Chapter 9
They dropped Leon off in Ada on their way back to their own base. Leon had seemed deep in thought the whole way back & although Claire had a lot of questions she wanted to ask, she had decided to wait. Why would Steve be so trusting of Leon? Why didn't Leon help Chris? He seemed more worried about leaving Steve...I just don't understand. I have to talk to him.
"Leon." She said quickly. He turned to face her with tired eyes.
"What is it Claire?" He asked in return.
"I need to know. About Steve, what happened? Please Leon." Claire begged, close to tears. Leon sighed heavily in response.
"We were the same. Both trapped from the ones we loved." Leon replied softly but with pain in his voice. He turned away then but as much as Claire wanted to be able to leave it at that for Leon's sake, she knew she couldn't. She had to know the truth.
"It isn't enough Leon!" She yelled.
"It's the best I can do. He needed my help, that I had no choice in. He spoke to me about the C4 & you, when I asked him why he'd told me. We both couldn't be with the people we love because of circumstance, & I went through something similar, so we just clicked, that's all I can say. I don't really understand my reactions either." Leon said & then turned away & entered the small base.
"Shall we go?" Chris asked carefully. Claire nodded, too tired to think any longer, she fell to sleep, images of Steve in her head, tears rolled down her cheeks as she dreamt of the sacrifice he had made for her. I love you Steve...Why did you have to leave me? The last thoughts in Claire's mind drifted as she fell deeper to sleep, exhaustion was all her body knew, there was no time for dreams or thoughts, only rest.
They arrived back at their base near midnight, a whole day after their awful encounter. Claire had slept silently all the way back, Jill presumed it was from sheer exhaustion, Claire had been through a rough time at that base. Jill thought back to all the strange events that had occurred the night before, most of which revolved around Leon. She stared blankly into space, not even noticing that Chris had entered the room.
"Jill." He said subtly, breaking her away from the confusing thoughts.
"Yes Chris." She replied, not needing to ask what he wanted.
"You okay?" He asked softly.
"Fine. Just thinking. It was so strange this time Chris, especially with Leon, I just can't figure it out...It was almost as if that other guy knew Leon, that they were friends." Jill replied, exasperated.
Chris nodded. "I know what you mean. Honestly, I think Leon was blackmailed into helping the guy. Steve seemed like a pawn too..."
Jill nodded in agreement. " I think you're right. We should get some rest Chris, it's been a long day."
Chris smiled at her & nodded before leaving her alone in her room. I wonder if everything will be okay now. Jill's thoughts quickly receded as she drifted into a deep slumber, only to be followed by the nightmares that always came, the nightmare that changed images with each new horror she saw but always terrified her, reminding her how lucky she was to have escaped alive, the cold sweat & adrenaline rush she was so used to would not wait long...
They dropped Leon off in Ada on their way back to their own base. Leon had seemed deep in thought the whole way back & although Claire had a lot of questions she wanted to ask, she had decided to wait. Why would Steve be so trusting of Leon? Why didn't Leon help Chris? He seemed more worried about leaving Steve...I just don't understand. I have to talk to him.
"Leon." She said quickly. He turned to face her with tired eyes.
"What is it Claire?" He asked in return.
"I need to know. About Steve, what happened? Please Leon." Claire begged, close to tears. Leon sighed heavily in response.
"We were the same. Both trapped from the ones we loved." Leon replied softly but with pain in his voice. He turned away then but as much as Claire wanted to be able to leave it at that for Leon's sake, she knew she couldn't. She had to know the truth.
"It isn't enough Leon!" She yelled.
"It's the best I can do. He needed my help, that I had no choice in. He spoke to me about the C4 & you, when I asked him why he'd told me. We both couldn't be with the people we love because of circumstance, & I went through something similar, so we just clicked, that's all I can say. I don't really understand my reactions either." Leon said & then turned away & entered the small base.
"Shall we go?" Chris asked carefully. Claire nodded, too tired to think any longer, she fell to sleep, images of Steve in her head, tears rolled down her cheeks as she dreamt of the sacrifice he had made for her. I love you Steve...Why did you have to leave me? The last thoughts in Claire's mind drifted as she fell deeper to sleep, exhaustion was all her body knew, there was no time for dreams or thoughts, only rest.
They arrived back at their base near midnight, a whole day after their awful encounter. Claire had slept silently all the way back, Jill presumed it was from sheer exhaustion, Claire had been through a rough time at that base. Jill thought back to all the strange events that had occurred the night before, most of which revolved around Leon. She stared blankly into space, not even noticing that Chris had entered the room.
"Jill." He said subtly, breaking her away from the confusing thoughts.
"Yes Chris." She replied, not needing to ask what he wanted.
"You okay?" He asked softly.
"Fine. Just thinking. It was so strange this time Chris, especially with Leon, I just can't figure it out...It was almost as if that other guy knew Leon, that they were friends." Jill replied, exasperated.
Chris nodded. "I know what you mean. Honestly, I think Leon was blackmailed into helping the guy. Steve seemed like a pawn too..."
Jill nodded in agreement. " I think you're right. We should get some rest Chris, it's been a long day."
Chris smiled at her & nodded before leaving her alone in her room. I wonder if everything will be okay now. Jill's thoughts quickly receded as she drifted into a deep slumber, only to be followed by the nightmares that always came, the nightmare that changed images with each new horror she saw but always terrified her, reminding her how lucky she was to have escaped alive, the cold sweat & adrenaline rush she was so used to would not wait long...