Hello again. Thanks to the people who reviewed, but they seem to have tapered off. Was my last chapter that bad, or have people stopped reading? Either way, here it is-the last chapter! Enjoy!
I stare at the ceiling above my bed in the barracks, frustration surging. It's been almost a week since I decided to leave, but I'm still stuck here in hell. Over the week, during every spare moment that I have, I've been plotting my escape. Just running for it was the first thing that came to mind, but that didn't work before, and I don't think I can now. Then I went through all the structural drawings of Manticore that I could find, looking for anything-a ventilation shaft, a huge drainage pipe, whatever-that wasn't guarded, or any weakness in the perimeter, but no such luck. My plan has to be as perfect as I can make it, I'll never get a second chance at this, but I've only been able to come up with one other possibility, and it's far from perfect. Since I can't get past the perimeter on my own, I'll have to have help from someone on guard duty. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem very likely, since I'm not exactly at the top of anyone's list anymore, and most of the people at Manticore would be more than happy to turn me in for treachery. My siblings are still giving me the cold shoulder, but they're still my family, and they'd never betray me completely, asking one of them is worth a try. So now I've been lying on my bed for hours, racking my brains trying to think of who is most likely to let me go. I'd been close to Zack before, but he loved the rules too much to ever think of breaking them, or letting anyone else break them. I kept on running names through my head. Ben. Tinga. Zane. Brin. They never so much as move anymore unless Zack or Lydecker tell them to. No help there. Syl. No. Jondy. Jondy! She might. She wasn't as rule-crazy as Zack, and she'd always been closer to me than anybody else. Was always willing to go out on a limb for me. And she wasn't one to hold a grudge. She'd still be my sister. She had to be.
I sit bolt up right in bed. Jondy has guard duty in the south-east corner tonight. Perfect. I glance at my watch. 2AM. I still have time. Hurriedly, I throw on some of the street clothes that were left at the bottom of my footlocker, and sneak to the door. I turn back and look at my siblings for the last time. We've been through so much together-I'll miss them.
"I love you guys." I whisper, and slip out the door, almost running for Jondy's post.
Her back is to me when I reach the post. She hasn't noticed me yet. I halt a few feet away and pause for a second. It's now or never.
"Jondy." I say softly. She stiffens and spins, eyes blazing at being interrupted, but her face softens a little when she sees me. Good. She's not angry with me anymore.
"Go back to bed Max." She says it softly but firmly. My heart sinks a little. We haven't spoken in almost a month, and that's all she has to say to me. I swallow the lump of hurt in my throat and step towards her hesitantly.
"Jondy…I need your help. Suspicion flicks in her eyes, mingled with concern.
"With what?" I smile a little. I knew she was still my sister. I move my gaze back over my shoulder at Manticore. God, I hope this works. I look back at her.
"I've gotta get out of here, Jondy. The concern disappears from her face, replaced by impatience.
"And go where? You're needed here!" I shake my head desperately.
"I don't know, Europe maybe, there was no pulse over there." Her eyes go wide in shock. Her face twists in betrayal.
"You mean leave for good." Her face flushes in fury. "You would turn your back on your duty-your family?!"
"Jondy, we're no better than slaves here, we're just things to them." I gesture again at Manticore. "They're killing us. One by one. It's all in the records!" I look pleadingly at her. She's got to believe me.
"You're crazy. We're vital to Manticore, this is where we belong!" she's almost snarling now. I keep shaking my head.
"No Jondy-we don't." I say softly. Please understand. She points to the barracks, her face hard, her eyes glittering dangerously.
"Go back to bed Max." Her voice is a low hiss. I look sadly at her. I'd really thought that she would help me, maybe even go with me. She's not the same Jondy that she used to be.
"No. I'm leaving." I make a move for the window, but she blocks me, slowly raising her radio to her lips, her eyes giving a clear warning. I freeze, my pulse beginning to race. Even if she won't help me, she wouldn't really betray me…would she? I take another step for the window. Her face turns mutinous as she flicks the radio on.
"Colonel Lydecker. X5452 is going AWOL. Requesting assistance immediately." My heart stops for a second, then I fly into motion and knock her off her feet, smashing the radio against the wall, and pin her to the ground with my foot before she has a chance to recover. She stares silently up at me, her face cold. The beginnings of tears start in my eyes, but I blink them back. My closest sister betrayed me.
"Goodbye Jondy." I whisper, before knocking her out. I spin and leap out the window, Manticore's alarms ringing in my ears.
I roll to my feet and run as fast as I can towards the perimeter. I've never run this fast in my life. This was the desperate dash that I hadn't wanted to happen, and I pray it won't end like it did last time. A searchlight flares in front of me, and I skid to avoid it. I can hear men shouting behind me, and I strain to go even faster, branches snapping as I run through them. They're never gonna bring me back. Never! I reach the perimeter fence and leap over. There's more lights now, and the sound of engines.
A jeep comes to a stop in my path, and the 4 soldiers who brought me to Lydecker for my debriefing hop out, all levering machine guns at me. I stay still, my mind racing. I've gotta get out of here. The leader sneers at me.
"What, don't you like us anymore? I knew you'd chicken out before long. But the boys-" His sneer widens as he gestures casually with his head at the men behind him. "-Said you wouldn't. Said X5s weren't designed to be cowards?" He takes a taunting step closer, raising an eyebrow in question. He still hasn't radioed, I realize. What an idiot.
"You're much more outspoken when there's a gun between the two of us." I comment thoughtfully. Just take one more step asshole. He takes it, his eyes narrowing as he as he opens his mouth for a comeback. I kick the gun out of his hands and ram him hard in the head with the butt of it. He never knew what hit him. The other three back away, they're faces whitening underneath their helmets. I fire first, hitting one in the shoulder, one in the stomach. A bullet grazes my leg, but I block out the pain, scanning the trees around me for signs of the last guy. He's disappeared. Damb it, I don't have time to chase him. I have to let him go. I just hope he doesn't make it to the base too fast. I help myself to the jeep, and start slowly heading away, just like the other jeeps. Nobody notices me slip away from the crowd and head down the road.
I ditch the jeep 2 towns Southeast of Gillette, wander a ways away, then sit in a field with my head in my hands. I'm out. I probably could make it to Europe, it wouldn't be that hard to play stowaway. It would be safer there. The farther I get from Manticore, the fewer soldiers they can send near me to look for me-not without being noticed anyway, and Manticore would never risk that. It would be the smartest thing to do, really, but…OC's laughter as I tasted beer for the first time, Herbal's ramblings about philosophy, Logan's caring…I can't leave them, not when I have the chance to go back. And besides, I told Jondy I was headed for Europe. This'll throw them off. I get up slowly, and start walking.
****
So here I am again at Logan's door, opportunity is still waiting. With a small smile, I pick the lock and go in. I can hear the sounds of typing coming from his office and I sneak. He's staring intently at the screen of his computer, reading more on Manticore, completely oblivious to my presence. I've come all this way, and now I can't bring myself to speak. What if he doesn't want a killing machine around anymore? Will he even be glad I escaped? I'm afraid to find out. But I can't just stand here forever- I creep up closer.
"Hey." He jumps, then spins very slowly towards me, blinks, and stares. I can't help but grin a little at his expression. I didn't know the great Eyes Only could be struck dumb. He rises slowly, his mouth opening, but no sound coming out.
"Max?" His voice almost cracks as he touches my face. "How did you?" He shakes his head like he doesn't believe I'm real. I smile wider.
"I ran away." It finally starts to sink in, a smile slowly stretches across his face, and his eyes begin to sparkle.
"You came back." I nod, and he kisses me. I grin to myself as my arms go around his neck. For the first time in my life, I'm where I belong.
The End
Okay! There you go! It's Done! Should I keep on writing? I have other stories in mind, but if it's wanted I'd be willing to write a sequel. Was the ending corny? I've never written anything with romance in it before. Anyway, please tell me what you think. I've really liked writing this!