Chapter 11 How It Has To Be
Max
July 23rd, 2017
1:34 PM
New Exodus, Meridian Prime
Northern Shores
"We have been waiting for you, Traveler," said the malevolent female.
I tremble in fear, shake my body, and feel as if I want to piss myself but I'm braver than that. I turn my head back and forth to see both the hooded male holding his large knife against Chloe's neck as she pants and the female tip-toeing towards me with her double-bladed staff and her barbarous smile. I touch my gun holstered on my belt until the female dissuades me.
"I wouldn't do that right now," said the female. "If you want your beloved to live, you will give what's ours."
"I know you two," I said. "The Dark Order."
"You recognize us? How touching."
The female walks on her high heels circling around me during this hostile confrontation. She's got a razor-sharp staff and I have a tiny gun. No way I could take her on.
"We both know why we're here," continued the female. "And we both know what comes next. Thanatos and I figured Ezra's pathetic traps would finish the two of you. Maybe even Hephaestus who went left down there to do his job. But now it seems you both have greater talent than what Ares gave you credit for."
Thanatos was the name of the male holding Chloe against my will. Hephaestus was the beast who chased us in the catacombs before the bombs split his pursuit. Whoever this strange women's name was I tried to remember from the drawings.
"You must be with Joanna and Alkaline as well," I said. "Where's Alex?"
"Oh, she's alive," said the female. Rubbing her staff's blade. "Supposedly so. She and our other prisoner ran off when they tried to give us the slip with Ezra's explosive. And they did. Lady Joanna and the ConDef general have proven themselves to our cause up until now and now we must play our part."
The long-haired and fearsomely armored woman waved her staff at me to hold her blade against my chin in intimidation. I jump as the blade makes a small cut.
"Now, the Time Shard," the woman jerked. "And we might let you both live for whatever life you both have left to live for."
"Nemesis, let's kill them now!" Thanatos muttered. Still holding his knife against Chloe under his seize. "We had orders from Ares to cut them down where they stand and take that shard from their bleeding corpses!"
"Patience, Thanatos," said the woman named Nemesis. "We will give them the deaths Ares demanded should Ms. Caulfield resist."
I catch wind of someone on higher ground. Standing near the edge. Who is none other than David Madsen in his Chrysalis military gear and holding his rifle and contempt to aim it at Nemesis and Thanatos. Contemplating to pull the trigger and save his step-daughter. I look away from David and back at Nemesis. Thinking as fast and hard as I can before deciding
either surrender the shard or order David to shoot our assailants.
X/SQUARE/LM – SURRENDER THE TIME SHARD
B/CIRCLE/RM – ORDER DAVID TO SHOOT
"SHOOT!" I yelled at David.
David fires his gun without reluctance and a bullet hits the shoulder of Thanatos. Chloe takes the opportunity to take the knife held at her throat while her hostage-taker was stunned and jab it into his waist. Released from his grasp. Nemesis turns her head behind her to see who took the shot and spots David above her.
"Let them go!" David barked.
"You!" Nemesis snarled.
Then two other Chrysalis soldiers appear next to David on his ground. A younger man and woman with gear and rifles as well. Thanatos gives David and his squadmates an aggravated grin as the younger man aims his rifle at him and fires.
"Freeze!" The man shouts.
The bullets rain down on Nemesis and Thanatos and Chloe and I jump out of the line fire as out attackers summersault their way to dodge the automatic rounds. David and his team slide down the edge to join the two of us and protect us from Ares's henchmen. Our three protectors train their guns on them as they recover from the recoil.
"The soldiers from Beirut," said Thanatos. "You all should have died when Ares wanted you to."
"No such luck of that now, is it?" The female soldier spoke.
Somehow I recognized the woman's voice as well as the faces of David's two teammates. From the picture I had of David's team in my attic back home.
Suddenly, the monster from Ezra's tunnels reappears. Smashing his way through the fallen rubble caused by Ezra's mummy traps like the Incredible Hulk. Hephaestus as the monster was named roared out loud as he regrouped with his fellow Dark Order groupies. This was not good.
"Motherfucker," said the young man.
"You'll regret ever drawing more breath even after what should have killed you in Beirut," said Nemesis. "Hephaestus, destroy them! Get the Time Shard if you can!"
"Chloe! Max! Run!" David hollered.
There were alternatives from running. I still had the Time Shard with me to use. I use it to create a barrier in front of us all and trap Nemesis, Thanatos, and Hephaestus in time. Which bought us enough time to retreat.
"Shoot the columns! Now!" I ordered David and his team as I held the barrier together.
The three of them shot some columns in the cave in front of my time barrier before it wore down. As soon as the barrier as off, the columns came down causing a chain reaction in the cave to trap the 3 Dark Orders thugs behind us.
"Move! Move!" I hollered.
The five of us ran as fast as we could before all the debris came down on us and concealed our attackers inside. We could hear Hephaestus growling from the inside behind the rocks while catching our breaths. Safe from the Dark Order gang. For now.
"That should keep them away…for now," I said with my breath caught.
"David, you came!" Chloe cheered. Rushing towards him for a hug.
"Chloe, what the hell were you thinking going behind me back to come here?!" David questioned after the hug. "You both coulda been killed back there!"
"And Max woulda been killed as well! She's the only reason those freaks came at us!"
"I don't know how else to thank you, David," I said. "But long time no see."
"Oh, Max," sighed David. "What have you gotten yourself into this time? You better-"
Then we hear a boom from outside before David could finish. Which was echoed throughout exit out of these caves ahead of us. Which had to be who I thought it should be.
"That's gotta be Alex," I said.
"Who?" David asked.
"Alex, my cousin! I can explain everything as soon as we get her! C'mon!"
"We're taking orders from your step-daughter's girlfriend, David?" The young gentleman questioned.
"You'll be taking orders from me and her if you got to, Cayce," answered David. "Let's get out of here before Ares's freakshow comes back."
Cayce was the young man's name. Remembering him from the Valor Team photo. And Rachel's ex. If I knew the eyes from the young woman who was with David anywhere, they were Prescott eyes. Meaning Nathan's sister Kristine was with David. The least maniacal of the Pres-bunch.
The five of us raced outside the cave to finally catch a breath of the great outdoors of Meridian Prime again. Upon exiting, we spotted some old ships ahead of us. Could be some old warships from the Germans. Maybe even from the English and Americans who assisted the Heard of Whales too.
"At least the gunfire means she's still alive," I said. "For now."
"Is that a warship I see?" Chloe asked spotting what she saw.
"Yeah, sure looks like it," I said.
We all step outside in the open sun and confirm what we see. And more than just one ship that had marooned itself on the northern shores of Meridian.
"Holy wowser," I said. "It's a ship graveyard."
"These ship classes look ancient," said Cayce. "World War II?"
"World War I," I corrected. "A battle broke out here during the revolt."
"You two seem pretty confidant about yourselves for someone who nearly got themselves killed by Ares's gang," said Kristine.
"Trust me, Nathan's sister," said Chloe. "We've survived worse. If not just as bad."
"It's Kristine to you, Chloe Price."
Another blast was heard before anyone could say anything else. Alex was closer and I knew it.
"We're getting closer to them," I said.
We all walk alongside the cliffside of the ship's graveyard to investigate the noise. And we finally spot Alex and a stranger she was with escaping some ConDef troops who were shooting them while they were shooting back.
"Ah, crap," I said. "That's Alex."
"She's surrounded," said Chloe.
"Holy shit, that's the Colonel!" Kristine pointed. "That's Colonel Dhaled down there too!"
"Who?"
"Well I'll be fuck me," said David. "It is him."
"What's he doing all the way here?" Cayce thought.
"C'mon, we gotta go get them," I said. "We gotta find a way to the beach.
David, you have to trust me when I say we have to split up. You know what I'm capable of and I know you can vouch for me whatever I say."
"And why would I let you two split up?" David asked. "Your parents and Joyce are gonna behead me if I let anything happen to you!"
"When have I let Chloe die on my watch? Please, David! For my sake, we have better odds if we militarily do this as you would."
X/SQUARE/LM – SPLIT UP
B/CIRCLE/RM – STAY TOGETHER
"Forgive me, Joyce," sighed David. "You better know what you're doing if those time powers don't kill ya. I see you've already acquired one of Ares's wants and I hope don't let it slip into his hands."
"Not by the hair of our shakabras," I said. "Which is a word Chloe made up. We can meet you where my Uncle Bryan is landing if that makes us square."
"And we got guns, David," said Chloe. "And we don't need your permission to use them. Nor gun control."
"Okay, Cayce and Kristine. You heard the young lady. Let's fan out and meet each other wherever the hell Max and Chloe want us to."
"You sure it's a good idea to just let them handle ConDef on their own?" Cayce questioned.
"I gave you an order, Cayce. You know what to do."
"Yes, sir!"
David and his team take a path to the beach elsewhere while Chloe and I find a route through the shipyard. ConDef soldiers were sighted taking attack positions on the warship. Chloe and I found cover as quickly as we could and prepared our attack formation.
The two of us were fighting standard infantry when we found the cover on the ground of the marooned warship ConDef was shooting us at. We use out pistols and I use my power to protect myself and Chloe when need be. There was a sniper position on a radar mast. Who I took out by shooting explosive barrels that brought mast down with the sniper.
More enemy troops enforced themselves on the beach ground with some strikers and juggernauts with light MGs. Which is when we needed a strategy. Until we didn't.
A missile was launched out of nowhere that hit the beach flow devastatingly took out the whole platoon of ConDef along with the juggernauts and strikers. A helicopter that belonged to Chrysalis had flown by us which was where the missile strike came from.
"Hi there, Max Caulfield," said the pilot on the chopper through the radio. "You don't know me, by I'm a friend of David and he told to be your eye in the sky and not leave you alone down there."
"Whoever you are, thank you," I said.
"You can call me, Lynch. Stay on this frequency if you need me."
"You know it, ma'am," said Chloe. "Or Lynch or whatever your name is. I knew David wasn't that dumb to leave us without air support."
The chopper flew away from us until we need Lynch again. Wonder where Bryan is landing his plane. Maybe he could help us using the guns he modified the plane with like he did for Alex and me back in Greece.
As soon as we were both on the beach floor, we now had bigger fish to fry than a platoon of ConDef. A portal like substance projected itself on the beach floor emerging a robed figure who had pale white hair and wrinkly skin and Hephaestus dead in front of us. The robed figure was with Alex when we saw her entering the estates and was another individual I had identified in Ezra's drawings. Chloe and I freeze ourselves once the two had closed their portal behind them and the robed male spoke to us.
"Hear me and rejoice traveler," said the old male. "Or should I address you as Maxine Caulfield? You are about to die at the hands of the children of Ares. Be thankful that your meaningless life can now contribute-"
"I'm sorry, who the fuck are you?!" Chloe muttered. "If you're more of those maniacs after Max, you can both fuck yourselves before we do anything you ask! I pledge allegiance to Max to the power for which she stands!"
"In the first place, I am Apollo. My confidant here is Hephaestus. In the second place, the power for which she does not stand is not for you to propagate. Traveler, does this chattering animal speak for you?"
"No, Apollo," I said. "I speak for myself. And I'll vouch for Chloe over you motherfuckers!"
"Tell Ares to pick on another universe, Squidward!" Chloe spat. Pointing her gun at Apollo and Hephaestus. "We like ours the way it fucking is!"
"Such language," said Apollo. "They exhaust me. Kill them both and bring me the shard."
"With pleasure!" Hephaestus hissed.
"Chloe, run!" I yelled.
Chloe ran as fast as she could as soon as Hephaestus started charging at us and swinging his weapons at us. Which were giant sickles tied to chains that Hephaestus could whip around with when swinging them around. Like the Blades of Chaos from God Of War.
Hephaestus swung one chained sickle at us and missed as I ducked under. He swung another as I dodge by rolling over. One of his sickles was caught on some metal on a crashed freighter and tore the hull open. Allowing for Chloe and me to escape.
"Chloe, into the ships hold!" I called out. "Now!"
Hephaestus leaped mid-air to execute a ground slam attack at us and I freeze the beast with a time bubble to buy us time for our escape. Chloe and I make a run for the hull where it's wet and damp and I reseal the breach with my time rewind to keep us safe. The time bubble wears down and unfreezes Hephaestus slamming himself onto the sandy ground. Apollo is impressed by my skill by not by my defiance.
"You can't run forever, Ms. Caulfield," said Apollo to himself. "Your skills are admirable. Your defiance is not."
The of us were safe inside. For now. We had to keep going if we were to catch up with Alex and rendezvous with David.
"You okay?" I asked Chloe.
"Yeah, I'm okay enough," she replied. "Now let's find your cousin."
David
July 23rd, 2017
1:41 PM
New Exodus, Meridian Prime
Northern Shores
Cayce, Kristine, and I take cover behind some wooden crates on the sandy ground holding off ConDef shooting us. I sure hoped Lynch responded to my request to back up my step-daughter and girlfriend well.
"With all due respect, Commander," said Cayce hiding behind cover. "I'm still against the idea of leaving Chloe and Max behind like that!"
"With all due respect, Corporal," I said. "That is not your responsibility!"
"David, we got MG trucks inbound!" Kristine alerted.
Armored turret trucks drove themselves into the sand to give the enemy support. The MG trucks set their weapons-free and started spraying fifty caliber bullets at us.
"Just what we needed!" Cayce muttered. "And left the girls behind in the middle of all this ruckus!"
Then suddenly, some fifty caliber bullets raining down on the ConDef troops as well as the MG armored MG trucks. They were immediately finished off by stinger fire with a single rocket the blew them both of their tires. We turned behind us to see the chopper who gave us support. But didn't belong to Lynch.
"Yeehaw! Smell that ConDef barbeque!" Lieutenant Major Heard chanted on comm. Operating a turret inside the passenger hold next to Newblood equipped with a stinger launcher.
"You three didn't think I was gonna lose more to the team today, did you?" Cage said while flying the Chrysalis bird.
"I should be glad you stopped by, Captain," I admitted. "Thanks for the assist."
"Captain Cage, is that you, I hear?" Lynch said on the channel.
"Guilty as charged, Lieutenant Lynch," replied Cage. "I brought what's left of Valor Team with me with the admiral's permission and you should be seeing more birds inbound. With some infantry reinforcements too."
"Cage, tell the reinforcements to make sure to give Caulfield and Price some support," I requested. "You should see them in the shipyard somewhere."
"Glad you were able to find the prodigal daughters yourself, Commander. Be sure to send Chloe my love."
"They're not the only people we found, Captain," said Cayce. "We found Colonel Dhaled was somehow brought on this island and kept prisoner. He managed to escape with another prisoner who's Max Caulfield's cousin."
"Then we'll be sure to give him the rescue he deserves. And I didn't know Max had a cousin. Cage out."
Max
July 23rd, 2017
1:42 PM
New Exodus, Meridian Prime
Northern Shores
Chloe and I get out of the crashed warship and back on dry ground. Where we hear more shooting up ahead. Where Chloe spots my favorite relative holding back ConDef with the other prisoner David named Colonel Dhaled.
"Max, up on the ship," pointed Chloe. "It's Alex!"
I catch the smallest glimpse of Alex fighting back ConDef by shooting with her pistol and taking cover on the deck of a freighter. The other prisoner shoots back at the enemy as well with a rifle.
"Ah, shit, she's pinned down," I said.
We both run towards the opposing force shooting at Alex and Dhaled and get the jump on them shooting a couple in the back.
"Alex!" I shouted at her.
"Max?!" She shouted back.
"Stay put! We're coming to you!"
"Who are they?!" The man named Dhaled questioned.
"My cousin and girlfriend are who they are and they're here to save us! Fight fair, you bastards!"
As we flanked the enemy forces, I was able to deal with the rest by tossing a grenade in the air and freezing it in time. So, I could fire some bullet into the bubble and cause a bigger explosion as soon as the bubble wore out. Taking out half a dozen ConDef pinning Alex down.
"Hey! Up here!" Alex shouted as soon as it was all cleared.
Chloe and I run towards Alex. Still standing her ground with the man who was with her.
"Man, you're a sight for sore eyes," said Alex as we approached her.
"Yeah, how about we get off this damned beach, huh?" I told her. "And who's the stranger?"
"Max, Chloe, meet Colonel Dhaled of the Lebanese Resistance. He was my cellmate when they held me prisoner. Colonel, meet Max my cousin and Chloe her BFF."
"And what brings you young ladies to this forsaken island?" Dhaled asked.
"Rescuing Alex for starters, Colonel," said Chloe. "How 'bout you give us hand and we'll explain ourselves more."
"Absolutely."
Dhaled kicked down a ladder for us to climb up with. We climb the ladder after one another a regroup with my cousin and cellmate.
"Did you find my lighter?" Alex asked.
Before I could answer, a rocket exploded in front of us and sent us down through the floor of the deck and inside the ship. It was time to do some more fighting.
"Shit, we're sitting ducks in here!" Alex spoke out.
"We gotta take out that RPG!" Chloe pointed.
"Good thinking," complimented Dhaled. "But our guns will be no match for that rocket-man!"
We suddenly see massive bullets fired upon the remaining ConDef that gets butchered upon the firing including the rocket-man. Another chopper flies past us hovering over our positions and signifies where the firing came from.
"This is CH-198," said the chopper pilot. "Dropping off infantry for support. Stand by."
It wasn't Lynch's chopper. It was more Chrysalis coming for us. The chopper hovers over where it had taken out our shooters and dropped a rope down on our ground for Chrysalis soldiers to rope down to us. The chopper left as soon as we had some reinforcements with us. Guess David took his rescue mission seriously by making sure the rest of Chrysalis was with us. We join up with the other soldier as they saw us coming.
"You wouldn't believe how glad I am to see some old friends," said Dhaled to the leading soldier.
"And you are?" The soldier asked.
"Colonel Fehr Dhaled of the Lebanese Militia. The others have identified themselves as Alex, Chloe, and Max."
"Max? As in Max Caulfield?"
"I'm guessing you're more rescue workers?" I asked the soldier.
"We had orders from Admiral Penske to assistant Captain Cage and Commander Madsen in securing you and extract you from the island."
"Well, how kind of you, soldier boy," said Chloe. "If not for you, Mr. Rocket-Man woulda taken care of us instead."
"We met Commander Madsen earlier on the island and told him we'll meet him elsewhere," I said. "If you can all help us get to where we need to be, they'd be great."
More shots were fired by more ConDef attacking us from another downed warship. Killing one of the Chrysalis troops with us. We all run for cover and defend ourselves.
"Ah, fuck," said Alex. "Over there! From the other ship! The deck above!"
"Max, get that RPG and blow those fuckers apart!" Chloe ordered.
"I'm on it!" I responded.
"Since when do you think you give the orders, Missy?!" Dhaled barked.
"Since right now, Colonel!" Chloe barked back.
I race toward the RPG. Lying around next to the body of the rocket-man in the middle of this shooting gallery. I pick up the RPG and aim for the squad of ConDef on the deck of the downed ship. But before my rocket could go in, some turret fire rain down on ConDef's parade and took them all down instead. Thanks to more air support from another chopper. Flown by other familiar names.
"Did somebody order some support?" A grouchy female voice spoke on the radio.
"Remember us, Ms. Caulfield? It's Captain Cage. We're part of David's crew."
"Captain Cage!" Dhaled shouted out. "You're the greatest sight for my sorest eyes I've seen by far on this island."
"Commander Madsen told us of your presence here, Colonel. Here's some irony for the time-powered girl. A captain who was once ordered to take you down is now ordered to save your ass."
"I'm grateful for the assistance, Captain," I said. "That's twice I owe you. How do I thank you?"
"Get out of here in one piece and you might get a Rice Crispy Treat. Cage out."
David
July 23rd, 2017
1:45 PM
New Exodus, Meridian Prime
Northern Shores
We fought back against more ConDef on the beaches of Meridian Prime. With the two love birds Cayce and Kristine fighting by my side. Shooting at more infantry as the infantry was shooting at us.
"Where the fuck are we supposed to meet Max at?!" Kristine hollered behind cover.
"How the fuck should I know?!" Cayce bickered.
"I wasn't asking you!"
"Just keep shooting, Kristine!" I barked. "That's an order! Lynch, we could use you're help over here!"
"Anytime, Commander," responded Lynch. "Stand by."
Joanna
July 23rd, 2017
1:46 PM
New Exodus, Meridian Prime
Northern Shores
Elias and I were dropped off in our convoy of armored trucks near a cliffside overlooking the battleground that had broken out thanks to the Chrysalis activity we were alerted about. We step out of our vehicle with ConDef troops as well as Ares and his Dark Order dropping in to oversee the fighting.
We both stand next to Ares and Apollo. With Hephaestus, Thanatos, and Nemesis right behind us and ConDef soldiers backing us up.
"How in the bloody hell is Chrysalis here?!" Elias snapped. "We were supposed to keep ourselves isolated on this island away from Chrysalis jurisdiction!"
"Patience, General," said Apollo. "These aren't just a couple of generic Chrysalis vermin. Those soldiers down there are the ones from Beirut. One of them by the name of David Madsen who's had a history with the traveler."
"They must be here for a trivial attempt to save Max Caulfield," said Ares.
"They will never get far."
I look down at one of the troops fighting out men. A young female in Chrysalis gear. Beautiful brown hair and bright brown eyes that I recall anywhere in a lifetime. My niece Kristine Prescott was down there. Holding an auto-rifle in hand and shooting at ConDef troops. I stare at her in concern. She may no longer care for me, but I do in some way care for her.
"Kristine?" I said worriedly.
Kristine
July 23rd, 2017
1:47 PM
New Exodus, Meridian Prime
Northern Shores
As I was shooting down enemy contacts on the beach ground. I began to see things as part of my post-trauma. Hallucinating people taking the form of ConDef troops firing at us. Seeing dead family members who I've loved and hated.
I see my brother Nathan marching down in slow-motion with a rifle in his hand. Aiming the rifle at me. Fixated in his sights. I begin to panic with my heart racing and my ears ringing. I couldn't bring myself to shoot my brother who I knew wasn't my brother. Then someone else shot him for me. When it was just a ConDef trooper that was shot down.
"Stay focused, Kristine!" Cayce snapped in my face as my hearing returned normal and his yelling jumped me. "You wanna get yourself killed?!"
Lynch's chopper arrived and prepared to fire on our foes. Not before a telepathic force sent the helicopter spinning out of control. Which had come from one of Ares's minions, Apollo. Using his mind to manipulate the motion of Lynch's heli.
"Ugh, I've lost control!" Lynch panicked. "Mayday! Mayday! My throttle isn't functioning! I'm going down!"
The chopper kept spinning around until it hit the old marooned warship next to us. Rolling itself like a burrito on the deck of the ship. While there was no explosion, the helicopter was indeed totaled. Either Lynch was killed or injured in the crash and we had to help her.
"Lynch!" David screamed.
Before we could rescue her, Apollo had equipped his bow and arrow to shoot with. Taking an arrow out of his quiver, loading his arrow onto his bow and stretching the string to launch it, and released the bow to fire away. Which was an explosive arrow that sent us flying off our ground as it hit the sand.
I land my side as I'm only half-conscious from the shock of the explosion. My ears are ringing again and I moderately open my eyelids to see another hallucinated figure before me. This time, it was my only hated father Sean Prescott. Staring down at me as I crawled backward seeing my hallucinated dad tip-toe towards me with a rifle in his hand and aims it at my face. Ready to shoot me. I shut my eyes then bang.
My dad who is just another enemy troop who was about to execute me is shot down. Thanks to David for his assistance. My hearing is back and I snap out of my hallucinating state as David pick up to get me on my feet.
"On your feet your feet, Kristine!" David snapped. "C'mon! We gotta help Lynch! Lynch do you read?! You still there?!"
There's coughing on the radio. Meaning Lynch is barely still alive.
"I'm fine…but I think I'm stuck," she responded. "How many times do I have to crash my goddamn bird?!"
"Let's get up there, Valor!" David ordered. "Lynch doesn't have much time!"
The three of us double-time ourselves into the crashed freighter and race our way to the upper deck where the helicopter crashed. We make it to the downed chopper in time before it sets itself on fire. Then we help lynch out of her cockpit by tearing her cockpit door open and pulling her out of there. Right as soon as the chopper lights on fire.
Cayce had to carry Lynch over the shoulder since she twisted her ankle during the crash. Which was gonna slow us down and take longer for us to meet Max at the rendezvous.
"That's the second time we had to pull your ass out of a crash," said Cayce holding onto Lynch.
"Third time actually," corrected Lynch. "Remember Portland?"
"So now who's gonna support Chloe and Max without Lynch's helicopter?" I asked.
Then the helicopter went boom once the fire spread enough.
"Cage said there'd be reinforcements soon," said David. "The sooner they're here, the sooner they have some backup."
Max
July 23rd, 2017
1:49 PM
New Exodus, Meridian Prime
Northern Shores
Chloe, Alex, Dhaled, our rescue team and I ran across a deck inside one of the old freighters that had canons built through the walls. Just as turret fire from MG trucks was shooting through the walls. We all ran as fast as we could but I was falling behind everyone else.
"Max! Hurry!" Chloe yelled.
"We gotta move it!" Alex yelled.
Then one of the ship's cannon jerked backyard as the damage was being done by the turrets and rocket fire. Cutting me off from the rest of the group.
"Max?!" Chloe panicked.
"I'm good!" I shouted. "Just run!"
Except I wasn't good. Another rocket fired through the hull and caused another chain reaction that had me descending lower into the ship. Only this time not with dry air but water.
I splashed through the salty shore water in the ship's wreckage. Tasting the saltiness of the water I was drowning myself in and had to swim out of. I swam as fast as I could until I saw brightness above me which meant I could catch my breath. I stick my head out of the water for air and see that the deck of the ship was half full of saltwater. I had to get out of here before the whole deck was drained.
I gasp my mouth open to hold my breath again and dive back underwater. I kept swimming under like the little mermaid until I find another space with breathable air in the hold. Which I did until the water was moving upward from my waist towards my chin. I gasp for air again and dunk myself in again. I had seen a hole in the hold breached inside which appeared blocked by sea rocks. If not for my best friend I was wearing around my neck, I wouldn't have the idea of rewinding my way out of here.
I held onto my breath as much as I could and utilized the Time Shard to rewind the draining and escape through the hole. Once the hole was unblocked, I swam my way through it and was able to swim into some open water outside the wreckage. And finally, I swam above water to find myself swimming towards land again.
I get out of the water and dry my drenched clothing off as I walk onto the sand again. Three helicopters flew past me and headed further inland. Meaning more of the reinforcements arrived. No sign of ConDef men which was a good sign. The only bad sign was something even worse to come. A sound I had not heard since Greece was the sign of a larger threat incoming.
It was the dragon I had first seen in Greece with someone riding on it's back like Daenerys Targaryen would ride Drogon in Game Of Thrones. That rider was none other than arch-nemesis number once since my journey hunting the Eternity Shards began…Ares.
I run for cover behind some wooden crates before the dragon could burn me to death even though the fire would burn through this wood. Then Ares drops down from his dragon as it flies away and Ares makes a loud thud with his feet landing on the sand. Ares looked different this time. Half his armor was gone. His helmet was off, he was now holding five out of the six Eternity Shards on his golden gauntlet. Ares had a long beard and a massive Rock-In-Roll mullet with his helmet off.
The mad god himself was walking in my direction. Ready to collect the one shard around my neck before he had left to swipe. Over my dead body which was unquestionably the idea.
In a feeble attempt to defend myself from Ares, I shot my pistol at him only to have a blue force shielding and deflecting my bullets from him. Then Ares raised his gauntlet with the red Reality Shard lit that was able to transfigure my bullets into a bubble and then my gun into a bubble substance. Disarming me for good.
I was unarmed and alone. Separated from Chloe, Alex, and the others with no support. Just me and Ares who I wasn't prepared to take on. I stayed hidden behind the crates confronting my inevitable doom.
"I wouldn't try that if I were you," said Ares. "You've already lost Ms. Caulfield as well as Chrysalis. You've all lost since my conquest began in Seattle. No one can help you now."
"Not if the traveler has something to say for that," I said. "Lynch come in. Lynch do you read!"
"My lieutenant Apollo has taken care of your pathetic support. As I've said, no one can help you now. Not David Madsen, not your cousin Alex Caulfield, not even your girlfriend Chloe Price."
"Why are you doing this? Do you think killing half this planet will make things better for everyone? How many innocent people have to die because of your ego?"
"Innocence is beyond my incentive. You must believe that I, Ares the mad god, has seen more pain and suffering than any living animal has laid eyes on. Centuries of oppression, decades of conflict, and all for the sake of ruthless power and pitiful freedoms. The resolutions are less than infinite. But what if there hadn't been as many people to deal with the conflicts that came before? What if our population was reduced to half compared to what it is now? Would the conflicts never occur? Would our civilizations have more peaceful gestures in the making?"
"Ever wonder if all that oppression and conflict may have come from you? Starting conflicts to end more conflicts is just as bad if not worse. There're already people dying out there because of you as I speak! And for what?! For more peaceful gestures?!"
"The people fighting for my cause have been necessary casualties. The people against it have wasted their potential. Don't think for a moment that I never knew who you were even before our first meeting in Greece. I've known who you were since the beginning. From that storm in Arcadia Bay up until where we stand. And I've not only learned about your deepest desires thanks to the Mind Shard that collected your memories…but I have been manipulating everyone…who has ever turned against you…just to do away with you…right until now."
Ares's voice had changed from Sean Prescott's to Derrick Crosby's to Mark Jefferson's. Meaning they were all puppets under Ares's influence? Had he been the one pulling the strings since my powers came to be?
"It is I who has tethered your mind with the premonitions you've envisioned," continued Ares. "The Arcadia Storm, Triple 4, and now this. It is me responsible for those events. I made the storm to test your feelings for Chloe and test the balance in exterminating half a population of a small town. I watched Chronos lead his attack on Portland right after the diversion of the Arcadia Storm. All to ensure my succession in conquest. The end of that conquest will be the death of you and the Mantle of Possibility that I will withhold in the day of the reclamation to come."
"And let me guess," I said. "Joanna and Alkaline have their minds twisted in all this too. Just like everyone you've used under your spell?"
"A more suitable term would be initiation. Not spell. Lady Joanna of the Herd of Whales and General Alkaline of the Continuum Defense Front have proven themselves to my principle. Should their lives be lost to the reclamation, their sacrifices will be in my honor. As with everyone else fighting for it. I could snap my finger and half the universe will be trounced."
I could not believe what I was hearing from the mad god. He had been the puppeteer of everyone who's ever opposed me because of my power and spread it like an incurable illness. From Sean Prescott to Joanna Prescott and the illness was soon passed on to their co-conspirators such as Nathan Prescott, Mark Jefferson, Derrick Crosby, Elias Alkaline, you name them.
"To think I knew the names of everyone you used and it was all you the entire time," I hissed. "Names who could have lives so much better lives if not for you! How many more people will you control for your fucking ego!"
"You confuse my ego for my charity! Soon the world will be grateful what I'm about to do and Chrysalis's gullible revolt will be crushed! The universe needs it's correction as I see fit! I am…inevitable! I know you won't be giving up the Time Shard willingly. Knowing the ingratitude of your ego. And for that…you will die."
Ares lit up the purple Power Shard on his gauntlet and shot a blast of purple energy towards me. Blowing the wooden crates I was hiding behind open and sending me flying off the ground and hitting the sand behind my back. I had no gun with me to defend myself and it wouldn't be effective even if I did. Then I see a China Lake grenade launcher lying around that I could use against Ares.
I use my time freeze on Ares to buy myself time to roll over to the launcher and pick it up. The China Lake had one explosive round inside for me to use. I aim the grenade launcher at Ares and fire the round into the time bubble. The grenade goes off once the time bubble is off and it sends Ares flying off his feet stunning him. And that's when Hephaestus reappears again from an above cliff and drops down to my ground to finish the job his master started.
"Ah, not you again!" I whined.
Hephaestus let out a monstrous scream and pounded his pecks with his fist like a barrel drum. I turned my head back at Ares to see him portal his way out of here with the Space Shard and leaving me with his minion to finish me.
"Nowhere to run, little girl!" Hephaestus roared. "Just you and me now!"
I start running away from him as fast as I could. Tucking and rolling to dodge is every attack with his chained sickles he'd been swinging with. There was the shipping district of New Exodus I could cut through built for the docks of the northern shores. That's where I started running.
"How the fuck does Joanna work with you scumbags?!" I yelled.
I make a run through the district past buildings and houses. Hephaestus kept swinging his sickles around damaging the buildings wherever I went. I see some stairs to maneuver away from Hephaestus's pursuit and I climb up a brick beam thinking I was safer up high. I was not.
Once I was up the beam, Hephaestus smashed the beam in half sending me falling down a roof with it. Carefully timed my jump over to the roof as the beam was collapsing.
"Ah, why? Why? Why?!" I screamed.
I slide down the roof and back into the street. Where Hephaestus persisted the pursuit to kill me. This guy just doesn't give up. Like Nemesis from Resident Evil chasing down Jill Valentine. An invincible force not giving up ever until I'm made a corpse.
Hephaestus was slowing down a little by an overpass he had to smash through that bought me a little time to outrun him. I ran up a wooden platform that gets smashed apart by Hephaestus's sickle and I fall back on the street of the district when it happens. Hephaestus was a ferocious warrior but a terrible aimer. The monster was now going to ram me as soon since I was immobilized but I quickly freeze the beast in a time bubble to slow him. I get back on my feet to keep running after I do.
I run toward a gate that was chained shut but was able to climb over quickly. I new the time bubble had worn off by now meaning Hephaestus was free and back to charging at me. As soon I was over the gate, Hephaestus combusted the gate open into pieces and I kept running.
The monster kept chasing me against my will and I kept running down the street. Then I fall through some floorboards that have me sliding down the lower ground. Which was when a rocket fired on Hephaestus that gave him a push against a wall where his arm was caught and stuck inside. As Hephaestus struggle to pull himself out, I noticed where the friendly RPG fire came from. More old friends who became the calvary.
"Holy – Rachel?!" I shouted out.
"How are you doing, Max?" Rachel asked with a rocket launcher over her shoulder.
"Look out!"
Hephaestus swung his chained sickled at Rachel as she ducked under and tossed me the RPG to finish him. I pick it up as soon as the monster started to reel his sickle back to him.
"Okay, play time's over," I said while loading the warhead.
"Finish that bastard, will ya?!" Rachel shouted.
"My pleasure!"
I fired the rocket away and the rocket blew up in Hephaestus's face that not only pushed him through the wall but caused a house to collapse over him. Wood, bricks, and concrete that all piled over him and rendered him trampled taking him out for the count. For now.
"May the herd guide us all, asshole," I gloated. "Eh…that sounded better in my head."
"Nice work, Max," said Rachel.
"Well, thanks for the assist."
"C'mon over. I'll get you out of there."
"Please."
I take Rachel's hand as she pulls me up to her ground. I never expected a pretty face like Rachel to show up when she did, but glad she could be here when I needed her the most.
"Good to see you, Max," said Rachel.
"Yeah, right in the nick of time," I said.
"Yeah, well…Bryan got a little antsy waiting around to hear from you and Chloe. We also saw Chrysalis helicopters as we landed. I suppose that's good news."
"Well, the bad news is that we gotta find Alex and Chloe still. We got split up as they started attacking."
"Max, you're here!" Bryan shouted as he was joining us with Frank.
"Uncle Bryan!"
We hugged for second just as soon as we were regrouped by my favorite relative and the former trailer junkie.
"Thank goodness you're alright!" Bryan spoke as we hugged.
"Never better, Uncle," I said. "You still owe me more the truth you promised."
"Hey!" Chloe called out as she was rejoining us too.
"Hey!" I called back.
I hug Chloe as well.
"Are you okay?" Chloe asked.
"Yeah," I replied.
"We heard those explosions. We thought-"
"Yeah, it's all these guys."
"Hey, hey, hey!" Frank spoke out. "My favorite lesbians back together again. Wasn't expected you two to forgive and forget so easily."
"Unless you were expecting Thelma and Louise, Frank," I said. "I think we've forgiven but not forgotten."
"You save her ass again?" Chloe asked Rachel.
"Naturally," answered Rachel. "How are you doing?"
"Good. There were some close calls, but um…she covered me."
Alex appeared in front of us. Followed by Dhaled. My cousin walked nervously until she saw Bryan.
"Alex!" He exclaimed.
"Dad!" Alex shouted happily.
The two hug each other tightly. Must feel great for two of my best family to see each other again after the lies they told me.
"Glad to see both my niece and daughter alive and well," said Bryan proudly. "Who's this?"
"Colonel Dhaled," said the colonel. "Lebanese Resistance. Your daughter and I were held prisoner by ConDef."
Alex saw me standing next to Chloe. I should smack her through the face right now but maybe I'm not angry with her as I was before. We approach each other slowly as my cousin hopes for the smallest forgiveness I can offer her.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey," I said back. "How's that?"
Alex had a bullet wound on her arm wrapped with white gauze. From when she protected me on that cliff.
"Oh, the bullet grazed my shoulder," said Alex. "You?"
"Cliffside," I said pointing at the cut on my forehead. "Grazed my face. So, how'd you lose Joan?"
"Dhaled and I led her crew right into one of Ezra's traps."
"Smart. Where's the rescue team?"
"Didn't make it."
"Max! Chloe!" Another voice called out.
This time it was David who shouted at us. Joined by Kristine Prescott and Cayce Foley who was carrying a woman in pilot gear. Must be Lynch who we met earlier. Guess her helicopter crashed.
"David!" Chloe shouted.
Chloe ran to her step-father and hugged him happily. Caressing arm with one another.
"Oh, I'm so glad my step-daughter lives," said David.
"I'm so glad my step-commander lives," said Chloe.
"Next time, do as your damn well told."
"I guess we can call this mission accomplished then, David," said Cayce holding onto Lynch.
"Affirmative, Cayce. Affirmative as affirmative can be."
"I hope Kristine can look at my ankle on the way back," said Lynch.
"I'll see to it, Amanda," said Kristine.
"Hey, hey look," said Alex speaking to me. "About the whole Herd of Whales thing-"
"Hey, just, we can save that for later, okay?" I said. "Bryan, where'd you park the plane?"
"On the beach," he said. "Other side of this town."
"Okay."
"Good," said Chloe. "I hope all that ruckus didn't attract any attention."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa," said Alex. "Sorry. What are we doing?"
"What do you think we're doing?" Rachel thought. "We're getting the hell off this rock."
"Right. We – we could do that…or we could head in that direction…which is a shortcut."
"Shortcut to what?"
"The Ark of Genesis."
"Oh, wow."
"I mean, Ares and Joan's got to go all the way around but we could just-"
"Hey, fuck Ares and Joan!"
"Hey, Rachel, with all due respect, maybe we just-"
"Maybe we just put this trip on ice," said Bryan. "And let Chrysalis handle the mess for now."
"And that's just the thing, Dad. We got the Chrysalis army watching our backs now. Including that David guy Max talks about standing right here with us. Look, we're all here for the same reason, right?"
"I'd listen to your dad if I were you," said David. "Our mission was to get your asses off this island. Not whatever you're talking about."
"Yeah, we didn't come after the ark," said Chloe. "We came after you."
"And I appreciate that," said Alex. "I do. But we're good. And we've got the lead for now. We can do this. Max, c'mon. Huh? Look around. Okay, Ezra scuttled every last ship on this island. You know why?"
"Because he was hellbent on finding the ark," said Chloe.
"Exactly."
"No matter the cost to the others around him."
"Because he didn't want anyone to follow him. Because he was going underground. Look at this."
Alex pulled out a sheet of paper for me to look at. Which was a map of the island.
"Okay, I found his map of the island," she began. "Okay? This was his route under that mountain."
Alex pointed at the mounted with the curved peak. Signifying the location of the ark.
"That's where our ark is," she continued. "And it is exactly where Ares is heading right now while we stand around and argue like idiots."
"You think we don't realize that, Alex?" Rachel questioned. "You think we don't know what's at stake? We can't just walk into that mountain blind. What Ezra somehow managed to cut everyone off that mountain using some barricade or something?"
"Then we blow that barricade to orbit."
"Oh, boy…"
"How long have we been chasing this thing, huh?" Alex asked me. "You and me. No offense to these guys and gals but we both know you're the only one who can stop Ares and they just don't get it."
"Actually, Alex," I said. "They do. They really do. Okay? Trust me, they've seen this…kind of obsession before. But Alex…we're not those kids anymore. We're not. This is bigger than just our childhood dreams now and I say we head on over to the Oregon and come up with a real plan to take Ares down. That's just how it has to be."
Alex shrugged and took a few steps backward. Excepting what must be done even if it has to wait.
"If that's what the almighty traveler wishes," she said. "Then I honor her wishes dearly."
"Cage, do you read?" David asked on his comm. "Tell HQ we're coming home. Max Caulfield and Chloe Price are secured. I've had enough of this island as I have."
Note: So, I just want to let everyone know to stay safe, wash your hands, keep yourself at home, whatever it takes to stop this Coronavirus crisis happening around the world that worsens every day. As it pains me to see that movies and TV shows I've been looking forward to this year have either been postponed or canceled because of COVID-19, I know we'll all beat this thing one way or another. My spring break has also been extended to one more week and I'll be taking my college classes online afterward until it's safer to come outdoors again.
Until next time, stay tuned, STAY PROTECTED, and stay golden!