Chapter 10 A Hero's Welcome

Max

April 19th, 2014

3:43 PM

5 Miles From Arcadia Bay

Route 101

Hours pass by after my moment of triumph. After winning my case when it came to it's closure, I had to make an errand back to Chrysalis HQ in Portland to change out of my prisoner rags and collect my belongings before return to my home town of Arcadia Bay. I got a ride back to HQ on Chrysalis truck to do so. Once I changed out of my rags and got my things from my cell, Chloe had dropped by in her truck to give me a ride home.

It was a two hour drive from Portland back to the bay. As we're driving down the highway in Chloe's truck back to our place called home, we have a conversation in the car about what she and Rachel had done and what they discovered to release me from my incarceration.

"Project Cyclone, huh?" I say to Chloe during our discussion. "So all that time that week after everything we went through, Nathan gets used by Neo-Chrysalis to manifest a tornado storm into town while we risk our lives finding Rachel. Sean wasn't protecting his son that week because I didn't leave him alone about the whole bathroom thing or the Kate incident. He was protecting his son from an oversight with terrorist. That goes completely beyond what we suspected Nathan for. Now I know why he acted like such a dickbag that week. It probably goes without saying, but it wasn't Jefferson or his family that used him after all. It was an ISIS like terrorist group called Neo-Chrysalis. That's who."

"Right," said Chloe. "If you ask me, those fuckers made a deal with devil and they all paid the price for it. No pun intended. And then Nathan dies as a result. End of story."

"If you ask me, It'd be the story of their lives."

I thought back to that time in the bathroom again when Nathan had said "I am sick of people trying to control me!" or his last message he sent me before he was killed when he said "Everyone used me!". I felt more and more terrible about the son of Arcadia as I was learning more about this phenomenal truth beyond the storm. Ever since day one, why couldn't I have visions of the so-called Project Cyclone Chloe and Rachel disclosed? Perhaps I could've saved Arcadia Bay by stopping these terrorist instead having to travel back to square one where that bizarre week all began.

I could've sparred more lives in the bay, including Karen's daughter and Cage's family, had I uncovered this scandal sooner. It would've prevented my insulting trial, that insulting Blackwell shooting, and my insulting sacrifice on that cliff side. All that mattered now was that I was freed from this insult and will never have to feel guilty or responsible for having so many lives on my hands for Chloe's. What was done was done.

"So what was it like for you, Rachel, and Warren going down that bunker where you found all the evidence anyway?" I ask. "What did I miss?"

"You want me to sit here and talk about how we risked our lives for you down in a scary ass bunker?" she says. "You don't want to know."

"Maybe I do. You said that Prescott was working with one of the terrorist leaders. What was his name? It was Ranikov, right?"

"That was his name. What about it?"

"You should tell me more. You owe me that much."

"What else can I say, Max? Other than Rachel mowing a dozen load of mercenary commies and barely escaping an exploding bunker, I say it was well worth the risk. I owe Rachel an apology for how acted last Friday when she returned back from the dead."

"I don't blame you for how you lashed at her that day. It's not like it was her fault she left anyway. But she helped me. And she helped you get me out of this. That's all that matters."

"I know. In fact, I've underestimated her. Not because of her super powers that you have, but her morale for actually caring. She's a better friend than I ever that she'd be."

Then a thought slipped into my mind. A thought related to the bathroom incident that made me imagine something that would've happened if I went back to that day. And it wasn't Chloe dying. It was perhaps...me dying? What if I had stopped Nathan from shooting Chloe by letting him shoot me instead?

"Was there something else you wanted to ask?" asked Chloe.

X/SQUARE/LM - TELL HER YOUR THOUGHT

B/CIRCLE/RM - DON'T TELL HER YOUR THOUGHT

"It's...nothing really," I respond. "I don't think it would be worth asking anyway."

"We're almost home, Max," said Chloe. "Just sit tight and this will all be over soon."

"Hey, Chloe."

"Yeah?"

"I...I'm sorry I let you go through this. Back at the lodge, when I had to surrender, it was a decision that had to be made. I'm sorry it had to be me."

"It's fine, Max. I can't blame you for sitting through that insulting trial. As long as we've won our way out of it, that's all that matters."

"You're right. That fucking trial was a total insult from start to finish. I knew you could keep your promise for getting me out this. I knew you could do it. Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Thank Rachel and her quantum terrorism expertise. Nevertheless, your welcome. Always."

Chloe grants me a smile while driving. I smile back. We've been driving for at least two hours now. We should be home by now.

We finally return to my home sweet bay of Arcadia. Boy does it feel so great to be back. It feels like a thousand years since I left. At least I'm coming back in Chloe nice rusty old truck this time and not locked up in some prisoner truck waiting to walk through an angry crowd in front of a courthouse who does nothing but throw trash at me and call me names. We drive through a security gate Chrysalis still has posted at the city entry. It was announced that martial law had been lifted in Arcadia Bay now that my case is over. Every Chrysalis unit must still be preparing to make leave by now.

When driving through town, I could see the last remnants of the riots that ran amok in the bay before my trial ended. The had been stores with broken windows and cars burnt down into rust. The town had seen better days. I'm so glad it's all over now. Everyone in Arcadia can now remain calm that I'm no longer the criminal mastermind behind the deaths of everyone's friends and families. I just wonder how disgraced people feel by now how that an Arcadian politician had been behind those deaths these last six months. I too wonder how the rest of the Prescott family feels about this also. Disgraced is the best feeling I'd hand out to Mr. Prickscott. Maybe even worse.

"The riots in town really did a number on the streets," I said. "Sean Prescott is gonna have a lot to pay for not only his terror, but also the damage caused by the calamity of the riots. As if the damage of that storm he brought onto the bay wasn't enough, if you know what I mean."

"Say no more," said Chloe. "So much for "the benefit of my family" he says. "And the security of my town" he says. In reality, he confuses security with terror. What a tyrant he was."

"Where are we going, Chloe? I thought we were heading home?"

"We are. But, while I drove all the way to Portland to pick you up, we've been planning a little surprise for you."

"Well I like the surprises. What is it?"

"The definition of a surprise, Ms. Caulfield, is to not speak a word of it. Now sit tight and wait patiently."

"Smart ass."

Chloe drives up to Two Whales where I assume my surprise is taking place. There's a few cars parked by. Including Frank's RV, Warren's car, David's car, my parents car, and even Rachel's bike. I had no doubt there would be people I know that are preparing my surprise. Chloe finds a parking space by the diner and we hop straight. Ready to come inside.

"Okay, Max," says Chloe. "Before we give away any spoilers, keep your eyes shut until we're inside. Okay?"

"Okay," I say cooperatively.

Somehow I already knew what this surprise was going to be. I cover my eyes with my hand and Chloe walks me inside. Once I'm inside, I open eyes and what I see is nothing more but a hero's welcome back home.

"Welcome home, Max Caulfield!" the crowd shouts in unison.

My jaw drops and my eyes widen in excitement and amazement. A big crowd of all my friends and family in Arcadia grant me a big round of applause for my comeback during my epic entrance into the diner. A banner titled: Welcome Home, Max!, was displayed behind the diner bar. Chloe gives me another nice warm smile and a pat on the back as I gaze at the thrilled crowd.

The crowd included Joyce, David, my parents, Rachel, Warren, Kate, Victoria, Brooke, Ms. Grant, Mr. Wells, and Samuel standing behind the counter. While a bunch of other of my Blackwell classmates, including Dana, Juliet, Taylor, Courtney, Hayden, Daniel, Alyssa, Evan and Stella, as well as a few of my outside classmates such as Justin, Trevor, Logan, and Zachary; all sitting down at the tables. Not to mention Frank and Pompidou were part of the show, of course.

My Blackwell friends gather around and swarm my ass hugging me, patting my back, scrubbing my hair, kissing me on the forehead, and whatever they do. Warren rushes over and jumps me giving me a really tight hug. He still never knew how to handle women. I wonder how Brooke must feel. Kate comes over gives me a lighter hug and so do Victoria and Brooke. Of course, Rachel steps forward and grants me some sugar too. David, Joyce, and my own parents come over and I owe them some sugar also. The crowd's bravado enlivens my true colors into a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow as a matter of family. This had already been the time of my life.

"May I have everyone's attention please!" shouted Rachel in the middle of the crowd.

All the commotion from the crowd dies down as all eyes and ears shift their focuses on Rachel. She had a little announcement to make before we all started celebrating.

"My name is Rachel Dawn Amber," she begins. "You all know me as the legendary Blackwell daughter of Arcadia Bay. It is I, the hero of Arcadia and the hero of the infamous Max Caulfield trial who has come back from the dead to bring her injustice to justice. It is in my honor to propose a toast to Max Caulfield herself."

Rachel picks up her glass and holds it up in front of her to make the toast.

"Here's to Max," she says holding her cup. "Our everyday hero. Drinks are on her. To Max."

"To Max," everyone says in unison holding their glass up, including me and Chloe.

As we make our toast, a guest had arrived late to my freedom party and it was no other than Derrick Crosby himself. The man who stood at my defense and the king of Chrysalis himself.

"Afternoon ladies and gentlemen," said Crosby. "Sorry I'm late. What did I miss?"

"Mr. Crosby, perfect timing," said Rachel while everyone finished the toast. "We were just proposing a toast to the guest of honor, Max Caulfield. You didn't miss much."

"Right. So, how is our guest of honor today? How does it feel to be a free girl?"

"How does it feel?" I reply. "It feels like a million dollars is how it feels. Maybe you should ask Prescott in jail cell if I could some out of his money vault."

The crowd has a laugh at my joke. Chloe and I give Crosby a grin and he chuckles.

"So why you'd arrive so late?" asked Chloe. "The guest of honor was feeling a little insulted that her defense attorney didn't show up on time."

"I was busy, Chloe," he answered. "But that not important. What's important is that I have an announcement to make for everyone."

Crosby stepped toward the middle of the diner to make his announcement for everyone.

"Before I make my announcement ladies and gentlemen," he begins. "I would like to apologize to everyone in this diner about what has occurred this past week until now. As insulting as the Blackwell shooting may be, it was not my choice to let that happen. And it just so happens that the man who made that choice to let it happen is the real criminal behind Ms. Caulfield's setup. Now that her setup was been brought to justice, the authorities are not only deprioritizing Max's criminal record and the man hunt for Rachel, but they'll also be lifting martial law from Arcadia Bay. They'll also be closing down any investigations related to quantum terrorism and they'll be no security post at Blackwell. In other news, I'm offering Blackwell students a field trip to Chrysalis HQ in Portland where we'll be holding the Quantic Solutions Expo on Tuesday night from six PM to nine PM. Principle Wells has accepted my offer to plan this field trip and permission slips will be handed out Monday morning."

Before Crosby was done, he had more to say before he was finished.

"And one more thing to say before I go," he continued. "Max's victory in this case wouldn't have been possible if not for the bravery of Rachel Amber and Chloe Price themselves. Their bravery risking their lives for the greater cause and taking down the scandal of Sean Prescott is the reason Max is a free girl. Rachel's comeback and intellectual scheme to take down Prescott prompted me into winning the case of Arcadia Bay Versus Max Caulfield. Chloe's partnership also became a profound asset to winning the case, as well. As for Max, she's become my finest client I've had in years. It was a team effort and we shall never forget this victory that will go down in history."

I step forward in front of where Crosby stands to say something everyone too.

"It's been a dark time for Arcadia Bay everyone," I begin. "And dark times call for extreme measures. Though there have been some people who've called me a monster for what I thought I did months ago, I'm proud to see the people around me who believe otherwise. There was a time between me and Chloe where I had to make most definitively hardest decision in my life. That time took place six months ago on a cliff side beyond the bay when a devastating storm created by terrorist rolled in destroying our beloved city. Since then, I felt insulted between choosing the life of one and the life of many. And I chose the life of the one who was my everything. From this day forward, I'll never regret that choice. Not one bit."

I raise the glass in my hand to propose one more toast.

"Here's to everyone," I say. "Who means the world to me. A toast to victory!"

"A toast to victory!" the crowd says all together, granting my toast.

Note: So I'll end it right here for now folks. I'll be writing couple more chapters for Max's celebration of her freedom. Since I still have finals to be dealt with before the end of the school year, I may need to spend more time with that than my chapters. This could be my longest episode yet, so stay tuned no matter what happens.

Until next time, stay golden and Happy Easter!

P.S. Just say the trailer for Star Wars The Last Jedi everybody! It's HELLA AMAZING! If you haven't seen it yet, get your asses off this site and go watch it now! LOL