Well here's the next one. I'm thinking about drawing this to a close soon, as I have exams coming up in may and june and I really need to focus on revising for them, but I'll definitely consider doing a sequel as I'm planning on leaving it on a bit of a cliffhanger :D

And xuisi95, I meant to say in my last update I've been waiting for the right moment to slip in the explanation of the rocks - pleased you didn't forget about them! I've explained them in this chapter, hope it makes sense!

Enjoy xx

Chapter 36: Those Damn Sixers

Lucas

I violently jumped awake to the sound of hammering on the front door. I sat up in my bed feeling extremely pissed off. Skye hadn't shown up last night. Part of me wondered whether that meant she hadn't been able to break poor little Shannon's heart; instead she chose to break mine. She still loved the Shannon kid, I knew it. I hated that I wasn't enough for her.

I grumpily got up and changed into fresh clothes. When I walked out of my room, I saw Tom talking to a very concerned looking Jim Shannon. I rolled my eyes; maybe Skye had told the Shannon boy and he had gone running to his daddy...how pathetic. Both men looked at me as I wandered into the kitchen. I ignored their stares.

"Lucas." I glanced over in Tom's direction. "Taylor needs to see you now."

I glared back at the cupboard I had just opened and reached in for some cereal. I was still annoyed at Tom. When he had returned home yesterday we had gotten into a heated discussion about my attack on young Shannon. I'd ended up telling him everything just to get him to shut up. At first he hadn't believed that the Shannon boy was capable of such a thing. Now he seemed to trust me. He'd also worked out who, as he had put it, I had been messing around with. Since then, I hadn't spoken to him.

"Lucas, it is really urgent."

This time Shannon spoke. I ignored him too and grabbed a bowl. Today was not a good day for me to go and speak to the infamous Commander; I was grouchy and knew I would punch him if I was forced to hear his voice. I heard footsteps approaching me, and I spun around just in time to see two guards. They grabbed me and began hauling me toward the door. I aggressively protested, but they didn't stop.

"Tom!" I shouted, infuriated that he was suddenly on my father's side.

Maybe he and my father were closer then what I had presumed. I flinched at the thought that Tom had been spying on me and telling my father whatever he needed to know about me. I felt betrayed and glared as I passed him.

"Trust me you're gunna wanna see Taylor." He said gloomily.

I highly doubted that. The guards dragged me up to the Command Centre and I was forced before the Great Commander. My dear old father was pacing backward and forward. About ten other soldiers were in the room. There was CCTV footage up on a screen and I could see Skye standing on her own. I wondered what the hell was going on.

"I have nothing to do with whatever has happened." I grumbled to my father. "I was at Tom's house last night; He's my alibi for that."

My father glared at me and I scowled right back. He signalled to the soldiers to let me go, which they did instantly. I felt like punching them for touching me, but my rational side took over, and I decided against that. It would only earn me a clip around the ear and probably time in the brig.

"Please all of you wait outside"

The old man's voice was weak and strained. I hoped he was dying from some incurable disease. The soldiers all left the room, even Shannon did which I found surprising seeming he appeared to be glued to my father's side. Then my father hit play on the footage and I watched as Skye was abducted by a group of Sixers. Panic flared up inside of me, as well as guilt and rage. I had been angry with her for not coming to see me, but now I knew that she had needed me and I had not been there to help her. If they had hurt her in any way I would kill the lot of them.

"She was taken last night." The fear for her safety was evident in my father's voice. He looked sadly up at me. "I need you to tell me where I can find the Sixers."

I nodded.

"I'm coming with you." I stated.

"No you ain't. You're staying here. I don't trust that you won't just run off at the soonest opportunity."

I slammed my fist down on the glass desk, causing it to violently shake.

"I WILLNOT JUST SIT HERE WHILE SHE IS OUT THERE!" I shouted at my father.

He frowned back at me and I glared menacingly at him. His eyes looked me up and down, a frown playing on his forehead. Then he let out a throaty chuckle.

"That was a very convincing performance. But I am not a fool. You just want to get back to your friends." He spat at me.

"She has been the only thing keeping me here, so don't you dare question my feelings for her." I snarled back at the ignorant old man.

His eyes widened as he realised I was not playing a game with him. His eyebrows rose questioningly, but he didn't make a comment. Instead he simply nodded at me and I followed him out the door. I sat in the front of the rover with my father. He drove and I gave him directions to the Sixers lair. Behind us were eight more rovers full of soldiers. Good old dad had taken as many as he could to get his dear daughter back.

"It's not much further. Mira wanted to remain relatively close to Terra Nova."

My father nodded. We were on our own in the rover. I guessed my father thought he would use this time to talk. Even now, he still hoped for us to have a second chance. That would never happen, not in a million years.

"You had better start talking, what exactly is it that they want?" He questioned.

"They want me." I said bitterly. "There's a second fraction in the Badlands. I'm supposed to open it." My father nodded in response and grunted.

"I thought as much...about six months after you left, I went out to the Badlands, trying to locate the Sixers. I took Malcolm Wallace with me; he recorded some extreme energy spikes which he said correlated with the stats from the other fracture. Couldn't find it though..."

"It's weaker than the other one. It's constantly on the move." I commented apathetically.

I was not in the mood to discuss this, not now and especially not with the old man. But still he interrogated me.

"If you're supposed to be opening the fracture, how come you were back up here?"

I gritted my teeth as I debated telling him. Deciding now was not the best time to get into an argument, I began talking.

"The fracture's unstable; it's constantly changing position. We needed a terminus for it. I found that Meteoric Iron worked in similar ways to the portal terminus and helped ground the fracture. I came back up to mine some of the iron from the quarry the Sixers used to control."

"Why you?" The old man questioned. He had an infuriating habit of needing to know every last detail.

"Because Mira was pissing me off and I needed some space. I didn't bet on seeing Skye and then getting shot by her lovesick boyfriend." I growled.

Finally the old man shut up. The peace and quiet was welcoming. I glared out of the window, watching the foliage pass by in green streaks. I really did miss being out here. Right now, it felt like I was going home. The idea that I would soon be back in Terra Nova repulsed me.

"So...you and Skye?" My father remarked after about five minutes of quiet driving. I didn't look at him. My eyes remained fixed on the path ahead as we sped through the dense jungle. He didn't seem particularly surprised by the revelation. "How long as that been going on for?"

I ignored his question and instead told him to take a right turn. I was not about to discuss my feelings with my old man; just the thought made me want to cringe. He'd never been interested in my life before, so why start now.

"Lucas she's like a daughter to me...I don't to see her get hurt..."

"Pick up the pace then." I said looking over at my father. A small smile played on his lips as he sped up the rover.

"Promise me you won't hurt her."

I glared at him and balled up my fists to prevent attacking him. If he only knew how much I cared for Skye then he would understand that I would never be able to hurt her. But then again, I had hurt her now. I was responsible for her being taken. I was sure Mira planned to use Skye to trade for me. Mira had always bragged how she had gotten someone the Commander really cared about to betray him. She knew he would want to save her. What she didn't bet on was me helping them find her. She would think that dear old dad would be waiting at Terra Nova until she came to trade Skye for me. But no, I was betraying the Sixers and helping my father locate them. The thought made me shudder, but as this was for Skye I let it pass. I would do anything for her.

"The camp is just up here. Chances are they have already seen us coming, they have eyes everywhere."

We drove slightly further, stopping only when we got into the heart of the lion's den. When my father stopped, it worked as a domino effect with all the rovers behind us halting also. My hand went to the door, not wanting to wait any longer before charging in and getting my Bucket back. But my father's voice prevented me from opening the door.

"Do you love her?"

I frowned back at the old man.

"What?"

"Skye. Do you love her?"

I didn't believe in love. Love was just a chemical process; an excess of Dopamine travelling through the Mesolimbic Pathway and making you feel that you loved someone. In reality it was just our hormones screwing with us.

"I care for her very much." I muttered after a moment's pause.

He nodded and then handed me a gun.

"I'm putting my trust into you. Don't let them see that you have it; I don't want them suspicious of you. But take it just in case things start to get heated."

I looked at the gun and took it nodding at him. For the first time in an extremely long time I was able to look the old man in the eye and not feel total repulsion. He opened the door and began to get out, but I stopped him.

"Dad..." He immediately turned back and looked back at me, a hopeful expression tinting his eyes. "If you have to choose between us, you choose her. I need you to promise me that you'll choose her."

He nodded slowly.

"I promise son."

We stared at each other for a moment, and then Jim Shannon appeared at my father's open door.

"Is this it?"

My father looked away from me and nodded and Shannon. We both exited the rover. I looked at the gun in my hand. If I had it my way I would personally shoot every damn Sixer responsible for taking Skye; but knowing my father that would be considered unacceptable. So I tucked the pistol in the side of my trousers and made sure my shirt covered it. Looking up, I could see wooden platforms high in the treetops. Ropes hung loose, swinging down from the branches. It looked abandoned.

"Don't look like no one's home." My father commented, the frustration evident in his voice.

"May as well go check anyway." Shannon said.

I remained on the ground, surveying the area as my father ordered half his soldiers up onto the canopy. He also climbed up. I frowned, annoyed with myself. I had been sure that this would have been the hideout they would have used. The Sixers had a couple of places, but this was their most extensive.

Suddenly a loud blast reverberated through the trees. One of the soldiers who had remained on the ground crumpled to the floor. One small bullet hole oozed blood from his chest. I looked up into the treetops. My father's men all sheltered behind the rovers, taken a typical battle position. A commotion was being to erupt in the treetops. Shots were firing, and pitiful cries of pain filtered down from the canopy. A few of the soldiers began climbing the ropes, trying to reach the rest of their troops. I remained fixed to the spot, waiting for Mira to emerge.

Sure enough, she appeared swinging down from a rope. She was accompanied by three other Sixers, including Carter, and they had Skye with them. They had dropped down silently, away from the main action. A rover was stationed nearby, and they began dragging Skye toward it. My legs starting moving and I sprung forward, breaking into full pelt as I ran toward them.

"Mira!" I called.

She stopped and turned, clearly puzzled that I was here un-cuffed. Skye's hands were tied behind her back. She had been gagged and clearly beaten. One of the filthy Sixer scum held a blade to her throat.

"Lucas." Mira greeted me. She was clearly relieved to see me, though I knew she would never admit to that. I walked the rest of the small distance which separated us. "I didn't expect to see you here."

She eyed me suspiciously. I didn't bother replying; instead I brought the gun out and aimed straight at Mira's head. Carter immediately trained his own pistol at me, as well as one of the others whose name was too insignificant for me to recall. The third Sixer kept his arm locked around Skye, his knife still at her throat. Mira just stared, clearly puzzled by my actions.

"Let her go." I snarled. When Mira didn't react, I clicked the gun, proving I'd shoot. "Now!"

Mira's eyes remained fixed on mine, though she did turn her head and nod at the Sixer holding Skye. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him remove the gag and cut her binds. He still kept his grubby hand wrapped tightly around her arm. He'd be the first die.

"Lucas I don't know what game you're playing but..." Mira began, though I cut over her.

"Oh there's no game Mira. It's actually quite simple. I'm out. Now be a good girl and go call off your men."

Her eyebrows rose, and she sniggered at me. The corners of her mouth had twitched into a smug smirk that I planned to wipe off of her face.

"Or what?" She hissed.

"Or I will send a bullet straight through your puny brain and you will never see you precious daughter again." I growled.

She shook her head at me, her nose turned up in disgust. The hurt and anger was evident in her eyes. I could see her hand twitching toward the gun in her holster. She wouldn't kill me though. If she did, she would never be able to get back to the future. I was the only one who could open the fracture in the Badlands.

"Go tell the others to stop firing." Mira instructed, addressing Carter. He nodded, sent a disrespectful scowl at me, and then raced back toward the main action. Mira's dark eyes then met mine once more. "Why are you doing this?" Then she glanced at Skye, before smirking back at me. "Is this because of your little play thing?"

I said nothing. I hated when she called Skye my play thing. Skye deserved a little more respect than that, especially after all the times she had risked her life so Mira would get a few scraps of information about Terra Nova. Mira was already aware of my weakness for her old spy. Normally I wouldn't have cared less about what she thought, but I didn't want her to know about Skye and me. She would only use that knowledge to her advantage and put Skye in danger. But before I could begin denying the obvious, she spoke once more.

"It is, isn't it?" She sniggered at me, and I felt my anger rise. "Are you in love with her? Want to go back and live the perfect life in paradise?" She mocked.

Her eyes were filled with a malevolent delight, clearly enjoying this. My mind began formulating a decent reason to explain away all of my actions. I couldn't afford Mira to know just how much I cared for Skye. If she did, she would use Skye as a pawn in our sick game.

"It's none of your damn business why I'm going."

"Well as it was me who introduced the pair of you, I do feel like I should take some of the credit." She retorted smugly. Her eyes flicked back to Skye. She was standing motionless, the Sixer still clinging on to her. Her blue eyes looked fearful, though I could tell she was still trying to look strong. Like me, Skye hated showing weakness. "I bet ten Terras that this won't last five minutes." Mira smiled innocently at me. "You'll fuck it up for sure."

My finger was desperately trying to exert a little more precious on the trigger. But the small rational part of my brain told me if I shot Mira, the Sixers would take their revenge.

"Shut up Mira." I snarled. Mira opened her mouth, ready to retaliate, but then Carter reappeared. He nodded once at her, and I became aware that the shooting behind us had all but stopped; Carter was clearly good for something. "Good," I commented. "Now run along and tell our dear employers that I'm done. I wish I could come along and see their faces, but I have business elsewhere."

"You can't do this." Mira spat at me.

"Oh but I can." I stated grinning. Her face contorted with rage, and she pointlessly held her gun up at me. I spread my arms out, exposing my chest. "Go on then, shoot me. If I die then you will never get back to the future...you'll never see Sienna again." I smiled cruelly.

Mira glared at me but lowered her weapon, knowing that I was right. The Sixer who had been aiming his gun at my head, made a run for me, but I shot him in the knee before he even got close. He shrieked in agony and fell to the floor. I stared at the others.

"Anyone else want to have a go?" I waited but none of the others moved. "Good. I'll be on my way then." I looked at Mira. "Don't cross me again."

My eyes went to Skye. I raised my gun at the Sixer holding her.

"Let her go." I ordered. He looked at Mira seeking her permission, like my authority meant nothing. Without thinking, I pulled the trigger, sick and tired of his disrespect. The bullet lodged into his shoulder and he shrieked. Skye jumped out of the way, staring in horror as blood squirted from his wound. "I said let her go." I muttered.

I ignored the look of revulsion in her eyes and instead cocked my head to the side of me, telling her to move next to me. She obeyed and came to stand next to me. Apart from a few scratches on her face, and grazes on her wrists from where the rope had rubbed her skin raw, she looked alright.

"Mira!" My father remarked, the loathing evident in his voice. My skin prickled as I felt him walk up behind where Skye and I stood.

"Taylor." She grunted back.

"We're done here." He stated.

From my peripheral vision, I saw my father put his hand on Skye's shoulder, and slowly move her back. I was about to follow, but then Mira's voice stopped me.

"You can't betray us like this." She barked.

"I'm done Mira." I stated, sounding a lot more even then I had intended to.

I could practically feel the pride rolling off of my father; it made me feel physically sick. Mira raised her gun at me once more. I heard a gun click behind me, presumably my father's. I just stood motionless, feeling no instant threat. She needed me and we both knew it. But I could see her anger and I also knew that Mira didn't always think logically when she was in a rage; especially when it involved her little brat.

I was still surprised though when her gun went off. I heard Skye scream my name and I felt her push into me. I fell to the ground, but felt no pain. My father was shouting my name. He shot furiously at Mira and I watched her crumple to the ground. Blasts were fired wildly around us, as the Sixers avenged Mira. My attention switched to Skye.

Her body was half covering mine. Her eyes were wide as she looked at me. I could feel something hot and sticky in between our bodies. My eyes moved down and I saw blood coming from her side. It was then that I understood why I hadn't felt pain from the gunshot. I looked back at Skye and saw the light fading from her eyes.