Disclaimer: Don't own them, never have, never will....
Notes: I'm so, so, sorry about the very long wait. Life just got way to hectic, but I'm back!!! Good news people, the next chapter is the last chapter!! So yip, the next chapter is going to be a very long, dramatic, action/adventure, tragic... well, I'm already on page six and I'm almost half way, so the next one is going to be, hopefully, one of the best chapters.
Thank you to:
Della- hello again, I'm so sorry about the long delay. I'm glad that you are enjoying my tale, and I can see that you hate the cliffhangers... hope you like this chapter.
Mariel3- Thank you so much for the review, Sorry for the long wait. I'm very happy that you can picture the settings- that was one of my fears, that I couldn't describe the settings well enough.
imsorad- I'm so sorry that this is late. I really hope that you will like the rest of the story, thanks for the review.
kbandy- hi, sorry for the long delay, hope you like this chapter.
kgriffin- I so agree, I loved watching Lucas and Ben! but I also liked the relationship between all of them. That's why I wanted to write this story, to see how they would be friends, and so Ford could relax more!!! But ya, I hope you like the rest of the story.
Nell- hey, thanks for the review, hope you enjoy the rest of the story!
Vampy- Oops, I translated but forgot to tell you what language it is. It's Afrikaans, if you want to know more about Afrikaans, feel free to ask. Sorry for the long delay, hope you enjoy.
Darkness Amber- the last chapter should interest you, it's got loads of action/hurt and stuff like that. Then you will see who wins... if my computer doesn't die on me, the next chapter will be out next week.
dolphinology- Thanks for reminding me to do those translations. I knew I was forgetting something. Hope you like this chapter
o o o
Chapter 10
o o o
Ben looked at the man and shook his head. He just couldn't believe how quickly everything went wrong.
Sure there was always wars, but after five World Wars he would have thought people would have realised that there was nothing to gain from war, only grief, and pain.
The last war was in the year 2010, millions were killed. Homes were destroyed, Families were split apart. All because of a fight for land...
The world had changed, because of global warming in the 20th century, water covered up 90 per cent of the land, forcing people to live under the water.
Lucky for them that they had the technology to do that.
But once again, the worsted part of human nature came out again. Greed. People became greedy, trying to take up most part of the ocean, forcing people to go up world where there wasn't any space.
A war for peace began. A war against the UEO and the Alliance Freedom.
They had wars underneath the water, causing much damage to their underwater cities. Billions were killed.
A few years went by, and still the fighting continued. Homes were destroyed, cities were flooded... Chaos filled the waters as families separated in a race to reach the surface. Their only chance of survival.
Then war for land begun.
And here they were, fighting on land, for land. Because of all their fighting, much of the high technology had been destroyed, forcing them to live with primitive twentieth century technology.
Two small pieces of land were safe for people to live on.
Ben looked at the man again.
"I know I'm dead, but I'm going to make damn sure that I send you to hell first," Ben promised.
The man smiled.
"We shall see, we shall see," The man replied evilly.
o o o
Ford counted, there were only six guns firing. That meant, that there were only six more enemy soldiers in their way.
"There's about six of them, we take them out, we get home," Ford said quietly.
"Two each," Katie said with a smile.
"Oh yeah!" Miguel said happily.
"Don't drop your guard! there still might be snipers," Ford warned.
Katie and Miguel nodded. They knew that they would only be safe, when they were home.
"There's a gap every ten seconds, the next ten, we shoot. Remember.." Ford was interrupted.
"...One shot..." Katie continued.
"...one kill," Miguel concluded.
Ford smiled and shook his head. They had spent way to much time together. Over the past month, they had become family. Everyone knows that you form a bond with the person that has to watch your back, but this bond was special. He had been in many teams, but this was different. They had become a family. Nathan the father, Kirsten the mother, Katie the sister, Ben the five year old brother, Tim the geek brother, Miguel as the cool brother, Him as the oldest brother and Lucas...while, Lucas was the youngest.
Because of this odd bond/relationship, ranks didn't really play a huge factor. They were much more open than they were supposed to be like with Ben teasing Lucas, or them all playing poker.
If anyone would have to find out the truth, he would deny it, or would say that he disapproved of it. But, to be honest, he like it that way. It was one way to release the pressure from all the stress and fear.
He just prayed that he wouldn't lose any of them. He wouldn't know what to do.
His eyes wondered over to the pale from on the ground just a few metres from him. He would never admit it, but he was worried.
When he first saw Tim, he thought that Tim wouldn't last the day. But he did. Tim had the courage of a real solider, bravely too. Ford just prayed that Tim had enough strength to hold on.
With a new determination, Ford loaded his gun, ready to shoot, so that they could go home.
"Ready," Ford spoke.
"On three, sir," Katie answered.
They all got ready, waiting for that final second before they had to shoot.
o o o
Tim groaned as Kirsten pulled too tightly on the one stitch.
"Sorry," She said softly.
Nathan watched as Kirsten continued to stitch up the wound, as he applied pressure on the other one.
"Will he be ok?" Nathan asked silently.
Kirsten didn't look up as she continued to stitch.
"He's still out, a fever is already starting, I don't know Nathan," Kirsten replied honestly.
Nathan cursed the war again.
He looked up as he watched Miguel, Katie and Ford raise from the ground just high enough so that they could shoot.
Six shoots were fired.
Nathan watched as they fell to the ground, hiding from any bullets that might come their way.
Nathan listened, waiting for the shooting to continue. But it never did.
o o o
Ford still crouched down, not knowing if they were just waiting for them to stand up, or if they were dead.
He looked at Katie and Miguel who shrugged in response.
Ford knew that someone would have to stand to see if anyone would shoot, but that meant being shot. And, well, he liked his body was it was.
"Miguel, you still got that stupid cap of yours?" Ford asked.
"Hey!" Miguel said in defence.
Ford just glared at Miguel.
Miguel spoke something in a different language as he took out his beloved cap from his backpack.
Katie just smiled as she heard the moaning, she didn't know what Miguel actually said, but she knew it wasn't a compliment.
Miguel just glared back at Ford as he handed over his precious cap.
"What are you going to do with it?" Miguel asked as he watched Ford tying it to some string.
"You'll see," Ford said with a grin.
Miguel watched in horror as Ford placed the cap on his gun. Suddenly he knew what was going to happen.
"NO!" Miguel cried out as Ford lifted the gun, just high enough so that the cap showed.
Everyone waited for the bullets to hit, but there was nothing.
Silence.
Ford lowered his gun and untied the cap from the weapon.
"Thanks," Ford said as he handed over the cap.
"You were lucky that there were no bullets!" Miguel threaten.
Ford knew that Miguel was not really angry. Ford smiled when he first found the cap in Miguel's pack. It was a present that one woman had given him for good luck.
It was just something that helped relieve the stress and fear.
Ford took a deep breath, as he slowly began to stand. He stood up, just high enough for him to have a look around.
o o o
"Nathan, help me, I need to patch the other side," Kirsten asked.
Nathan nodded as he helped turn Tim just enough so that Kirsten could see the exit wound.
Nathan winced as he saw the anger wound.
Kirsten poured a bit of whiskey onto a small piece of cloth. She placed the small piece of cloth onto the wound, trying to clean it the best she could.
Tim groaned but remained unconscious.
A small blessing.
Kirsten cleaned the wound the best she could, before she got the needle ready.
One down, one to go.
She just prayed this would be the last wound she would have to patch up. She just wanted to go home, and forget this war every happened. But she knew that it was no use in denying it.
Anyone who returned from war was never the same. She knew it was going to be hard to live with what they had seen, to live with what they were forced to do.
With a heavy sign, she went back to her work.
o o o
Ford stood up a little bit higher, and shut his eyes as he waited for the bullets to hit.
But it never did.
He opened his eyes, looking around the area. There was no one around. They had made it. He didn't know if it was the because of the shock, or the feeling of unbelief that caused his to start laughing.
Katie and Miguel frowned as they heard Ford laughing.
"You don't think they attacked his with a poisonous gas or something?" Miguel asked.
Katie didn't know, so she slowly stood up, and looked at Ford with questioning eyes.
"We made it," Ford said happily.
Katie looked around the area.
She looked at the bloodied ground, then to the crippled trees, she noticed the dead bodies, but no one shooting at her.
They had made it.
o o o
Nathan noticed that Ford and Katie were standing. He signed in relief.
"Kirsten, how long till we can move Tim?" he asked.
"I would wait a day," Kirsten replied as she finished with the last stitch.
"Damn! and if we move him now?"
Kirsten looked at Nathan, then to where Ford and Katie stood.
"We made it?" She asked in disbelief.
"That's why we need to move now, if we wait, more will come," Nathan replied seriously.
Kirsten looked at Tim, she didn't like the idea of moving him, but the sooner they move, the sooner he could get real treatment.
She looked up to Nathan.
"We need to move slowly, but I think we will be able to move him," Kirsten replied tiredly.
"We are nearly home, Kirsten, we are nearly home," Nathan said happily.
o o o
Ben kept his glare on the man, making sure that the guy would not see any fear. The man just stood there, by the wall, half hidden in darkness. Ben didn't know what the guy was waiting for, he just prayed for a quick death, or even better, a chance to escape.
He didn't know what the guys name was, but since he had time, he named the man, John, because all unknown dead males were called John Doe, so it just seemed fitting. He heard a moan, he turned to see Lucas's head moving from side to side. He looked back at the man with pure hatred.
"Release him, he's not a threat," Ben pleaded.
John didn't move, didn't speak, totally ignoring the plead.
"He's just a kid!" Ben begged.
"Then why is he here? why does he fight?" John asked.
"Because he was young and stupid," Ben answered.
"Then he must face the punishments," John replied.
Before Ben could respond the door flew open.
Ben tightly shut his eyes, blocking them from the blinding light.
He heard heavy footsteps walking up to him, but he didn't dare try to open his eyes.
"Dis amper tyd," the stranger spoke.
Ben heard the new man's voice, he could tell that the man was older and was in a higher rank, because he could hear the almost commanding tone.
"Wat moet ek doen?" John asked.
"Niks," the stranger answered.
"Wat sal met hulle gebeur?" John asked.
Ben heard the stranger laugh, which sent a shiver down his spine. It was so cold, so heartless.
"Jy sal sien," the stranger said evilly.
Ben opened his eyes slowly, waiting for them to adjust to the brightness.
He turned to face the stranger, but the light made it difficult to see the man's face, but he guess that the man was in his fifties, he was a short man, rather on the plump side. He wore black pants, with, what looked like, a navy top.
Ben eyed the man suspiciously, wishing that he could understand the language.
He watched as the man moved away from him, moving to his side.
"NO!" Ben yelled as he saw the man moving to where Lucas hung.
The stranger looked at Ben, then to Lucas.
Ben felt his heart stop when he saw the evil grin, as his heartless brown eyes eyed Lucas.
"You touch him, and I swear that it will be your last," Ben threatened.
The man grabbed a handful of Lucas's hair, forcing Lucas's head up.
"Ou," Lucas moaned.
Lucas's eyes opened half way, as he tried to seeing what was happening.
"LET HIM GO!" Ben yelled as he saw the pain in Lucas's eyes.
"Hoekom?" the man asked, in almost challenging way.
"He's just a kid!" Ben said in a lethal tone.
"A kid in a war, your government must be desperate," the man joked.
"Just, please, let him go," Ben begged.
The man snarled as he backhanded Lucas's cheek as he released his hair.
"NO!" Ben yelled as he saw Lucas's head snap to the side.
Ben saw a red handprint appear on Lucas's pale cheek.
Ben glared daggers at the man.
"You are going to pay for that," Ben promised.
The man turned to John.
"Hy is nie 'n kind nie, hy is 'n soldaat!" the man said angrily as he left the room.
Ben watched as John closed the door behind the man, as they both left the room, leaving Ben and Lucas alone.
Ben quickly turned to see his friend.
"Luke, buddy, you ok?" Ben asked.
Lucas didn't reply, his eyes were open, but only halfway, as if he'd tried to drift off to sleep, but forgot in the middle just how.
"Lucas?" Ben asked worriedly.
Silence.
"Lucas, can you hear me? Come on buddy, wake up!" Ben encouraged the teen.
"Ben?" Lucas asked softly.
Ben breathed out a sign of relief when he heard the voice.
"Yeah, it's me, you ok?" Ben asked.
"What hit me?" Lucas asked tiredly.
"A dead man, that's who," Ben said in a lethal tone.
"Why am I hanging?"
"While, we got caught, but hey, think of it this way, at least we get a chance to hangout," Ben joked.
Lucas snorted, but moaned as the action caused the pain to grow.
"Sorry kid," Ben apologised as he knew that he caused the pain.
Lucas looked around the small dark room with emotionless eyes.
"How we getting out of here?"
"I haven't figured out that part yet, but I'll think of something," Ben promised.
"We're doomed," Lucas replied tiredly.
"What do you mean?" Ben asked curiously.
"You thinking, could get dangerous," Lucas teased.
Ben's mouth dropped, he just couldn't believe it.
"Ouch! that hurts, I think somebody better come and check for blood, because I don't think that dagger in my back is in a little bit to deep!" Ben said in disbelief.
Lucas just smiled an innocent smile as he looked at Ben through his half closed eyes, just to tired to do anything.
"Well, Mr. 'I'm better than thou', why don't you come up with a plan," Ben suggested sarcastically.
"To... tired," Lucas answered with a yawn.
"Oh, yeah, good excuse," Ben joked.
Ben noticed that Lucas's eyes were finally closed, as Lucas fell a sleep.
"Thank you," Ben said in relief as he looked up at the ceiling.
He wouldn't admit it, but seeing Lucas's eyes half open gave him the creeps. But he was so happy that he got to speak to Lucas.
Within those few minutes Ben felt more relaxed, and more importantly, more determined to escape, but not without a little payback.
o o o
To be continued...
Translations:
Dis amper tyd- It's nearly time
Wat moet ek doen- What must I do
Niks- Nothing
Wat sal met hulle gebeur?- What's going to happen to them
Jy sal sien- You will see
Hoekom?- why
Hy is nie 'n kind nie, hy is 'n soldaat- He is not a child, he is a soldier