Chapter 8: The Aftermath

Pollux found a first-aid kit and flashlight in the corner. "Let me - you're hurt worse." Cressida whispered. After cleaning his wounds, she took some paste on her fingers and began putting it over the wounds to speed their healing.

"Our vests shielded us from the shrapnel." Pollux whispered.

"Wow." Cressida whispered in awe. "Your dad thought of everything." Pollux nodded. "Pollux?" He raised his eyebrows. "I - um - I couldn't have - I mean -" Cressida gulped. "Thanks for going with me." She kissed him on his cheek in a wound-free area.

"I'm glad you were with me too." Pollux said quietly. His watch buzzed again. "Castor's safe."

"And Tom?" Cressida asked. Pollux scrolled through his messages as Cressida finished with his face.

"Um - let me ask Dad again." Pollux said. "With everything - I might have erased something." He used his device to text his father. It buzzed.

"He's ok?" Cressida asked.

"Um - he's checking on something." Pollux said.

"Pollux - give me your device." Cressida said. "I want to know for myself." Pollux stared at her face. It was set firmly. The small rectangle-shaped elctronic equipment felt heavy in her hand.

I have not heard from Tom since his third delivery.

"Cressida -" Pollux whispered as Cressida put her head in her hands and began sobbing. "Maybe he got lost or something."

"Don't - lie - Pollux - please -" Cressida felt Pollux's arms around her.

"I'm going to clean your face." He said softly as Cressida's sobs slowly subsided.

"Tom won't see me like this anyway." She said sniffling.

"He - he would want me to." Pollux said. Cressida sobbed as Pollux cleaned her face. She wondered why he bothered as her tears probably washed the medication away as soon as he applied it to her cheek. "I'm right here. Whatever happens." Pollux whispered. Cressida lay on her side and sobbed. She felt Pollux's arms wrap around her as he pulled a blanket over themselves. Cressida laced her fingers with his and gave his hands a squeeze. She could feel his body shaking with sobs as well. Somehow they managed to doze off and on through the night.

"I - I don't know - what I'll do -" Cressida stammered as her eyes adjusted to the morning light coming through the grate in the wall.

"You can come to my house. We were supposed to anyway." Pollux said reassuringly. He wrapped her in his arms as she sobbed into his shoulder. Cressida's device buzzed. "It's a call. Cressida, you have to answer it."

"Ok." Cressida said. She reached into her pocket and looked at the number. It was listed as: secured line. She held the device to her ear with one hand, her other hand tightened its grip on Pollux's hand. "Hello?" She asked in a small voice.

"Cressida - it's me." It was Mr. Smith. "Tom can't call you directly, but he's ok."

"I - are you - sure? You told Pollux -"

"He wasn't able to contact me from his location until five minutes ago. My wife is coming to get you two. Stay at your location. I have to go, but Tom is ok."

"I - thank you - so much - thank you -" Cressida broke down sobbing as Pollux took her device to end the call. "He's ok - he's ok -"

"It would probably be a lot to take your brother down, Cress." Pollux said rubbing her back. He kissed her forehead. "I'm glad he's ok. I'm glad - I'm glad you don't have to worry."

"Pollux - I - I'm glad Castor's safe - I'm - I'm sorry I didn't say that last night." Pollux nodded. They snuggled with each other. "Your face is nearly healed." Cressida said stroking Pollux's cheek with her fingers. "Hey - you're hairy!" Pollux blushed.

"I usually shave every few days." Pollux stammered.

"Wow - that's weird - hey - it's red!" Pollux ran his fingers through Cressida's hair.

"Last night was more bearable with you here." Pollux said. "Even though you were scared."

"I couldn't have made it without you." Cressida whispered.

"Geez, you two! Mom, Dad, and Tom leave you two alone for one evening -" A third voice said. The two teens gasped when they realized the door to their hiding place was open and a bemused face was poking in.

"CASTOR!" Pollux sat up and turned beet red. Cressida pulled the blanket over her head.

"Hurry up! Tigris is about to open her store!" Castor said. He laughed watching his brother and friend crawl through the hole in the shelf and stand up. "Mom's outside." Castor said. Mrs. Smith waved from a car parked in front of the shop. She was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. The three kids bid Tigris goodbye and got in.

"Tom will be relieved to see you, honey." Mrs. Smith said to Cressida. The boys had let her ride shottie.

"Yeah, and hear your make-out stories with my little brother!" Castor quipped.

"SHUT UP, CASTOR!" The two boys had a short wrestling match in the back of the car. "And - Mom, don't worry, Cress and I didn't make out." Mrs. Smith laughed. "It was cold, and Tigris only had one blanket - so that's why uh - Castor found us - um - snuggling."

"And I'm sure Cressida needed a hug." Mrs. Smith said smiling. "After all, she was worried about Tom."

"Yeah." Cressida said quietly. "Yeah. I was." Pollux and Cressida ran down the hallways to get to the Smith's unit. "TOM!" Cressida was in her brother's arms a second after stepping through the doorway. "You're safe - you're alright!" She sobbed.

"I'm alright, sis." Tom said smiling. "Come on." He led the group into the Smith's soundproof workroom where Mr. Smith, and Beetee were waiting.

"Well, congratulations on a job well done." Beetee said smiling.

"We - uh -" Pollux and Cressida exchanged glances.

"Well - coming out with only one casualty or - as Mr. Smith would say, interrupted delivery per mission is very good. Usually things are a lot worse."

"What happened to - Mr. - Hawkins?" Cressida asked softly.

"He is no longer with us." Mr. Smith said simply. "Our peacekeepr was able to get you kids out of the building and then he had to rid himself of his disguise before going back for Mr. Hawkins. It happens, kids." Cressida and Pollux nodded blinking back tears. Castor and Tom looked at the ground or their hands.

"Tom - what - where were you?" Cressida asked.

"Oh." Tom said. "Well, I finished my first two deliveries and I was almost intercepted by peacekeepers. But then I made it to a safe-house - similar to what you stayed in, sis. I just hung out. They were watching my communication device, so I couldn't alert Mr. Smith on where I was." He smiled at Cressida. "But it sounds like Pollux was good company for you while you two were in hiding." Pollux and Cressida exchanged glances before blushing madly. Everyone chuckled.

"Yeah - well - we threw the box at the pods like you told us to, Dad." Pollux said. "We got scratched up a bit, but Tigris had a first-aid kit. And - yeah. We saw the peacekeepers get torched by another pod."

"Oh ok. It worked." Beetee said. "I rigged that one to get them because they would've turned around and tried to go into Tigris' store. "Well, now everyone new to the resistance has their special communication devices." He said happily. "I can't say any more than that, to you guys, but it worked." He looked at his watch. "I believe these kids have school in half an hour."

"SCHOOL?" Castor and Pollux yelped. "We have to go to school right after a mission?"

"Of course." Mr. Smith said smiling. "People would be suspicious if you kids suddenly missed a day all together. Chop chop, your mother made breakfast before going to Tigris' shop."

"I have your backpack, sis." Tom said. Castor and Pollux scarfed down their breakfast and ran to their rooms to change. Mrs. Smith let Cressida borrow one of her dresses.

"Oh - what about -" Cressida pointed to her cheek.

"Well - we'll let you kids make up an alibi for that. You three are creative enough." Mr. Smith said smiling. Cressida got an extra hug from Tom before joining the twins who were still grumbling about having to go to school. They trooped down the stairs. Even though they would rather be taking it easy, they knew that if they could have gotten through their mission, they could get through an ordinary tedious school day just fine.