Bloodline
Jolrael and Noa arrived at Akima's house a short while later, Noa came equipped with two pistols, while Jolrael came unarmed. The two knocked on the door. Akima got up an looked to the camera monitor, it was them. She opened the door "I'm so glad you're safe, Jol." She said and gave him a hug.
He returned it gently "Thanks. Are you ok?" he asked
Akima nodded "I've calmed down. We were gonna visit Cale when you called, I'm worried about him."
"We all are." Jol said
Akima looked at Noa and stuck her hand out "Its been a long time, Noa."
He nodded "Yeah, it has, Akima." He shook her hand. Dawn appeared behind Akima and moved from the back of her towards Noa "Hi Noa." She said with a smile.
He nodded to her "And this is your lovely daughter, Akima? Nice to meet you."
Dawn blushed. "Well, I suggest that we go inside." Jolrael said, waving towards the inside of the house.
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Tyrowe walked into an abandoned warehouse. There was nothing inside except for a small platform. He stepped onto the platform "Down." He said.
"Voice Verification….Approved." a robotic voice said. The platform began moving downward.
"Time for part two." He said to himself. The platform moved downward, deeper into the earth. Finally, it lowered into a room. Tyrowe had a secret laboratory built under this warehouse. This is how he survived for over twenty years as a walking corpse. He had to periodically regenerate himself in here to prevent rotting and falling apart. The platform stopped as it hit the ground. He walked down a hallway, into one door. Tryn was in there, chained to the wall. Her cheek had dried blood on it from where she was cut. She laid on the floor of the pitch black room as he walked in, turning the lights on. She awakened suddenly and looked at Tyrowe. She backed up to the wall as much as she could "Y-y-you!" she said
Tyrowe laughed slightly "Yes, remember me?"
Tryn trembled slightly "I wish I didn't! What do you want with me!?"
Tyrowe walked over and put his hand on her cheek gently "Why, my dear Tryn, you are the key to my son. With you, he's in the palm of my hand, and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Don't worry, when you're not needed, I'll dispose of you."
"You can't win! My Jolrael will…"
"Your Jolrael what? Your Jolrael will kick my ass? Your Jolrael will kill me? I think not. My son will join my side, and when that happens, there will be no need for you."
Tyrowe lifted his hand up into the air and brought it back down forcefully, slapping Tryn hard, sending her to the ground.
"Everyone has a purpose. Your purpose is to be the sacrificial lamb. You shall be sacrificed for the greater good, and nothing will change that." Tyrowe said, then turned around and left the room, closing the door and turning the lights off. Tryn cried in the darkness. She was cold, hurt, and depressed. She sniffled and and cried out "Jolraaaaaaaaaeell!!! I need you! Where are you!" she said and cried.
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A knock was heard on the door of the Akima household. The four had been sitting and talking about the recent events. Noa filled them in on what went on at the apartment complex. Jolrael got up and answered the door, two New Earth Military servicemen were there, grim looks on their faces "Is there a Miss Akima Tucker in the house?" one asked. Akima got up and walked over to the two men and Jolrael, Dawn and Noa quickly followed "Ma'am, It is my deepest regret and sorrow to tell you this. Your husband Cale Tucker died in St Paul memorial hospi.."
Akima didn't need to hear the rest. She dropped to her knees and cried loudly, tears or pain and anguish rolled down her aged cheeks "No…no…not him….God, why Cale…" she said, her voice shook greatly as she said this. Dawn cupped her hands in front of her face.
Jolrael bent down and held his stepmother "Mom…I'm so sorry.." he whispered. Dawn couldn't take it anymore, she turned around and ran up the stairs to her room, crying. Noa gave chase after her. The two servicemen bent down to look at her "Miss Tucker, I know this is very hard for you, its hard on everyone. But we need you to come down to the hospital's morgue to identify the body." One said
Akima buried her face into Jolrael's shoulder, sobbing loudly "I'll do it, I don't think she's up to it.."
Akima looked up "No! I want to see him one last time…" she said. Jolrael nodded "We'll be there in a little bit." He said to the servicemen. They nodded "We'll be waiting outside to escort you."
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Noa got up to Dawn's door and knocked "Go away! I just want to be alone!" she said, her crying could be heard through the door. "I'm deeply sorry about your father, Dawn. He was a great man." He said. Noa tested the doorknob, unlocked. He opened the door slightly to see Dawn face down on her bed, crying into the pillow as she clutched it tightly.
He walked over and sat on her bed slowly "Dawn, listen to me. Its ok, I…"
"It's not ok! My dad is dead!"
"Shhh, I know that. I'm very sorry. Is there anything that I could to help you cope, let me know."
Dawn sat up and looked at him "Just…stay here. Please."
Noa nodded. She laid into his shoulder and cried, he put an arm around her. He wanted to do anything he could to comfort her. Noa knew that it would take her awhile to get over it, but he also knew she can be strong and live on when she does. After a few minutes, Dawn lifted her head up to look at Noa, he gazed back at her "My dad cared for me. I remember when he used to play with me when I was a kid, no matter what he was doing, he'd drop everything just to be with me. He told me how proud he was of me. I loved him so much." She whispered to Noa, who listened intently. "He knows, Dawn. He didn't leave without knowing it. And right now, he's smiling upon you from above. You'll join him one day, but just remember, he's always with you."
Dawn nodded slightly and cried a little bit more until she began to relax.
"Are you ok now?"
"It still hurts, but I've calm down. Thank you for looking after me." She responded
He nodded "It's the least I could do. I know how it feels."
Dawn continued to look into his eyes, sniffling every so often "What happened?"
"A girl I knew, she killed herself. I cared deeply for her, and I was about to join her, when I realized that I still had a purpose in life." He said. Noa took his hand and wiped her cheeks and eyes of tears. She nodded "I'm sorry. And thanks."
"Its nothing, really. Want to go back down stairs?"
Dawn sniffed and nodded "Yes."
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Thirty minutes later, the foursome left for the hospital. Akima cried lightly during the ride off and on, Jolrael did the best he could to keep her calm. Dawn kept close to Noa, he seemed to help keep her quiet for most of the ride, even though some tears did fall from her eyes. When they arrived at the hospital, they were escorted to the morgue. The four walked in and were greeted by the attendant.
"Now, before I open this, you sure you want to see him?" he asked
Jolrael looked around at the faces of his comrades, his arm was wrapped around Akima's shoulder "Yes, we'd like to see him one last time." he said
The attendant nodded and pulled out Cale's body from the refrigeration unit, a sheet was placed over his body. The man pulled the sheet down to reveal Cale's face, locked in a solemn look, his eyes shut. Akima started to cry again, while Dawn tried to keep her composure.
Akima walked up to the body and put her hand on his forehead, she shivered slightly from the cold touch. "I love you." She whispered to Cale. She retreated her hand slowly, then placed a small kiss on his forehead before she walked back over to Jolrael and the group.
Dawn walked up to Cale and looked at his face "I'm so sorry, daddy. I hope you're in peace where ever you are." She said. Dawn bent down and kissed his forehead like her mother did and walked back.
Jolrael walked up to the body of his stepfather. A heavy sorrow weighed his heart down "Thank you. Thank you for taking care of me, accepting me, and loving me. Rest in peace, dad." He said. With one last look towards his stepfather, he turned around and walked back to the others.
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The four turned down the escort back to their house. They were all heartbroken in one way or another. They decided to walk, to help gather themselves.
"I know it was him." Akima said, tears going down your cheek slightly
"We all know it was him, mom." Dawn replied
"I'm going to kill him for what he did." Akima responded
Noa looked at her "Forgive me for being blunt, Akima, but the chances of you killing someone like Tyrowe are slim to none."
"I don't care what it takes. I want him dead." She said coldly
"Despite how much we want to deny it, he's more powerful than he ever was. The only people that can even withstand him are the ones with the psionic powers, just like Tyrowe's." he said
Jolrael looked at Noa "You're the only one, though."
He shook his head "Stith had it. And so do you, Jolrael."
Jolrael looked at Noa in a shocked expression "What do you mean? How do I have it?"
"Simple, you inherited it from your parents. That's why Tyrowe wants you. A specific reason, I have no clue, but he wants you for your ability."
Jolrael looked straight ahead "If I have this 'ability', then how come I can't use it?"
Noa nodded again "You haven't awakened yet."
Jol was about to ask him what he meant by that, when they saw a huge crowd around the window, crying and moaning could be heard. They rushed over to the crowd and saw that they were looking at television screens, broadcasting the death of Cale all over the globe. Being a huge historic figure for mankind that he was, this was very tragic to the people of New Earth. Jol looked at Akima and Dawn "We better get out of here, before we get swarmed by people." He suggested. The three nodded and quickly left the crowd.
Soon after, they arrived at Akima's house. They walked up to the doorstep "We can't keep running from him." Jolrael said to Noa. He nodded "I know. We need to come up with a plan to find him. If we kill him, your Tryn might never be found." He said. Akima unlocked the door and opened it. The four walked in, Akima turned the light on and screamed, the others looked at what she was screaming at. Tyrowe was sitting in a chair, facing them, and smiling "Welcome back, enjoy your trip?"
Akima's sorrow quickly turned into rage as she saw him "You bastard! I'll kill you!!" she shouted as she rushed him. Tyrowe laughed and held out his hand in front of him. Akima froze dead in her tracks "Shoo." He said, making a motion with his hand. Akima flew backwards. Jolrael saw her and caught her mid air, then they both fell to the ground. Tyrowe was still laughing "Akima, is this any way to treat a house guest? Nice catch, son."
Jolrael helped Akima up "For the last time, Tyrowe, I'm not your son."
"You made a big mistake killing Cale, all of New Earth will be after you!" Akima shouted
Tyrowe sighed "I doubt it, my dear. People still think I'm dead, and everyone knows that dead people stay dead." He said mockingly
Noa looked at Tyrowe, Dawn went back to assist her mother "Tyrowe, I'm going to take you down. Face me now!" Noa shouted, drawing his pistols.
Tyrowe smirked "A challenge? How…predictable. Despite twenty years, you still haven't changed. Do you really want to risk losing yet another person by killing me?"
Jolrael walked over to Noa "He still has Tryn."
Noa nodded "What are you doing here?"
Tyrowe looked over to the two female humans "I've come to take their lives."
Akima looked at Tyrowe, Jolrael shielded the two with his body "Never, I won't let you take them!" he said.
Tyrowe stood up "Ok, then how's this? We do a trade. Akima and her worthless daughter's life, for your lovely Tryn's life?"
Jolrael stood there, he didn't know what to say "I..I.."
"Don't fall for it, Jol. He's trying to trick you." Dawn said
"Oh, is that so? Come, bring her out."
A hooded Mantrin came out, holding an unconscious Tryn in its hands.
"Tryn!" Jolrael shouted
Noa aimed one gun at the hooded figure, the other at Tyrowe "Put her down immediately Tyrowe!"
"Or what? Are you gonna shoot me? Don't make me laugh." He said. Tyrowe walked over to the Mantrin and Tryn "Take your pick, Jolrael."
Akima and Dawn looked at Jol, as he stood there, looking at his mate being held hostage by his own father "I-I…can't choose.." he said to himself
Tyrowe signaled the Mantrin. The Mantrin laid Tryn on the ground and put her foot on her back. She removed her hood and drew her pistol, putting the barrel against Tryn's temple. The group gasped in horror as the hooded one revealed herself. Jolrael was stunned.
Stith was alive once again.