Chapter Twenty Six
Lowell and Sven leaned against the railing.
After his mental breakdown fro yesterday, to put it softly, Lowell was sure that even Sven probably uncomfortable around him.
The arsonist standing next to him still clutched his Incinerator, but was absent about his mask.
What was more surprising was the fact that Sven began the conversation first. "So…about yesterday…" He started but trailed off. Lowell sighed in response. "Yeah, sorry if I got a little out of hand." He answered quietly.
"There is a lot of madness in life…but do your best to stay sane. Even if what you did back there helped you a bit…try to find…some normal people to help." Sven said. If Lowell didn't know any better, Sven was actually being wise to him. "There's enough madness in me to deal with."
Lowell stared at Sven for what seemed like the longest time.
"You know…you're not as crazy as you seem sometimes." Lowell told him, a wry grin on his face. Sven then smiled in his usual crazy manner. "That's just because my good personality is showing." Lowell laughed.
After patting Sven on the back he left the railing. He made his way past Saffron, who gave him a curt nod, and found Adam, leaning against the Bofors gun. There was a burning cigarette in his mouth.
Normally Lowell would lit up right next to him, even Adam asked why he wasn't smoking. "Would you believe I kicked the habit?" Adam stared at him in amazement. "You're kidding?"
Adam sighed and grinned. "You never cease to amaze me." Lowell smiled. "I try my hardest." He said nudging Adam playfully.
Lowell then read his best friend's face. He knew what he was thinking about. "Thinking about Jules?" Lowell asked, to have Adam nod. "Yeah, second day." He said, referring to the message from the Enclave agent back in St. Olivia. The message stated that the symptoms pasted from at most two days. This was the make or break moment.
"Hey, it wasn't anything you did, or didn't do. No matter how it turns out, it wasn't your fault." Lowell said, though Adam didn't seem to think that way. "No, she shouldn't have gone back there. I mean…if I had know--"
Lowell then jabbed his elbow into Adam, interrupting him. "Shouldn't have or had know don't mean anything at this point. See you're thinking. Don't. Because you can't control who gets sick, or loses an arm. You certainly can't control my cousin bleeding to death in your arms." Lowell said, and Adam stiffened up when he said the last sentence. "Because none of it is up to you. That's the life we chose, and that's the war we're fighting at this moment."
"I don't know. Maybe if--" Adam stammered, but Lowell shook his head. "Kid, when your day of judgment comes, you'll have plenty of time to reflect on regrets. Believe me."
Lowell then grinned and ruffled Adam's hair. "Now pull head from ass and go get something to eat." He said, and an angry rumble came in the direction of Adam's stomach.
As the sun began rising slowly the next day, Lowell stretched his arms and yawned widely.
While doing so, Sufia appeared out of the corridor, a pray mat in under her arm. "Morning prayers for your brother?" Lowell asked, surprising her. "Oh, Mr. Morgan. You startled me. Yes, I am to pray to Allah to watch over my brother." She said smiling. "Well, if it makes any difference, all of us are praying for him as well." Lowell stated, rubbing his eyes.
"Thank you for your kindness." Sufia nodded. She then proceeded with her prayer.
Lowell watched quietly. He was really too tired to say anything.
As he yawned again, he heard her say, "Did you not sleep?" She asked as she rolled up the mat. "Not really. I don't think I've had a good night sleep in maybe twelve years." Lowell said and stood.
"Though I am hungry. C'mon, the galley is on the way to the quarantine zone. I'll walk you there." Lowell said and let her walk past. "You are too kind."
While they walked down the corridor, Sufia pointed to Lowell's medal. "Who is that, if you do not mind my asking?" Lowell followed her gaze and then held the circular pendant up. "No I don't mind. This is St. Jude. He's the patron saint of lost causes and guides them."
Sufia smiled gently. "It seems we may need him now more than ever." Lowell also smiled. "Indeed."
Soon they both reached the connecting corridors with the left a stairway to the galley, and the right to the quarantine zone.
When they got there however both of them stopped.
James was running right at them. "Hey, James, how is everything going?" Lowell greeted, but he could tell something was wrong. He was justified in thinking this when James handed both of them a Rad-X pill.
He was pale, and disturbed. "Just follow me, we have a problem." James said, and though the swallowed the pills they were anxious. They didn't know what to expect as the medic lead to Ibrahim's room.
"James, what are you- oh my!" Sufia trailed off when the door was silently opened. There lying on his bed was Ibrahim. Not only was he looking skinny and gaunt, but he was glowing.
"Su…Sufia…I-I wish…to speak with you…" The Ghoul said wheezing. As the sister walked by them, Lowell then got close to James and asked quietly, "What's wrong with him?"
James stared at him from behind those sunglasses. "He thinks he's going feral." Lowell immediately cast his vision to Ibrahim.
"I can tell. What are we going to do? Lowell demanded. It looked like he was getting worse by the minute.
James only said, "Start thinking."
They watched at Ibrahim began explaining under strain to his sister.
"What? No…no…no you're not! J-James, he's not…he's not going feral, is he?" She demanded. Both men nearly jumped when Ibrahim grabbed her arm to get her attention. Lowell felt his hand go for his revolver.
"Look…my sister…I'm sorry…I'm sorry I won't be there…for the rest of the journey. Please…find what we have all been looking for…you are strong…you will find it…do it for mother and father…do it…as Allah commands…" Ibrahim wheezed.
Sufia shook her head. "You're not going to die, Ibrahim!" she sputtered. Tears were practically falling out of her eyes. Why shouldn't they? He was, after all, all the family she had left.
As he gave his final instructions and gave his love, Lowell could hear the struggle in his voice. It wouldn't be long now.
Ibrahim then stared at Lowell and James. His tone said it plainly.
"Help…me…"
Both men rushed forward and grabbed hold of Ibrahim. Each taking an arm as Ibrahim's fingers curled menacingly at his sister. She was now weeping."
"Ibrahim! I don't want to go!" She wailed. "Sufia, you have to get out of here!" Lowell shouted as he gritted his teeth, trying to keep the Ghoul's arm down. "Please, Sufia, we'll try to figure something out, just get out of here!" James yelled.
She was now hysterical. "Please, do not kill him!"
"Sufia, go!" James snapped, and she made one of the hardest exit's a person could bear. Once she was out of sight, Ibrahim then whispered to them. "P-please…take…care…of her…" He pleaded while at the same time growling the traditional feral Ghoul growl.
"Stay here." James grunted and then pushed him firmly back and bolted out the door. Lowell grabbed the hatch door and slammed it shut, and sealed it.
The three men then stared through the porthole for the longest time, wide eyed.
"James, what's going on?" Julia's voice asked across the hallway. Though Lowell was relieved that she was still alive and would stay alive, he had bigger things to worry about.
"Julia, lock your door." James said as both of them left to get the others.
Along the way, Lowell quickly grabbed his shotgun.
When they reached the deck, they found everyone there, around Sufia who was wailing into her hands. Both Saffron and Alexandra were glaring while Mina, still in shock, tried to calm Isaac.
"James, what in the world's going on?" Adam demanded marching up to them.
"Care to explain why this poor woman is sobbing on my deck, screaming you're going to kill her brother?" Alex snapped at the medic.
James sighed, and then gave it to them straight. "Ibrahim has gone feral." Everyone looked like they had been punched in the gut.
"What are we going to do?" Adam asked carefully.
James turned to Lowell and said, "Lowell, get them out of here." pointing at Saffron, Alex, and Mina. After nodding, Lowell led them away to the stern. They didn't need to see what was going to happen. When he came back, he saw James look at Adam.
"You're the assassin, I figured you might know a way to end it peacefully."
Sufia then threw herself shamefully at James' feet. "No! Please, you have to help him! Don't kill him! He's just out of his mind!" She wailed. James winced.
Adam however looked offended.
"'Assassin'? So that's what I am now? You want me to go an assassinate our friend?" Adam asked, outraged. James only sighed heavily.
"Well what are we going to do? Keep him locked up in there? I really wish we did not have to kill him either. If he was just lingering with a sickness or heck, even if he was in a coma I wouldn't be suggesting this, but this is a little different--"
"And since I'm the professional killer, I should do it?" Adam snapped.
"I don't particularly feel like using my medical skills to take care of him." James said.
"Please, you must heal him!" Sufia pleaded on the ground at James' feet. Lowell rubbed his face. No one enjoyed a decision like this, but had to be done.
"Your still a murderer just like me." Adam stated. James glared angrily at his team leader. "That's low, man." he retorted. "Well don't dump it on me!" Adam snapped again.
It was then an angry roar came from inside the ship, followed by banging. It had happened. Ibrahim was gone.
This made Sufia even more hysterical. Unable to ignore her anymore, James knelt down to her and stared her in the eyes.
"What would you have me do?" James asked, his voice shaking.
Lowell decided to give his opinion. "Guys…someone has to do it." Sufia shook her head furiously.
"Carl, you have an idea on this?" Adam asked to the giant, who had kept to himself. Unexpectedly, Carl stared in shock. "I'm not doing it." He said dryly.
"None of us want to do it, I don't even think Sven here is crazy enough to do that, but if we have to roll dice or--"
"It was then Carl really showed how much of a giant he was and gave Adam a light push. "No." He stated menacingly.
"Fine, take Sufia and get her someplace safe." Adam ordered, know the wisdom of not angering a seven foot giant. Carl gently picked Sufia up and carried with ease around the bridge.
"No…please…don't…please…he's all I have left…" Sufia wept tiredly as Carl whispered his apologies.
"It would be too traumatizing to shoot him. He doesn't deserve that." James whispered loudly.
"I'm not snapping his neck." Adam stated. They all glanced at Sven, who shrugged, and held up his hands. "Don't look at me." He replied.
"I can't believe we're have this discussion, we should not be having this discussion." James said angrily, pacing in agitation.
"Well you're the one who suggested it. You want to keep him locked up and have him starve to death, having his hysterical sister watch every second of it?" Adam asked.
Lowell mumbled, "This isn't helping but I don't particularly feel like doing it either." He accepted sometimes he was a killer, but under no circumstances was he an executioner.
James sighed and reached into his medical bag and pulled out three syringes, one larger than the other two.
"I'm going to hate myself for this, I'm going to." He muttered as he filled the larger needle with the other two. "What are you doing?" Adam demanded.
Lowell however stared at the contents of the vile. He recognized both. The first substance was Med-X. The amount James slipped in would be enough to knock just about anything out. "That syringe with the orange fluid…that's radscorpion venom." Lowell said.
"Med-X to numb him and relax him…the venom…to you know…" James trailed off.
He shook his head and then continued to explain. "Okay, we have something that should…finish…him peacefully. I just don't want to be the one to do it." He said, holding the large syringe.
"You and the rest of us." Adam said, and there was another roar and bang. Ibrahim was getting enraged.
"What do you want us to do? Cast lots? Throw dice?" James asked. Adam sighed and gave his answer. "James, you, myself, and Sven will rush in and pin Ibrahim down." He then turned to Lowell who kept quiet. "Lowell, you lock the door behind us and make sure that we don't get out until it's over."
Lowell nodded. "All right…but that doesn't solve the main question." Lowell pointed out. The three Liberators just looked at each other.
"We'll figure it out when we get there." Adam said finally. Sven nodded.
"Very well. But just so you know, if anything goes bad in there, I'm coming in and I'm going to be shooting at everything that's in front of me. So if it comes to that, hit the ground."
The all nodded and then they walked inside.
None spoke, none looked, all that happened was the four Regulators walking numbly towards Ibrahim's room. The all glanced inside. He was kneeling, hunched on the floor. Anger was his face, yet his eyes had helplessness. They could see it. Ibrahim wanted his end.
"I'm sorry, Ibrahim." James said. After nodding to one another, Adam then asked. "Well…ready?"
They nodded.
"Let the misery end…for all of us." Sven said cryptically.
Lowell nodded and stood behind the door and pulled it open. The Liberators rushed inside and once they were Lowell slammed the door shut and locked.
It was then just watching as they stuck the needle in Ibrahim's arm. Yet no one had the strength to carry it out.
James pleaded with his friends to do it, but they said nothing.
It was then Ibrahim lurched to the side and slammed against the wall. Lowell flinched as the piston on the needle was pressed all the way down.
They all watched as the Ghoul let out a relieved sigh.
The Liberators all stepped back unsure of what would happen next.
After a moment, Ibrahim laid down and whatever was left, whatever life he had lived, had just faded away.
Lowell sighed. He then dropped his gaze to his boots, unlocked the door, and just walked away.
That was chapter twenty six, read and review people.