[Adam]

"The name is Adam, not 'It'."

One of the dark haired girls, Number Six stands and helps the other one up, Number Seven. I know them from Mogadorian footage. Both girls watch me with curious expressions and I feel really stupid all of a sudden. When the big guy practically flies to his feet I feel even more stupid. While John was arguing with his friends about me I saw how much tension I was causing and several times I felt it would have been best if I just left, but then I thought about what One would do. I knew she would reassure me that I had something to offer, that I could really help her species out.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Number Nine glowers. "I tend to forget my manners when talking to the destroyers of other planets."

"So you talk to them a lot then?" Number Six smirks. Ouch. And destroyer of planets? Seriously?

He only casts her a glance before focusing on me. "So it's true then."

I frown. "What's true?"

The way he looks at me gives me an exposed kind of feeling. "You hooked up with One?"

"Ah geez, Nine." John growls at the same time Number Six scoffs and Number Seven looks at me with disgust. Are you kidding me?

My face burns with embarrassment, but I'm not letting his sick humor get to me. Instead I let it slide off. "If by hooked up you mean connected to One, then yeah…I was volunteered by my father to be in an experiment and that led to us being connected to each other."

"And then he gave you his legacy?" Number Nine looks at me with deep skepticism.

I let off a little bit of vibrations. Number Nine senses this and his eyes narrow. I play it out and then slowly let them cease as I reply. "First off, Number One was a girl…and second , she didn't just give me her legacy. It took time, I was asleep for four years inside her memories and it was several months after that when One transferred it to me." Talking about One stirs something inside of me that I had tightly folded away for some time. I forget how much I miss her sometimes and by talking about her I feel like I am giving her life again. "One was fading and she wanted me to have a way to help out you guys."

"You're saying that you actually saw One, actually spoke to her?" Number Six asks, her and Number Seven stand nearly shoulder to shoulder. They both have the same look of intrigue, and that gives me confidence.

"When I was finally awake she followed me like a ghost. I was the only one who could see or hear her. For the first little bit I was able to ignore her, I wanted to please my dad…I had a mission, but she made me watch memories over and over again. One memory we did share, it was before the experiment so I was watching from an airship window and I watched One and her Cepan as they were murdered."

Everyone's eyes have the same hint of anger, some more than others. I have to speed along my point.
"It meant little to me until I had to watch it through her eyes." I continue. "After I woke up I had begun to question everything, I was taught that Lorics were the enemies, but from her I was able to see the destruction and the sickness that runs deep inside those who follow the Mogadorian way."

"And we're just supposed to believe that you and One had girl talk and now you want to fight against your own people?" Number Nine stands a few feet away from me. His eyes burn into mine and I hope so much that he can't shoot lasers out of his eyes or something.

"Yeah." Six agrees. "I just don't understand how a Mogadorian could have a change of heart like that. I've been fighting your kind for as long as I can remember here on Earth and none of them have ever showed compassion."

I think of my mother and feel defensive of her. She was kind to me and loved me like a mother should. Granted she didn't do anything to save me in the last moments, but I have already forgiven her for that. As the wife of a general she had no choice. But to respond to Number Six's question I bring it back to One.

"I honestly and truly have One to thank for that. At first the experiment was terrifying and sick, but then it became the most important moment in my life. Because of those experiments One became a part of me and I her. We shared memories and she hung around me for several years. The longer she was with me the more we became friends and I discovered that I couldn't go on like a Mogadorian anymore. At first I thought I was weak, because that's what I saw in my father's eyes. In One's eyes I was something else, she urged me to help the Lorien Race. I did what I could to save Two and three, but as you know I failed."

"But you saved our tails back in Chicago." I note Sam's voice behind me, I guess I kind of forgot they were back there. "He called ahead to warn us that the Mogadorians were on their way."

"And he saved Malcolm and Sam from Dulce." John adds.

I duck my head a bit, but it's no time to be flattered. "I can do more. I want to do more. That's why I am here. I can help you guys."

"What makes you think we need your help?" Number Nine asks.

A laugh escapes my mouth and I feel like I am standing on a small beam above a piken pit. Number Nine's eyes blaze. "Sorry, it's just…why wouldn't you need me? As you've noticed, One passed on her legacy to me in her last moments. I am not helpless in the least. And most importantly I grew up as the son of a Mogadorian general, I am going to know things that no one else here knows. You guys are tough, but if there is one thing I know it's that tough alone isn't enough to win a battle, much less a war."

After a moment of silence my next words feel kind of solemn coming off my mind. "Fighting against the Mogadorians is what I am meant to do, One showed me that. If anything I am doing this for her. If you would have known her then you could have known how much it killed her that she was unable to do anything. Her legacy is only one thing she passed on to me, the other is her destiny. For her I vow to do what she cannot do and that is helping win this war to save Earth and Lorien. If I die trying then it will be my greatest honor. Just give me that chance."

[John]

Nine, and the rest stand still as they analyze Adams words. What caught my attention is what Adam said about Legacies and destinies. It reminds me of the night we had brought Five home and we were sharing stories around the table. Malcolm had said something about how he didn't think that when we were told we'd be inheriting the legacies of the Loric Elders that it meant the power kind of legacies, but perhaps the purpose of the Elders.

Malcolm breaks the silence by saying "I can vouch for him, Adam portrayed fantastic acts of courage that I had never before seen in a Mogadorian, and believe me...I've witnessed first-hand the actions of mogadorians and kindness isn't one of them, much less giving their own life."

I saw several nods in agreement. Including Sarah, who I knew had been a prisoner for a long while.

Six crosses her arms and looks at Marina and then at me. "Letting a Mogadorian help us take back Lorien." She says this almost to herself.

"You really think that is a smart move?" Nine growls with real sounding disbelief.

"We just might need him." Six sighs.

"We are not desperate enough to adopt a member of the enemy Six."

Six closes her eyes and then opens them slowly. "Maybe we are Nine."

"Just because they have one of us." Marina says. "Doesn't mean we have to take one of them."

"Why not though." Six questions. "We'd get the better end of the stick right? What the hell does Five know that we don't already know? Jack s***!"

"What do you know Adam?" Nine asks caustically.

Adam stands straight and looks between Six and Nine. "I know where practically every Mogadorian hiding spot is including where they live, I know several passwords and ways to tap into their communication-."

"All right." Six interrupts. "Obviously this is a huge leap of faith. No offense Adam, but we have kind of been resisting and running from your race since before we could even tie our shoes. Now, if John thinks you are trustworthy than I think I can at least allow myself to give you a chance. But that's just me. So I say we put this decision up to a vote."

"I never agreed-." Nine sputters.

Six puts her hand up to silence Nine. "It's the only way, we all need to come to an agreement. Obviously no one wants to be separated and in all honesty let's just see how useful this kid can really be."

Six smirks at Nine and then turns her head so that she can look Adam in the eye.

"If he trips up then we can always make a bag of dust out of him."

Nine's face relaxes at this new idea, he looks almost peaceful. Almost. "Fine." Nine agrees to this appeal of his nature. "But just the Lorics." Nine looks at the humans and adds. "Don't take it the wrong way, but we've been dealing with rotten a** Mogs longer than all of you guys combined. Except maybe you Malcolm."

Malcolm puts his hands behind his back and nods with understanding. "I respect your decision."

"Alright." Six announces. "All those in favor of letting a Mogadorian join the Loric cause raise your hand."

Six and I raise our hands. Marina and Nine keep their hands down. We have even numbers, so this is a problem.

Everyone groans except Marina. When I look into her eyes I see that they are packed with conflicting emotions. I see uncertainty and stress. I also see a hint of understanding, of acceptance and slowly her hand is risen just enough for everyone to see.

"I say give him a chance." She says solidly .

Six nods. "That's it then."

Nine closes his eyes and breathes before catching Adam in the most deadly eye contact I think I had ever seen in my life. "Alright, Adam son of a Mogadorian General. I'll let you get in the van. Hell, I'll even let you pick a tourist site. But you better hear me when I say that this is just a trial or whatever. If you give me any damn reason to believe that you are not with us 100% I will end you, right then and there. Your a** will be mine. Comprende?"

Apparently not liking Nine's tone, the moth morphs into a silver cat and hisses. Adam looks back at Nine with all seriousness. "I understand."

"That's not BK." Nine realizes.

I nearly face palm. "I can't believe I forgot, Adam found a lab full of Chimera he didn't bring them along but it's proof that they are out there."

Nine looks pointedly at Dust, Adam's Chimera, for a moment.

"Nine can also talk to the Chimera telepathically." I fill Adam in.

Dust lowers his arched back and lets his tail lose its puffiness. With a purr it morphs into a moth again and flies off with BK, also in moth form.

Nine watches them go with a look of amusement, which seems to calm everyone else down. "Let's get out of here."

"I was in a hurry." Sam explains while we all walked towards the parked van. "So I grabbed what could hold a lot of us and we got the hell out."

"The 2000 Ford Econoline Conversion." Nine whistled. "Good choice, I remember when Sandor brought it home." Nine slid his hand across the hood almost ruefully. "I never thought it'd be necessary."

"Glad you approve." Sam says happily.

I pat the green metal. "It was nice with all the technology and stuff."

"How did she run?" Nine asked. "Pretty damn good I hope with all the work put into it."

Six stood with a hand on the locked door handle, vigorously tapping her foot. "Hey, how about you open the door?"

"Right." When I start towards the driver's seat Nine puts his hand on my shoulder making me stop in place. "Oh hell no, I have been walking all day. I'm driving."

I was about to protest, but then I decided that I had driven enough for one night. "Fine." I say, tossing Nine the keys.

We are about to head to the doors when Nine stops me again. "Hey." He says almost meekly. "I didn't really want to fight you okay? I'm just looking out for us, that's what I've only ever done and that's what I will always do."

His apology doesn't quite take me off guard. How many times have we butted heads just to end with Nine apologizing? It's getting pretty tiresome, but I guess as long as there isn't any lasting hurt feelings we can get over it.

"I know, I didn't really want to fight you either." It's a bit of a lie, but it's more truth.

He slaps me on the arm and Joins Six who is waiting by the other door.

"About time, right?" I hear Nine laugh, then I hear Six laugh sarcastically and then the sound of a dull smack reaches my ears.

"You can really act like a child sometimes, you know that?"

He just laughs and swings open the door and then he whispers something else that I can't hear.

"In your dreams." Six smirks before opening her own door.

Now that the door is unlocked I can get in too, Sarah brushes past me. She is obviously mad about what almost happened between Nine and I. Quickly I wrap my arm around her waist before she is even in.

"John." She grumbles.

"Sarah. Don't be mad alright, nothing was going to happen. We had it all under control."

"Yeah." Nine confirms. "We were just going to have a little civilized dispute to sort out our differences."

"Exactly." Six calls from the back with a voice dripping with sarcasm. "And just to keep things extra civilized Marina and I were just giving everyone a good ol telekinesis hug."

"And we all know how Nine doesn't like hugs, so he fought it a bit." Marina smiles.

"Who said I didn't like hugs?" Nine snorts.

"Yeah." Sam laughs. "The guy's a teddy bear."

I snicker. "A big ol teddy bear, that's about right."

"Okay, okay." Sarah sighs. "Can I get to my seat now?" She seems a lot calmer now and maybe even a bit amused.

I let Sarah in and then once I'm in I shut the door. On Nine's shoulder I can see a bright red spot still where Six undoubtedly popped him.

"Well that was fun." Sam whispers to Marina who shakes her head in agreement to his sarcasm.

Despite the laugh we all share there is still a great amount unease in the van. Nine watches Adam almost every few seconds and I notice that Six had her body turned in an angle that gives her a peripheral vision on Adam. I know that asking the others to let Adam join us was a huge act on my part so from now until Adam earns their full trust I will have to really step up to show them that we made the right decision.

Soon the state park vanishes behind us and the sky begins to lighten with the rising sun creeping up the horizon. It'll be a while before we can do anything about Ella, as much as it weighed on each of us, the thought of her facing the Mogadorian leader alone or even Five, we knew that we were still too weak. It was understood unanimously that the time to fight, to defeat Setrakus Ra and every single one of his filthy soldiers was not yet upon us, but it was coming, I needed no vision to tell me that.

Lemon-Moon

This was chapter eight.

eight.

Eight. -Why does this make me so sad? I have been through so many character deaths and I think his really truly took me the most by surprise. At first I'm like "Why IANF authors? Why the sporadic death?" but also as a frequent reader and one who is a gluttonous writer I have to respect the accuracy of his death in that it was seemingly random and unexpected. Like, wouldn't that be how it really is? Casualties in war? I just really hope he does come back with a bang or something. You'll see what I am hoping for in my future chapters. I was reading the summary for the Revenge of Seven and it was Marina saying that he could never come back and I hope this is just something to throw us off. It's so enticing...

Anyway, it's about time to see what our tenth gal is up to. I shall post really soon.

Thank ya'll guys for holding on and for the insightful comments 3 Have a fantastic Wednesday!