Chapter 20
Wolf and Jamal walked through the central atrium of Sargasso Station, the lupine carrying a duffel bag with one of his hands.
Venomians hurried every which way through the atrium, some carrying things while others piloted trucks and carts through the teeming masses, reduced to a crawling pace because of the crowds. It was like a bustling street market in the center of a crowded city. However, everyone gave way when they saw Wolf coming. He got more salutes, smiles, and waves than he could count. Amazing how fast the mood had changed around here with Andrew gone, even in spite of their major losses from the previous battle a few days ago. If he had time, he would have taken the time to thank everyone heaping praise on him, but there were too many people.
Pain welled up in Wolf's side from where he'd been shot by Alvin. He winced as he rubbed the spot to soothe it.
"Do you want me to carry that?" Jamal extended a hand.
Wolf shook his head, waving him off. It'd hurt like hell to take a blaster bolt for Rachel, but he'd live. The station's medical staff did a good job tending to him quickly, and he'd be back at a hundred percent before long.
"Anyway…" Jamal looked around at the activity. "Looks like the fortification is going well."
Wolf nodded. It was all hands on deck right now to prepare for a potential Cornerian counter-attack. Jamal's trick with the asteroids earlier had bought them some time, but they could not rest right now.
"Even so, I hope it doesn't come to fighting again." The rhino smiled. "Our envoy has explained the attack was Andrew's idea, and now that he's gone there won't be any more incidents. We're only interested in business now, not conquest."
"Glad I've got you around." Wolf grinned. He would've never had the idea of negotiating a ceasefire with the Cornerians. Already he appreciated having Jamal as his staff officer.
They walked past a wall lined with scaffolding and buckets of paint, as two Venomians covered over a mural. In the picture, Andrew pored over a battle map as he called out instructions to subordinates around a capital ship's bridge, a massive space battle shown outside the windows as the Venomians crushed the Cornerians. Compared to the real thing, Andrew's figure was bulked up and his height enhanced, and the artist had even thrown in in a square-shaped jawline. How did Andrew convince someone to paint him that way? Maybe he threatened to have the artist shot or ejected into space otherwise? In any case, Wolf loved seeing that tacky-looking picture vanish behind a blank wall. The rust color of this place was much more beautiful.
Wolf and Jamal entered a docking bay, where two shuttles were being prepared for departure: one Venomian, and one Cornerian. How strange to see them sitting side by side, although was it any less crazy than anything else that had happened over the past several days?
"How's Rachel doing?" Wolf asked Jamal. "She ready to go?"
"Umm… she's doing fine, last I checked." Jamal's floppy ears flitted back and forth atop his massive head. "As fine as things can be for her, anyway. I wish I could do better for her though." He'd taken an interest in looking after Rachel's needs, in spite of all his other work. "Never had kids myself, although I have a fondness for them. Sometimes feel sad about missing out. I could be a grandparent now."
Heh, with that wrinkled skin of yours I'm not surprised. Then again every rhino Wolf met had wrinkly skin, so he had no idea how to tell their ages.
"She's taking it better than I thought she would, though." Jamal checked his watch. They'd gotten here ahead of Rachel and Leon. "I think… I think she might be getting used to what she's been through." While that sounded like good news, Jamal let out a sigh, shaking his head.
Wolf wondered why he seemed sad about it, until it hit him. Getting used to it. No kid should need to get used to what she's been through. Now that it's all over, and she can finally go home, I don't feel like I won. Rachel is damaged now, and there's no fixing her. I wish there were something I could do to take it back, but it's permanent now...
Clank!
Something fell to the floor inside the Venomian shuttle, the sound of metal on metal. Quint walked down the rear cargo ramp, inspecting a stack of bags and boxes set up on a pallet nearby. Wolf smiled, walking over.
Though he had not intended to frighten the simian, Quint looked up with startling speed, reaching for his sidearm, but relaxed when he saw it was Wolf.
Wolf raised his hands, showing he didn't have a weapon. "Scared ya, huh? I'll miss ya, Quint." He smiled, looking at the nearby Venomian shuttle. The shuttle and supplies were Quint's payment for rescuing him from the Cornerian camp, plus everything he did afterwards. "You're amazing at what you do, you know? If you stick around, I can pay whatever you feel like. You sure I can't talk you into sticking with Star Wolf?"
"I'm afraid not." Quint checked the bags on the floor next to him, not looking at Wolf. "I still want to do my own thing for a while. Need some time to clear my head, not get weighed down by the baggage of others."
Wolf smirked. "Well, like I said last time, if you ever change your mind, we'll be here. You know you can count on me, right?" He gave out a little laugh, waving at the room around them. "Told you this place would be mine. Didn't I? Didn't I?" He nudged the simian in the shoulder with his elbow, egging him on.
Quint grinned back, as he pulled up the zipper on his bag. "Only by the skin of your teeth though."
"Hey, if it was easy to do, it wouldn't be worth doing, right?"
Quint appeared unmoved by Wolf's words, as he picked up his bags. "Well, best of luck to you, with your new army." He turned and headed for the shuttle's boarding ramp, the bags bouncing on their straps.
"Same to you!" Wolf cupped a hand over his mouth, calling after him.
Wonder what he's gonna do now. Maybe I should've asked. Oh well…
The door to the docking bay opened behind Wolf. He turned around to see who it was.
George walked in, carrying a huge pile of bags under his shoulders and atop his back. Upon seeing Wolf, the monkey's face screwed up into a scowl, as he looked away and strode towards the rear cargo bay of the Venomian shuttle. Though the bags he carried were large, they didn't slow his steps. He pushed past Wolf to get to the shuttle, not bothering to share a word.
"George!" Wolf called out. "Don't you want to even say goodbye?"
The monkey ignored him, striding up the rear ramp and throwing his bags on top of the stack Quint had already made.
"Come on, George." Wolf walked after him, his own duffel bag hitting against his side as he ran. "I'm tryin' to be nice here."
George strapped in one of his bags. "Nice? Nice?!" He whirled around. "You have any idea what it's like when the person you think is your best friend… He turns on you, and throws you under the bus? And you have to kill him or someone else will die?"
Wolf's eyes narrowed. This again? Alvin deserved everything that was coming to him. No one should have been upset that backstabber was dead. However, even though he'd tried to explain this many times earlier, George wouldn't listen, so Wolf decided to keep quiet.
Meanwhile, the monkey tied down the straps on his bags, thrashing them around like he was trying to lasso a wild animal. Wolf had never seen anyone attack luggage so with such heroic gusto before. It would be amusing outside of present circumstances.
"What's with you?" Wolf asked. "We've hardly spoken since it happened. Both you and I kept checking up on Rachel, but you always went out of your way to not be there when I was in the room with her."
After he tied the final strap, George whirled around. "It's your fault Alvin's dead!"
Wolf took a step back. What?! My fault? Wolf's ears curled back. He couldn't hold back anymore. "He's the one who decided to betray us. He was the one who killed Silverback Four to get to me and Rachel. Only person responsible for Alvin's death is himself."
"You're not getting it." George clenched his fist. "Ruvac. Whose idea was it to kill all the people there? And what happened after?"
The lupine growled. Like he needed to be reminded.
"All of those people are dead. Rachel's father is dead. And now Alvin's dead too!" George screamed it at the top of his lungs. His voice fell low to a tremble. "And I'm never going to forget all the blood on the floor after you knifed that one cop to death. Thank god I didn't see you do it."
I knifed someone to death? I don't remember—wait. Yes, I did do it. The memory crashed over him like a ton of bricks. He had done that.
"Do you even remember his name? Did you even look?"
Wolf couldn't do anything but stand there and clench his fist.
"His name was Colton. I saw it on his bloodstained copper badge. I will never forget his name for as long as I live." Tears came to his eyes. "And I remembered the massacre afterwards… and when I killed for the first time, to save you from being arrested. I became a murderer that day." He glared at Wolf. "I wasn't sure if it was the right choice, and I'm still not sure now. It might have been better to let you go to jail instead."
Wolf stood there in silence. He wanted to throw his fist at the kid, but at the same time he admired George's bravery. You've got big balls, saying this to my face. Wolf even managed a bit of a smile.
Feet shuffled behind him. Wolf glanced behind to see Jamal there, glaring at George, as if waiting for the command to throw him in the brig.
The lupine shook his head, returning his gaze to George. "I regret it too. I used to be an awful, awful person. When I worked for Andross, the only two things I loved were money and seeing everything burn. I would've set the whole Lylat system on fire for laughs, if I could." He narrowed his eyes. "Were it not for Rachel, I'd still be that way. Every day we've gone on this trip, I wish I could take back what I did to Ruvac and her father. But plenty of good has come out of this too, you know?" He put on a smile. "If we hadn't followed Alvin here, Andrew would've sacrificed everything and everyone here to satisfy his stupid ego, and the casualties on the Cornerian side would've been a lot higher too. You weren't there for the battle, but I'm sure you heard about what happened. I've saved a lot more lives here than the ones lost in Ruvac."
"So you're saying a whole village—including Rachel's father—was a worthy sacrifice for that?" George crossed his arms.
The smile fell from Wolf's face, as he tried to recover. "No, that's not what I said, but… ah… umm… uh..." He stumbled over his words, unable to speak anymore. Damn, he'd walked into that one, hadn't he?
"How do you even answer a question like that, Wolf? Should you even try to answer it?" George waved his hand around. "And what are you going to do with your new army, now that you have it?"
Wolf grimaced, but he carried on. "If it were the old me in charge right now, I'd be carryin' on Andrew's work, and terrorize the whole system. But George, the old me?"
He leaned forward, his muzzle not too far from George's face. The monkey took a step back, trembling as Wolf closed the distance.
"Rachel killed him." Wolf whispered. "He isn't coming back."
George leaned back, his eyes wide at Wolf's declaration. He was rendered speechless by those words.
After a moment, Wolf continued. "I know how you feel about Alvin's betrayal, by the way. Andrew and Pigma… You heard about how they stabbed me in the back too, right?"
That gave the monkey pause, but he nodded in reply.
"Alvin may be a scumbag, but I could tell from the note he had in his pocket he cared about you, even when he was planning his own death. Sure, he put other things ahead of your friendship, but I don't think he'd want you to be unhappy after all of this." Wolf smirked. "I can't say the same thing about Andrew or Pigma, that's for sure."
George didn't have an answer.
"None of us can take back what we did. All we can do is learn from our mistakes and move forward, George. It's what Alvin would have wanted for you, I think."
Wolf could almost see a smile trying to form on George's face, although one did not appear. The two shared a quiet moment, as the monkey reflected upon the lupine's words.
"Rachel's here!" Jamal called out.
Wolf and George spun around, walking back out of the ship to see her walking in through the door into the hangar bay.
Leon was there, holding Rachel's hand. She clung to the lizard's side as if he were a life preserver, her ears pressed against the back of her head and her tail curled around her legs. She still wasn't over what had happened before with Alvin. They'd mostly kept her in quiet rooms away from everyone else in the station, so she wouldn't be overwhelmed by the sounds and sensations. Maybe it was walking through all the crowds to get here that frightened her, given she'd been in a room full of unfamiliar people when the shots had been fired.
Wolf supposed he'd have to do what he could to help her feel better. "Hey, Rachel!"
Tail unfurling, her ears perked up as she heard his voice.
The ragdoll's fearful expression softened as Wolf approached, Wolf kneeling so he could hug her. "Hey girl, ready to head home? It's time now!"
Though a smile was on her face, it soon disappeared.
"What's wrong?" Wolf asked.
"I'm scared…"
"Why?"
"Every time you say that, something bad happens!" She clung tight to Wolf.
Wolf's tail twitched. She was right. First time they'd tried to leave, she thought she was about to be tortured. Second time he brought it up, she almost got shot. Words that were supposed to be reassuring instead brought on fear now.
He patted her on the back. "You're right, Rachel. I'm sorry." If only there were something he could say to tell her this time it's going to be different… But what? And how did he even know if everything was going to be okay this time? Both other times he got blindsided too, after he thought it was all over.
George leaned next to Wolf, also getting on his knee. "Rachel, honey…" he stroked her hair. "Wolf means it this time. Nothing is going to happen, except you make it home. Andrew is gone. It's just us now."
Rachel turned her head in George's direction. "Are all the bad guys gone now? You made them go away?"
"There aren't any more bad guys left." George shook his head. "The Cornerians got rid of the rest of them."
Wolf smirked. Funny, it was kind of a lie but it also wasn't.
"And Alvin?" Rachel asked.
George hesitated, glancing at Wolf.
"Yeah… I made him go away." Wolf said, putting a hand on her side. "Trust me, you'll get to see your mommy this time."
Rachel let out a smile, although it faded quickly. "I'm glad to see Mom again… but daddy's still dead. What will she say when I tell her?"
Wolf and Leon cast long glances at each other. Leon shook his head at Wolf. Don't tell her.
George stared at him, as he crossed his arms. He tilted his head, glaring at Wolf. Do tell her.
Wolf glanced at his two companions, caught between them. Rachel's face looked so innocent and pure as she looked up at him. Did he have the courage to spit it out at long last? Nonetheless, he couldn't bring the words out right now. Ugh, guess I'll kick the can down the road a bit more.
"Well, Rachel," Wolf tried to change the subject, pulling her towards the Cornerian ship, the one they'd used to escape Fortuna. "Let's get buckled in. Mr. Leon's gonna be our pilot today."
Leon didn't like the sound of that, given they were headed for Katina and he'd stick out like a sore thumb around there. Granted, his job was to remain with the shuttle in case something went wrong, but going near the vicinity of Corneria's largest foreign military bases put him on edge. Hell, it put Wolf on edge too, even though he could blend into a crowd of Cornerians if he liked.
And that tied into his plan right now. This Cornerian shuttle would be the perfect vehicle for slipping in and out of Katina unnoticed. If it all went smoothly, Rachel would make it home and the CDF would never know they were there.
Most of the Cornerian shuttle's cargo bay was filled up by a small gray civilian car, but Wolf and Rachel managed to squeeze right past. After getting her into a seat and buckled in, he said, "Wait here. I have a few more things I want to say to George, and then we can leave, okay?"
"Why isn't he coming with us?" Rachel asked. "Isn't he Cornerian too?"
Wolf almost had to laugh, but stifled it. "Uh… he got a new assignment to go somewhere else. Sorry, but he won't be coming with us."
Rachel's ears folded, her tail twitching. "Aww… I liked him. And I like you too, Wolf! I wish we didn't have to say goodbye!"
Wolf sighed. "Sorry, kid, but that's how it goes. Anyway, sit tight. I'll be back soon."
He walked back into the cargo bay to talk to George again. Quint was packing away the last few things into the rear of the Venomian shuttle, and he looked ready to go, waiting by the open cargo door for George to jump in.
Wolf nodded to him, before looking to George. "So, this is it, huh? I don't know if we'll ever see each other again, but best of luck getting that office job you want." The lupine smirked, patting him on the shoulder.
"Thanks," George still wasn't smiling, as he slung his final bag over his back. "You still need to tell Rachel about her father."
Wolf's ears curled back.
"You're running out of time, you know?" George grasped the strap a bit tighter.
Sure, Wolf didn't have to do what George told him to do. He had all of this new power at his back, but nonetheless his respect for the guy wouldn't allow him to escape the guilt. George was right… Rachel was going home today. He only had several more hours left to tell her. The lupine shuffled on his feet, finding it hard to look George in the eye.
"So when are you going to do it?" the monkey persisted.
"Soon, all right?" Wolf narrowed his eye. "I promise." He held up his wrist comm. "I'll pass the recording along to Quint, and he'll give it to you."
"All right…" George didn't let his gaze wander, even though Wolf stood taller than him. Amazing how this monkey could almost be intimidating with his insistence on such a thing. "Hope everything goes well taking her home." He glanced at the duffel bag Wolf had been keeping at his side throughout their conversation. "Hey, what's with the bag? Warren O'Reilly?" He read the tag on the side.
Wolf chuckled. "Oh what, you think I'm gonna go to Katina dressed like this?" He waved to his black leather getup, the spitting image of a gruff pirate. "What's in this bag is the other part of my disguise, besides the ship. You know I can pass as a Cornerian soldier. Already done it once, after all." He gave a little laugh.
George managed a small smile. "Makes sense I guess. You would be the best one to take her home. I'd go with you, but…" He waved towards his flat, bald face, with its stub for a nose. "Yeah."
The two of them chuckled.
"Hope everything works out for ya, George."
"You too." George turned away, walking towards the Venomian shuttle's cargo ramp. "See ya. And don't forget to tell Rachel! I'll be waiting for that message!"
Wolf's ears curled back, as the Venomian shuttle's door closed behind him, the shuttle soon departing. He watched it leave, until it was a speck in the distance.
The adventure is over, and we're all going our own separate ways now. It'll be Rachel's turn soon...
He sighed, walking back towards the Cornerian shuttle and slipping past the car in the back again. Rachel turned his head to him as he edged through the narrow gap back inside, throwing his duffel bag on the floor.
"What's that?" Rachel asked.
"Oh… It's nothing Rachel." Wolf pulled open the zipper, eyeing the fatigues inside. "Wanna make sure I look good once we're there. Soldier's gotta make sure his uniform's in good shape, right?" He put on a smirk.
"I guess so…?" Rachel seemed unsure of what he was saying there.
He pulled the zipper back, stuffing the bag under the seat next to Rachel, and sat himself, also buckling in. Leon looked at him through the open cockpit door, waiting for the signal to leave. Wolf gave him the nod, and Leon looked back to the controls. Soon they pulled out of the docking bay, the chameleon turning the ship towards the distant yellow speck beyond the debris field of asteroids: Katina.
This was it. This was for real. Rachel would soon be out of Wolf's hands. She still didn't know anything about her father's death, however. Wolf looked as she sat in the seat next to him, George's reminder echoing in his head. He'd have to tell her soon. Should he do it now? But what would happen if she told her mother who he was when they got there, and she called for backup? Wolf shook his head. Should he have told her earlier so he would have had time to smooth things over before today? Because he could see Rachel blabbing it out if he told the truth now.
Come to think of it… Do I even know her father's name? Do I know her mother's name? Wolf blinked a few times. Wow, did I never ask? I can't believe it.
"Rachel…" Wolf said. "Can I ask you something?"
"What?" She said.
"What are the names of your parents?"
"But don't you… oh, right, I didn't tell you! My dad's name is Tyler, and my mom's name is Misty."
"So… Tyler and Misty, huh?" Wolf mused, scratching his chin. "Anyway, I'm sorry. I should've asked a long time before this."
"Well, I'm just so used to calling them-"
"Mom and dad, yeah." Wolf smirked. "Never once thought anything of it, did I?" Funny that, considering they were the entire reason for his quest this whole time.
Katina grew larger within his sight, far too fast for his liking. They'd be on the ground soon and Wolf would be driving her home. His heart pounded in his chest, the truth on the tip of his tongue, yet he couldn't bear to spit it out.
"Wolf, are you okay?" Rachel asked. "You're smashing my hand."
"Sorry…" Wolf slackened his grip, as he chewed his lip. "I'm… ah… nervous."
"But Katina belongs to Corneria right? Why are you scared? We'll be safe there. And you're a Cornerian soldier too? Don't you have friends there?"
"Uh… yeah…" If by friends you mean they're interested in me, although not in a way I like. "I'm a little shook up after what happened yesterday."
"Me too… but I feel safe with you. You were there to save me." She hugged his side.
While afraid, Wolf put on a smile, laying a large hand around her. He had to admit… she still had the talent to calm him with her cuteness. Good thing too, because he suspected he'd need it for what was coming up soon. "Yeah, I was… Everything's gonna be fine, Rachel. Everything will be fine…"
He kept trying to tell her what had happened to his father, but his lips simply refused to move no matter how hard he tried. It was going to be a lot harder to tell her, now that he would have to make up his mind on what to do.
~X~
After reentry into the Fortunan atmosphere, a pillowy carpet of white clouds greeted the small Venomian shuttle, Momo guiding the craft with a practiced hand towards the ground. Keenan watched from the co-pilot's seat, frowning at the cloud cover. Crap, we'll have to search for Tadao in the middle of a storm. At least the weather would make it easier for them to slip in undetected by the Cornerians. Sure, Fortuna was a low priority for Cornerian forces and thus there weren't a lot of those dogs around, but care was needed this far away from Sargasso without backup.
Raindrops pelted the shuttle's windows as they popped under the clouds. Keenan squinted, trying to see through. Though the raindrops rolled right off the windows, as the material was treated to not let water stick, the sheer volume overwhelmed his vision. Momo kept his eye on the nearby radar, guiding them towards the coordinates of their old hideout.
"Get us lower, Momo!"
The alligator nodded, slowing the craft as they descended, the bottom of the ship not much higher than the tops of the trees. Momo handled it without drama, in spite of the danger. The ship's floor held so steady it was like they were on rails instead of floating.
The frilled dragon looked around with rapt attention, trying to spot any familiar landmarks from the air. He wasn't used to seeing their old haunt from the air like this though…
Momo snapped his fingers, pointing at the screen. They were at the coordinates now.
Keenan gave the area a second look. Scanning more, he spotted a sliver of water coursing through the trees. "Hey, it's our stream!" With the rainfall, it had surged to a bigger height, the water frothing and moving faster. No wonder it was easier to see now. Keenan grinned. Now they needed to follow it to the waterfall cascading over the cliff next to their bunker.
"I can't wait to see Tadao again! It'll be so much fun telling him what we've been up to!" He giggled, unable to contain himself as his frill fanned out.
Tadao would be so excited to be working for Wolf O'Donnell! The iguana always did take long, hard looks at the Star Wolf poster they put up near their bunker's entrance. Almost like he was in love.
However, Keenan's frill deflated when he remembered Andross was dead now. They'd have to deliver the bad news to Tadao. Keenan himself didn't care who was in charge as long as he got to blow things up, but Tadao had deep reverence for their deceased leader. This wouldn't be easy.
Momo pointed ahead, spotting the waterfall.
"Oh! We're here!" Keenan's face perked back up again. "This is the place!"
Filled with rainwater, the falls surged over the craggy cliffs and into the plunge pool at the bottom. Keenan laughed. He recognized the pond, since they'd used it for swimming and bathing to cool off on hot days. Was it his imagination, or did the pool seem bigger than before? Oh well, maybe it was only the rain swelling it up in size.
Momo made a sucking sound, his mouth opening as he gazed at something outside. That was his version of a gasp, since he could not speak normally with the hole in his throat. The frilled dragon looked again, startled when he saw what he was looking at.
"Oh no!"
He spotted the cliff face where the bunker's entrance was hidden… or what was left of it. An entire chunk of the cliff had been blown into pieces, scattering boulders and rocks everywhere. Blackened, burnt trees and foliage marked the blast radius, the rain having since put out the fires. Water from the falls filled the new crater, thus expanding the plunge pool in size. Their hideout wasn't destroyed, it was gone.
Keenan quivered, clutching at the folds of his frill and wrapping them around himself. "No… Tadao."
The Cornerians must have dropped a bunker buster from above, or someone planted charges inside the bunker and collapsed the whole thing. Usually, Keenan loved seeing the aftermath of explosions… but not this time. A cruel reminder explosives were nothing but a neutral force, like fire. They did not care whether they harmed friend or foe.
Keenan looked around for any signs of life, but feared they were too late. Even so, he couldn't give up. "Momo, take us down! We have to search!"
The shuttle settled by the stream's pebbly shore, both of the lizards jumping out into the rain. Keenan rushed across the raging stream towards their old bunker, needing to drag himself through with the stronger current. The frilled dragon gazed around, rain pattering on his head. Nothing but a big pool of water was before him where their home used to be. Was there even anything left to search for around here?
Momo stared at the rubble, a frown on his face. As ever, he remained silent… until Keenan heard the alligator mutter something, a guttural sound rising from his throat. Momo pressed a finger over the hole on his throat, covering it up so he could speak. "We're too late…" he wheezed, difficult to hear over the rain.
Keenan knew it hurt Momo dearly to speak at all, so he strained as hard as he could to listen. He did not want Momo to have to repeat himself.
"I… I hope he… got out."
"Me too…" Keenan nodded. Though it felt hopeless, he at least wanted to search the area. "Maybe if we look, we can find clues on where he went."
They picked through the rocks and boulders, turning over whichever ones they could to see if anything was hidden underneath. Good thing Momo was a lot bigger and stronger, as he was able to move aside boulders almost as big as Keenan himself. The smaller lizard didn't like not being able to offer much help, but still he pressed on, doing whatever labor he was able to.
They searched for hours, but it proved to be fruitless, as they uncovered little but random scraps of metal and shrapnel from the blast, almost none of it recognizable as to what it used to be. No clues showed whether or not Tadao had survived. Exhausted, both knew they wouldn't be able to dig more without the use of heavy equipment, which would be difficult if not impossible to get out here. Momo pointed a finger towards his wrist, as if pointing at a watch, and at their ship. It's getting dark. We need to go. With a heavy sigh, Keenan nodded his agreement, admitting defeat.
If Tadao was inside the bunker when it blew up, nothing was left of his body. And if he'd escaped, any evidence of where he'd gone had been destroyed by the blast. Either way, they weren't going to find out now. Keenan sighed.
With heavy hearts, the two lizards piled back into the shuttle, the craft shooting back into the sky. Keenan took one last look at their old hideout as they departed. The surrounding jungle appeared to stretch on forever, an endless sea of green all around them. Was Tadao out there somewhere? And if he was, what was he doing right now? I know he's not dead. Keenan believed it deep in his heart, in spite of there being no proof. He's too fast to get caught by those dopey dogs.
"Best of luck, Tadao…" Momo wheezed out.
"Agreed." Keenan nodded, as he watched the clouds obscure the jungle again. I hope you're not down there too long. This is no place to be alone…
~X~
Wolf guided the small silver car along the highway, the monotonous red deserts of Katina sliding past. Wind blew the red sand across the roads, leaving specks of the stuff all over the car. He had to keep using the wipers to brush the stuff away. Giant mushrooms towered overhead as he drove past. Bizarre sight, but they were the only noteworthy things to look at along this road, and he soon got bored of them.
So this was Rachel's home, huh? He hated to say it, but he wouldn't mind being blind in a place like this, as there wasn't much to see anyway.
Not many other cars were in sight, and for long stretches their vehicle was the only one on the road. Katina was a colony of Corneria's, and sparsely populated compared to the home world. Most of the reason Corneria colonized here was to build a forward operating base for its military, so not many civilians were here. The few present were either military families, contractors for the military, or they operated secondary businesses with military as the main clientele (like grocery stores, movie theaters, restaurants, and so on). And most of those civilians would have fled at the start of the Lylat Wars, since the large buildup of CDF meant Katina was one of Andross' first targets. Many of the civilians that lived here must not have managed to make it home yet…or they wouldn't be coming back at all.
Heck, the Wars were the reason Rachel was sent to Papetoon in the first place, remember? She wasn't the only person evacuated when everything went to hell. Wolf shook his head. Kinda put it in perspective as he looked at the few buildings they drove past. Many of the houses, warehouses, businesses and whatnot he passed along the highway had been abandoned and boarded up, if not outright destroyed.
An awful feeling hit Wolf as he looked at them. He checked the address of Rachel's house. Is this place even still standing? What if her mom is still deployed somewhere out in the system and she's not here? Or what if she got killed in the war? His stomach twisted in knots, questions churning in his head.
By contrast, Rachel sat in the passenger's seat next to him, a big grin on her face. Why wouldn't she be excited though? She was about to be with her mother again, at last. Or that's what Wolf hoped, anyway.
Wolf looked at the clothes he'd changed into while they were on the way to Katina. They were the Cornerian fatigues he stole from Boxley back on Fortuna. A tailor on the station had cleaned up the blood and mud stains, while affixing a fake name badge identifying him as a 'Warren O'Reilly'. If anyone on Katina asked, he was a chaperone assigned by the Cornerian military to accompany Rachel home.
Wolf looked at his reflection in the car's rear view mirror. He would've liked to wear the uniform's helmet and visor, given it would conceal most of his face, but that would look suspicious. Instead, he'd discarded his eyepatch and wore sunglasses to conceal his ruined eye, and a Sargasso barber had professionally styled and cleaned his fur to remove its grit and scruffiness, along with some bits of artificial fur to conceal his facial scars. Seeing his reflection now, Wolf thought he looked ten years younger. Who knew Venomian barbers could be so talented? Hopefully it'd all be enough to get by without raising any alarms.
When they met Rachel's mom, he planned to tell her he was a simple Cornerian soldier who'd been assigned to bring her child home, and hopefully that would be the end of it. The exchange would be over in a couple of minutes, and he'd be gone. He would've loved more than anything for their goodbyes to be longer, but he could not risk Rachel's mother finding out his true identity.
The problem was he still hadn't told Rachel the truth about her father's death, like he'd promised George. Time was running out. But if he told her now, what would happen once they met her mother? Heck, how would Rachel's mom react once Rachel spilled the news to her? She might try calling the cops on him or something…
"Mom… We're almost home!" Rachel said for about the fortieth time. But she was so happy, it almost got Wolf to forget about his current predicament. Her vacant eyes turned towards Wolf. "Are you okay? You haven't said much, Wolf…" She touched his arm. "You're stiff, too."
No shit. Wolf was a bundle of nerves right now, his body tensed up as he clutched the steering wheel. "I'll be okay. Once I drop you off, I'll be okay."
"Why are you not OK now?" She rubbed his arm, tugging on it. "You saved me again, right? Aren't all the bad guys gone now?"
"Don't worry about." Wolf reached over, picking up her hand and moving it aside. "I'll drop you off, and that'll be it." The statement sounded innocent, but even his own words were cutting to him. That'll be it. I'll never see you again. His ears curled back.
Though Rachel didn't like how he'd removed her hand, she still leaned over to him. "Will you come visit sometime?"
Wolf put a grim look on his face, trying to conceal his sadness in his voice. "Uh… that'll be hard, Rachel. I'm afraid once I drop you off, I'll have a lot of other things to take care of. I won't have time to come back."
"Too bad…" Rachel settled back into her chair, eyes forward. "I bet mommy would really like you. She'd wanna know what all kinds of adventures you'd been on."
"Yeah, sure…" Wolf replied without listening.
A green sign passed them on the side of the road, declaring 'Slovak Plains – Next Exit'. With trepidation, Wolf guided the car onto the exit ramp, taking them onto a two lane road that wound along the hills of the plains, nothing but scrub grass and brush sliding past his vision. Off in the distance, the towering metallic walls of the CDF base loomed, point defenses mounted atop the walls and a big control tower rising above it all. That was the local military base Rachel's mother was employed at. Thank goodness he didn't have to sneak in there to get Rachel home. Wolf had been most relieved when she explained their house was off base.
A low rumble filled the air, vibrating the car around them. Two Cornerian fighters, painted white with green highlights, soared overhead, the red afterburners glowing long after they'd faded off into the distance. The sight gave Wolf chills. Sure, Leon was on standby to get him out with the shuttle if something went wrong, but they wouldn't be able to outrun the fighters if they got involved...
Rachel jumped in her chair as she heard the rumbles, giggling with excitement. "I can hear the fighters!" Rachel shouted. She must've been used to hearing them near her home "So, we're almost there?"
"Yeah." Wolf glanced between a sheet of paper and the street names going past on the car's GPS screen. "Almost." He took his time cruising along the roads, obeying the speed limit. Sure, he hadn't seen any cops, but the last thing he needed right now was to get pulled over.
The GPS guided him towards a suburban street, lines of small cottages passing along beside him, neatly trimmed green lawns in front of them. Though there were a few with different colors, most of them were white with a gray roof, all of them identical in structure. They looked cheap and prefabricated, like they'd come out of a factory. This neighborhood was no doubt built soon after the establishment of the nearby base to house military families. Wolf didn't like the uniformity; it was a reminder of the CDF's influence here.
The house numbers slid by. Eleven sixty, eleven sixty-one, and eleven sixty-two… We're here.
He pulled the car up to the curb, taking a look at the house. Unlike the other cottages, this one had blue trim to go with the main white color, along with a bed of pink flower beds near the front door. It went a long way towards adding some cheer to the otherwise lifeless-looking construction, not to mention helping Wolf relax. Maybe Rachel's mother would have a sweet personality too, like her daughter.
"You stopped…" Rachel looked up at Wolf. "We're at my house now?"
"We are," Wolf said. He tried to sound happy and force a smile, but his voice betrayed some nervousness.
"Yay!" Rachel reached over, hugging him, her tail wagging behind her.
Wolf smiled, her small furry arms clinging to him. He pulled the key out of the ignition, opening up the door and running around to the other side to help her out. She skipped alongside him as he guided her up the front walk to the door. The walk across the yard felt as though it took hours, as they crossed the moat of green grass surrounding the house. Hard to think when he walked back to the street again, he'd be alone...
Knocking at the door, Wolf shuffled his feet as he waited for it to open. He had no idea what he was about to walk into here, or even if anyone was home.
"Wolf, are you okay?"
"You already asked me."
"But your hand… you're grabbing it tight again."
"Sorry." He relaxed his grip and his breathing, as he tried to calm himself.
The front door opened.
Another ragdoll lynx stood there, looking like Rachel except as an adult. The fur on her face was a lot fuller and darker compared to Rachel's lighter coloration. She also had better defined facial stripes in the same pattern as tabby cats, complete with an 'M' pattern on the forehead. No doubt, this had to be Misty. She wore Cornerian fatigues like Wolf's own, but hers had patches indicating she was part of a medical unit, an army nurse like Rachel had described. Since it was late in the day, she might have gotten home and not changed yet.
Her blue eyes stood out like Rachel's too, although while Rachel's blind were unfocused, Misty's were razor sharp, looking up at Wolf and quickly appraising him, eyeing him with suspicion. Wolf tensed up under her gaze.
Oh god, I know the military's got a strict discipline about uniforms. I must have a button or patch or strap or something in the wrong place. She's gonna see right through me!
Then she looked down, spotting who was next to Wolf.
"Rachel?!" she cried out, a smile appearing in place of the scowl, and threw open her arms.
"Moooom!" Rachel stumbled forward, running into her arms. She almost fell into them, her mother pulling them into an embrace. The two of them hugged each other tight, rubbing their faces together in the way cats do. All of Wolf's tension melted away in a moment. The two of them ignored him, but that suited Wolf fine. Seeing this was payment enough. He forgot he was even there as he watched the reunion unfold.
The two of them pulled apart, Misty still looking at her daughter. "I was so scared, Rachel! I thought I'd never see you again!"
"Mom…" Rachel cried.
Wolf glanced away, back to his car. Maybe he could leave now, let them be. The job was done now. He turned back to the street.
Misty stood up before he could take a step. "You… Who are you? How did you find my daughter? I got a call from the police on Papetoon! Rachel was gone and Tyler was dead! And most of the rest of the town was dead too!"
"Mommy, this is—" Rachel started.
Wolf shot a hand forward, covering her mouth.
"It's not important." Wolf eyed Rachel's mom, nodding to her. "You have your daughter back. I'm leaving now." He walked towards the car.
Misty ran up, grasping his hand as he tried to walk away. "No, please. I need to know your name, at least!" She smiled, tears running down her face. "You're an angel, whoever you are, looking after my baby!" She eyed his name tag. "Your name is… Warren?"
Wolf had to suppress a laugh.
"Mommy, that's not right!"
Wolf held his breath, knowing what she was about to say next.
"His name is Wolf O'Donnell!" She sounded so excited to call out his name.
Her mother's look of gratitude turned from heartfelt joy to absolute horror, like Wolf had transformed into a hideous beast right before her eyes. She jumped away from him, shielding Rachel as she did so.
"Please, I'm not here to start trouble!" Wolf raised his hands. "I only wanted to bring your daughter back to you. That's all."
Misty was still stunned, looking Wolf right in the face as he said this. "But… but why?! What about all those horrible things you did for Andross?!" She looked around the street. "What are you doing here?!"
"Mommy!" Rachel walked over, being careful to not fall. "Wolf doesn't work for Andross! He works for Corneria, like you!"
Misty got a surprised look on her face, turning back to her daughter. "Sweetie, what lies has he been filling your head with? He's no hero! He's the most wanted criminal in Lylat!"
"But but… he saved me from the Venomians who attacked the village!"
Misty glanced back and forth at Wolf and Rachel, confused by this. "He's been lying to you! I've got no doubt he was part of the Venomians, not the other way around!"
"No, mom, you're wrong! He saved me! Right Wolf? You saved me from the Venomians, right? Right?"
Wolf looked back and forth between the two cats, frozen to the spot. All of this time he'd been lying to Rachel about who he was. Keeping it all under wraps. She'd believed him every step of the way, Wolf taking complete advantage of her ignorance. He appreciated she still defended him, even now, but the truth was about to come out regardless. Might as well come clean. Misty's going to tell her all about me once I'm gone anyway.
"Rachel…" A tear formed in Wolf's eye. "She's telling the truth. I used to work for Andross."
Rachel was silent, looking up at Wolf. "But… that can't be right! You're not bad! You did so many nice things for me! You brought me home! You gave me your blankets when I slept! You got me a burger! You saved me on that space station!"
"Kid…" Wolf sniffed. "Please, stop it. You don't want anything to do with me. I've been lying to you this whole time. We have to say goodbye now." His voice was shaky, sorrowful. He had never known himself to adopt such a tone with anyone. He turned to head back to the car again.
"No!" Rachel cried, and to his surprise she ran straight up Wolf and hugged him, pulling him close. "Why do you have to go?"
"Rachel! Stop it!" Her mother hissed, jumping up and trying to pull her back.
"Do what she says, Rachel." Even as she plunged her claws into the fabric of his uniform, Wolf gently pulled her away and pushed her towards her mother, some scratch marks forming in the fabric as they separated.
While Misty was surprised, she was quick to grab her and hold her in a tight embrace, still staring down Wolf like he would kill them if they looked at him funny.
Wolf sighed. "Please Rachel, forget you ever met me…"
"But, but I don't want to!" she cried, trying to separate herself from her mother as she reached towards him. "You're a hero! You saved Katina!"
He gently tried to shake her off, so as not to hurt her, but she held fast. "Rachel, no…" Wolf crouched, bringing his face to her level. "I'm not a hero. In fact I…" Wolf held his tongue.
He glanced towards his wrist comms device, the recording button there. This is my last chance to tell her about her father. To keep my promise to George. Of course, he didn't have to keep his word if he didn't want to. Nothing was stopping him from breaking it. If he kept silent she'd never know. But could his soul bear the burden? He looked into her eyes, unfocused but still intense, waiting for what he was going to say. No, I have to tell her. If I don't, I'll regret it for the rest of my life.
He tapped the red circle, the recording beginning on his wrist device.
"There's something else I need to tell you… Rachel, I…" He couldn't speak anymore. The words refused to come out, no matter how hard he tried. He looked into her cute kitten face, knowing if he said what it was about to say it would break her. Destroy her. She wouldn't be able to bear it. His teeth clenched together, knowing this was his final chance...and yet he couldn't bring them out.
"I… Your..." He paused. "I did…" That was as far as he could get. "I-I…"
The two cats looked at him, waiting for him to finish the sentence.
He couldn't bear their gaze upon him. Wolf clenched his teeth together, shaking his head. He pushed the recording button again, cancelling it. "Never mind…"
He turned his back to them, walking back to the car. Opening the door, he took one last look, Misty glaring at him with a mixture of shock and anger, while Rachel was confused and hurt. "Wolf! Come back! Please come back!"
"Stop it, Rachel!" Misty howled at her, threatening to smack her as she glared at Wolf. "He's right! You want nothing to do with him!"
Rachel's tears came out in droves, the crying feeling as though it echoed along the plains around them for miles, without any other sound reaching them on the quiet street.
Wolf slipped inside the car, slamming the door shut, looking out the window one last time. He twisted the key, the electric engine humming to life, but he kept his foot off the accelerator. He still found himself staring at Misty, the two of them with eyes affixed. They didn't move for several minutes. Should he say something? What could even be said now? Nonetheless, he felt it would be wrong to leave without a word.
"Misty… Rachel..." Wolf doubted this would mean anything to them at this point, but decided he might as well say it. "I'm…" He shook his head. "I'm sorry, about everything…" It was nothing but a weak plea, not even worth the breath he'd put into saying the words. Misty still looked at him like she wished she could turn the entire Cornerian military upon him right then and there.
Wolf couldn't take it anymore, rolling up the window. He pushed the accelerator, the car gliding away from the curb. He didn't look back. There wasn't time. Misty might be calling the police right now. The car slid around the corner, kicking up tire smoke as he rocketed back towards the highway, leaving behind Rachel forever. He picked up speed, sliding wide towards the opposing lane as he went around a turn. A motorist coming the other way blared his horn, jumped off the road to avoid being hit. He shook his fist and swore at Wolf. The lupine didn't notice.
I fought my way out of a military prison camp, I deposed a military dictator, and I saved Katina from destruction. I did it all without hesitation. But I wasn't brave enough to say four words: 'I killed your father'.
George, I let you down. I let Rachel down too…
Tears pattered on the steering wheel.
A/N: Just the epilogue is left now, guys. Thank you to everyone who read this far!