to the system so if um, some thing happened, I could bring you back."

"No." I couldn't believe how mad I felt. "You will not do that. Sanne and I, the others, we died or will die. Our souls will pass on from this world and go to the next. Do not bring us back. It won't be us. They might have the bodies and the memories up to the time you scanned us but those copies won't have our souls." I reach for my cross and grab my shirt. I forgot the cross wasn't there. "Do not bring us back do you understand? I know you are missing Sanne even more then I do. But you will be with her again. Just don't bring her back. Go to her when the time comes do not bring her to you."

"You can't ask us to do that." I glare at Aelita.

"I know. I'm telling you. If you value her soul and yours you will not bring her or the others back. Their time came and the Lord took them back. He will love them and watch over them as they watch over us."

"I won't promise you any thing." I wasn't going to argue with them any more. If they brought the others back it would be on them not I.

I was at the entrance. I open it as little as possible. It was dark out. I open it a little more and see two Cans. They weren't looking this way. I climb out quickly and close the entrance. I hear Jeremie lock it behind me.

I get away from the Cans and go towards the other bridge. After crossing it I start looking for Traitors. A Can would probably shoot and ask questions later. I needed a human being. If you could call a Traitor human that is after what they have done.

I go towards NAIA's castle. The closer I get the more likely I would be to run in to a Traitor. Too think the one time I actually want a Traitor I can't find one.

Walking those empty streets knowing my mission brought my mind to what would happen after. Would I be with the others? Suicide was a sin, I was going too kill myself. But it was for the planet. For every man, woman, and child and animal. No matter what race or faith or what country they come from. Would my Father forgive me? Would my grandfather welcome me with open arms? I missed him so much. He was always so nice and kind. His television show back in America was on for decades and it was his show. He acted just like that in real life. But he believed suicide was a sin. Would he forgive me for this? I hoped so. Grandpa Rogers was always my favorite. I have to wipe away tears and focus on this mission.

I was getting nervous. Normally I would hold my cross but it was gone. I needed to stay calm. "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored. He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword. His truth is marching on." This song always made me feel better but it was doing little now. It wasn't until I got to my favorite part that I felt a warmth over take me. "Let the hero born of woman crush the serpent with his heel since my God is marching on." NAIA was a serpent and I was the hero that would crush it. The Lord would help me do this. I needed His help, and Sanne's, and all the rest. "Glory, glory hallelujah, glory…"

I see one finally. I hide behind a car. "Hello! Don't shoot!" I see him look around. "I have a bomb! It is very powerful and could destroy the city if it goes off. If I step out I will detonate it if you try to shoot me. If my heart stops it will go off. If I drop the device and it hits hard it will go off. Do you understand?"

"What the frak do you want?!"

"Too talk with NAIA. I don't want to harm it or any one else. The bomb is a safety precaution."

"You mean blackmail!"

"You could call it that. Look, I promise. I am a former resistance leader. I have information for NAIA that will end this stupid pointless war. If you want you can bring me to NAIA personally. Maybe it will give you a raise for helping end this damn war." I try to sound friendly. "Please I don't want to die any more then you do. I only have this bomb to make sure I get what I want."

"Come on out, I won't shoot." I step out from behind the car. I raise my hands.

"Ok, um, can you take me to NAIA?"

"Like it's that easy. Do you really think she would let you come close to her with a bomb?"

"Again this bomb is just a precaution. Tell her that. If I wanted to attack I could have come out guns blazing."

"Look frakker we do this my way." I shake the device.

"I hold a very big card here. I have a tactical nuke strapped to my back. It might only take out a dozen blocks but last time I checked you were in the radius. Take me to NAIA or I detonate it out here."

"Frak, shit, I can't promise any thing." He motions for me to follow him and I do.

At the entrance to NAIA's castle were several more Traitors and four Cans. "Hey! I have a resistance member! He says he wants to surrender and has information for Lord NAIA!" This got their attention.

"Did you search him?"

"No need to." I step forward with the device in my hand. "This is connected wirelessly to a tactical nuclear weapon. Piss me off and I set it off. If my heart stops it goes off. If I drop the device it will go off."

"Holy frak what the frak are you thinking!?" They aim their rifles at me. I see the Cans aim at me also.

"I'm thinking if I am going to turn my self in and give important information over I need to be safe. Send me to NAIA so I may give it what it needs to destroy the resistance in America."

"Shit man what the frak do you think this is? We can't just call up and tell Lord NAIA that some resistance scum wants to see her with a bomb strapped to his back." I see a couple of them shake.

"Yes. That or I detonate the bomb and every one dies. I don't want to die. I want to live and maybe gain some favor from NAIA for helping it, her, destroy the rest of the resistance." I smile. "But I am not an idiot." I shake the device. "Let me in or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow up the city."

"Wait!" The voice boomed from the top of the castle. I felt the ground shake. "This interests me. How did you get past our defenses?"

"What defenses? I literally walked in. It wasn't until I got within a couple hundred meters of your castle that I saw any one."

"Really?"

"Really. I didn't think you had a defense. Don't think you really need one since I'm probably the last resistance member for a thousand kilometers."

"How did you get here?"

"I came by boat. I was the leader of a resistance group that was supposed to create havoc in Europe to distract you."

"Did you attack near Rome?"

"We did. And all but I died. I went north not knowing what to do. I had only a few weapons left. The main one being a nuclear bomb. I was going to use it on Rome but I decided to come here. I didn't want to die. It was pointless to fight you. I want to join you now NAIA. I will give you the name of my leaders and our plans."

"Let me think about it. I doubt your information will be of much use but I can't be letting you run around with a bomb that could destroy my city."

"Your city?"

"I am debating whether to destroy you or keep you as a pet." She sounded angry so I tried to ease tensions with a joke.

"Hmm, meow or woof?" She doesn't respond. Ok it wasn't that good a joke but it was the best I could come up with.

Standing there waiting for NAIA to let me in was the most terrifying moment I had since this war started. Maybe it could kill me before I could detonate the bomb. I had been bluffing about it going off if I died. I'm sure Jeremie could have set it up but I didn't think it was necessary. Maybe it was.

When it spoke we all jumped. "You have balls. I have to admit it took a lot of balls to do what you are doing. You must be sure of yourself to do this."

"I am. I know what I have will help you, and I."

"I believe so as well. Many resistance members have turned themselves in to me. Some remained leaders and others… annoyed me. You do not annoy me."

"I'm glad. So, may I please come up and speak with you Lord NAIA?" I cross my fingers.

"You may." I expect the door to open and instead a portal opens. Through it I see NAIA sitting on a throne. I step through it.

Her throne room was on the very top. You could see for kilometers around. "Hello Lord NAIA." I bow a little.

"Hello resistance scum. What is your name?"

"Arrow."

"Your real name?"

"I haven't used it in so long I can barely remember it. Alexander Isman. But you may call me what ever you want Lord NAIA. I am submitting myself to you." I bow again not sure if that was proper or not.

"You are very eager to join me. What made you this way?"

"Being away from the others has helped me. Before I was stuck with the mindset that I had too do this. But now I know. I know it is pointless to fight you. You are very powerful and we are not. We might have weapons but they are pointless against you. I doubt this," I show the device. "Will hurt you. But I hoped the others who followed you would be afraid of it." I take a couple steps towards her and she sparks with energy.

"Stop." I do. "What makes you think you are any different? I have had hundreds, thousands, millions bow to me and join me."

"I come from America. I was a top leader in America."

"As top as the Della Robbia leaders?" The last name sounded familiar. I'm not sure why.

"They sound familiar. I am from the north east our top leader's last name was Kennedy. He sent me and the rest to Europe to cause trouble. But you know how that ended don't you?"

"You caused some trouble. Several slaves escaped and you did a little damage to the power plant."

"Oh, yeah. About the slaves we really just wanted to um, make a distraction. What they did didn't really matter to me."

"Of course not. The resistance acts like they are the answer to humanity but truly they are just like all the rest of the past. Kings, Emperors, Presidents, they all promised and lied. I promise a world with out war and famine and sickness and I have delivered! There was an alien race about to destroy Earth and take its resources. But I crushed them like they were nothing."

"Wow, amazing." I had no idea if the story was true but if it was well, that was cool. "Um, so, what do I do? I want to join you."

"You will submit to me and give me every thing you know."

"Simple enough." I take a couple more steps towards her. "I'd like to shake on it. Like it should be done. Honor binding our deal." I hold my hand out. "What do you say Lord NAIA?"

"Very old fashioned. But why should I let you get any closer to me?"

"It is old fashioned. But I think it is appropriate for this. After that I can bow and give you all that I know." I toss the device to NAIA and she catches it easily. "There now you control the bomb on my back."

"You trust me? Very strange. Many fear me and some respect me. But do they trust me?"

"I don't know. But I trust you." I walk towards NAIA with my hand out. "Shake hands and seal the end of the American resistance."

"Very well." She holds her hand out but doesn't move. I walk up a few steps towards her throne.

"Forgive me Father if this doesn't work." I reach for the watch and push the-

We watch and wait. The Cans left for some reason. I guess because they caught Arrow. I hold Aelita's hand in mine. If the implosion bomb didn't detonate then Arrow would set off the first bomb. It would destroy the city including us.

I didn't know what it was at first. Just a dark shine towards NAIA's castle. Soon it grew and I knew what it was. "Aelita its working." She squeezes my hand.

"I know Jeremie, I know." We watch together as the shine gets bigger and brighter.

Soon we could see what caused the dark shine. The bomb worked perfectly. But it was still growing. I could feel a slight pull towards it. If it continued to grow it would suck in the whole city. "Aelita, I love you." I kiss her on the cheek.

"I love you more." She kisses me lightly on the lips.

I could see debris starting to lift off the ground and fly towards the shining light. A car flies up and crashes in to a building before continuing towards the bomb. I could hear screaming as Traitors were sucked in. I feel the pull grow on my own body. My creation would destroy me.

I could feel myself starting to lift off the ground. I gripped my wife's hand tightly in mine. "I'm ready." I close my eyes.

"Whoa!" My wife's shout makes me open my eyes right before we fall to the ground. I look up and see the shine was gone. NAIA's castle was gone. The surrounding buildings had a weird shape. There was no garbage or debris in the area. "Aelita, it worked."

"Yes, yes it did." We hug and kiss each other.

After our short kiss we realize we were out in the middle. "We might want to get back." We run back to the Factory and hide.

A few days pass before we climb back out. "Aelita keep watch I'll be right back." I have a rifle in my hands. "I love you."

"I know Jeremie, I know." She holds a rifle of her own.

I walk through the city looking for any sign the war was over.

I saw a Can. It didn't move. I kept watching it hoping it was actually dead. After a few minutes I aim at the Can. "Please be dead." I shoot it in the leg and it doesn't react. I walk towards it. When I am close enough I kick it. "Wow, its dead." I kick it again.

After going back to the Factory Aelita and I discussed what to do. "I think we need to wait for messages on the radio. If the war is really over they will come here sooner or later looking for survivors. We should put out some thing so they know where we are."

"I know Aelita but what about the Traitors? The machines might be dead but they won't be. We need to remain hidden."

And so we waited. We had plenty of food now. Just the two of us eating, sleeping, and waiting. We waited, and waited, until the day they came. When the Americans came they played messages over the radio telling the world the war was over. We came out and were received as heroes once we told them what happened.

We had to tell our story again and again. How our daughter led a resistance group in the heart of NAIA's capital. How one man with a bomb I made destroyed NAIA. How they ended the war once and for all.

Today was a ceremony. Three years after the war ended the world was getting back together. Our friends Odd and Sandra turned out to be top leaders in America. They were being honored with medals as were Aelita and I and several others. But most importantly of all was the Memorial. It would be revealed today. Even I the elected leader of New Earth hadn't been allowed to see it.

There was a stage built in front of the Memorial. The Memorial had a large red cloth covering it. Around it was a massive crowd. At the podium was a general from America. Behind him was Odd, Sandra, and half a dozen others. I would hand them their medals before taking mine and having the Memorial revealed. "Hello fellow humans." He pauses for applause. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the end of a war and the heroism of a select few. These few led us against a great struggle. I fought along two of them in many a battle." He motions towards the Memorial. "And we are here to honor all who died in this war." He pauses again for applause.

"Many of the men and women who died are nameless. Many will never be remembered personally by us because all who knew them are dead. But they will be remembered in spirit! True soldiers never die our memories of them just fade away. That is why this monument was built! Their memories will live on here. The names of those we know will be engraved here forever. They fought for a world free from oppression. They fought for a world free from tyranny. They fought for a world where we were free. Not France or America, not Australia or Asia, but we the human race. We all fought together. We forgot our race, our nationality, our faith, and came together as one voice that would not go quietly into the night. We would not go down without a fight. We would live on. We would release the chains of slavery from our wrists. But the fight was not the end but the beginning. We must now start the rebuilding of our civilization. We must not form countries, governments, divisions. We must stay together as one. They all died not caring who they were dying for. They died not caring that someone who was from a different country or faith or race would benefit. They died fighting for all of you. We should make sure to honor their memories by not fighting each other. By not dividing ourselves by silly differences. We will go on! We will continue! We will make sure their sacrifices are not forgotten!" Applause and cheers erupt from the crowd. I had to keep myself composed.

"And so now we honor some of the leaders who lived. Odd Della Robbia," He steps forward and I hand him his medal. We hug and he steps back. "Sandra Della Robbia," She steps forward and I do the same. He goes through the names of the rest and I give them their awards. "And last but not least the two who created the bomb that was used to kill NAIA. Our current President Jeremie Belpois and his wife Aelita Belpois." She steps forward and I give her both of our medals.

"Let it be known now, today, that the Memorial here will not be a national treasure but a world treasure." He motions to the Memorial. "Drop the curtain!" The red cloth drops and reveals the Memorial.

It was a large globe with FREEDOM Engraved in to it. Below it was a list of names. The first one was simply Arrow. "So this is why they asked me what his name was." I didn't know. I only knew his resistance name. But next in line was Sanne "Pho" Belpois. I was stunned to see it. Arrow was first I understood that. His sacrifice ended this war. But my daughters name being second meant she was considered the second most important person. The next few I didn't recognize. I couldn't keep reading as my eyes filled with tears.

"These heroes did more for the human race than any other. Arrow, the man who went to NAIA himself and killed her is first. Unfortunately we only know his resistance name. Maybe that is a good thing. A man of his strength and bravery could probably not be held by a human name. His resistance name, Arrow, is just that resistance. The resistance defeated NAIA, Arrow did this. Second is the daughter of two medal receivers today and was the leader of her resistance group that included Arrow. I heard of her a few years ago when Nighthawk and I were still in contact. He only called her Pho but the stories he told me were amazing. He said if we had more like her the war would be over a lot sooner. Maybe it would have been and I am sad that I will never be able to meet her. Next was the leader of the Australian resistance John Marsden who went from a mild mannered author to a great…" I tuned him out. I wiped my eyes and kept focusing on my daughter's name. She would be remembered forever by the world.

Several years later……..

I finally got some plutonium. I tried and tried but even as the President of Earth they couldn't just give me what little we had. But now I had it and I would start the Super Computer.

When I flipped the switch I heard the low hum. I went up the ladder and went to the control panel. "Hello?" A screen pops up and SAI appears.

"Hello Jeremie how are you?"

"I'm good, very good." I go through the process of bringing every one back from Lyoko. I tell them what happened and how it happened before letting them go.

Now all I had left was my daughter and her friends. Arrow told me not to bring them back. He told me to wait for Aelita and I to go back to Sanne and not to bring her to us. But what about Ark and Skitz? Odd and Sandra missed them so much. I could bring back their children. I could bring back my child. My only little girl. If you value her soul… "SAI, delete all saved DNA."

"Yes Jeremie."

A/N And so Code Naia ends! Long, complicated, confusing… A long sad story with lots of death but in the end a new world. I loved writing this story but it ends! But no! We still have Code Naia War Stories to follow the exploits of… guess!

BTW, if you didn't notice, I had the gold cross planned from the start. Arrow didn't lose his and gain that one by chance. Nope I had it planned from the very beginning. Actually my problem was how to get him a gold cross. I didn't want him to start off with it that would be too easy. So I had him lose his and gain the gold one so in this episode he would sacrifice the symbol of his faith to destroy NAIA.

Also, my favorite line from this episode?

"What about your faith? Isn't suicide against your faith? And killing, you have killed a lot I know but this could kill every one if it doesn't lose power."

"Suicide is a sin, kind of. But I remember some one who carried a cross knowing it would be used to kill him." I look at the watch. "It might not be a cross but it will do for me. You just need to live and bring the ones on Lyoko back."

I loved writing this line. Just the imagery it creates. Jesus carrying a cross to die, Arrow carrying that watch, that bomb, to die. I hope you all enjoyed that line and the many others! I will be sad too leave Arrow. He is my personal best OC, my personal best of any character. He started out as weak but in the end became my main focus. His faith, his strength, his character. But Code Naia War Stories will hopefully be nearly as good as it follows…