part twelve
Tony checked the power on his gun. He still couldn't believe that the others had actually thought that this plan was going to work. The terrorists had already beaten them once, and now they thought that they could just take the bridge back by brute force? True, they had weapons now, but so did the enemy.
Tony's thoughts kept turning back to Lucas. He tried not to think about it, but the questions just kept popping into his brain. Was he being tortured right now? Was he hurt? No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get away from the guilt that was plaguing him. He had left Lucas in the hands of terrorists! Realistically, he knew that it hadn't been his fault, that if he had stayed, then the terrorists would have simply had two hostages, but he couldn't help himself. He should have protected Lucas.
"Tony?" Thomas called softly. "Are you ready?"
He shook himself back into reality. "Huh? Oh, yeah."
Raising their weapons, the group took off out the hatch, leaving the relative security of the repair bey.
Nathan Bridger's thoughts were erratic as he ran about his island home, stuffing this and that into his standard-issue duffel bag. He had booked himself on the first plane to Honolulu he could find; he had already dropped Michael off at the old couple's place the next island over. He wanted to be as close to the action as he could get. Lucas was in trouble.
That one phrase kept circling around in his mind. Lucas was in trouble. Bridger had failed. He had sworn long ago to protect Lucas from any and all danger, and he had failed.
He was running though the living room when his gaze caught the small framed picture sitting on the fireplace mantle. Suddenly all of his adrenaline left him, and he fell back into the couch. His eyes never left the picture. It was an old, worn photo of Lucas and Nathan, taken at a candid moment when the two were laughing and Bridger had his arm wrapped around the boy's shoulders. Lucas had been more than just a crewmember to Bridger; he had been Nathan's saving grace at a time when he had given everything up. Lucas was one of the reasons Bridger had decided to return to the Navy, and over their tours together, he had grown to think of Lucas as his surrogate son. He could only pray that Lucas felt the same way. Now he might never know...
To think that he would never see Lucas again made Bridger's heart skip a beat. He couldn't lose another son, not this way. Never knowing what had become of Robert tore Nathan up to this day, and he knew that if the same happened to Lucas, he wouldn't be able to survive.
Slowly, he pulled himself up off the couch and made his way over to the fireplace. Taking the picture, he rubbed his fingers over Lucas' smiling face. I will find you, kiddo, he silently vowed. When this thing is over, I will be the first face you see. I won't let you down again, I promise. His resolve strengthened, Nathan stuck the frame in his bag and walked out the door.
Lucas tried to stay calm, but the closer they dragged him to the wardroom the faster his breathing became. He knew that if the two men flanking him had not been holding on to him, he would've collapsed a long time ago. He could barely drag his feet as he was pulled down the familiar hallways. He didn't know what was waiting for him, but he refused to give in to his fear. He was terrified, but kept repeating his vow in his head: Talking is not an option. Talking is not an option... talking is not an option...
He was concentrating so hard on moving his feet and repeating his mantra that his mind barely registered the fact that they had stopped. The man on his right let go of him long enough to knock on the hatch and open it after a voice inside said, "Enter."
Juliana stood as Lucas was brought into the room. Motioning for him to sit in the chair opposite her, she once again took her seat across the table. The terrorists took up positions on either side of the door, falling into an alert parade rest.
She looked Lucas up and down as he struggled to stay sitting up. Her mind raged at the bruises that covered his face and at his obvious pain when he moved. She longed to comfort him, but she reminded herself that they were on opposite sides now, and there was something at stake that was larger than the two of them.
"Lucas, I... we need to talk." She tried to keep her voice steady, unwavering, but she wasn't so sure that it was coming across that way. He simply raised his eyebrows and kept silent. "I don't want to hurt you." From across the table, she heard him snort at her comment. "I don't. I don't like violence any more than you do. But this is bigger that you and I. If you could only understand, I know you would tell us everything. The UEO is no longer what we wanted it to be so long ago, Lucas. It's become corrupt and too powerful for its own good. It's time for a change."
"Who are you to decide that?" Lucas' eyes blazed with hatred. "Didn't you learn anything from Node 3? Mycroft tried to take justice in his own hands. His cause was just, Jules, but his methods were wrong. We cannot change the world by breaking the law and killing people. What makes you think that you have the right to decide what's just and what's not? The UEO may not be perfect, but they at least obey the law. There are ways to change things without bloodshed, Jules."
"Mycroft was an idealist, Lucas. I'm not. I've seen what the UEO is capable of, the laws that they break to achieve their goals. How can you serve a group so corrupt and not try and do something about it? Section 7 is out of control, yet the UEO allows them free reign. What does that say about them?"
"I'm not disagreeing with you about section 7. They have too much power, and too much freedom. But that doesn't mean that the entire UEO is corrupt. I'm sorry about Nick, Jules. He was my friend, and I miss him too. But I will not let you start a war over his death. He wouldn't have wanted that." The room grew silent, the only sound coming from Lucas as he struggled to get his breath back. After a few moments, Juliana motioned to the guards.
"Take him back. Your faith has blinded you, Lucas. I give up." The guards pulled Lucas up from the chair, and before they walked out of the room, Juliana added softly, "I'm sorry, Lucas." Then the hatch closed and no one remained behind to see her lay her head on the table and cry.