Chapter 12 In the Cards
Alex
July 21st, 2017
6:45 AM
Caffarella Park, Italy
Castle Camelot Museum
After the unanimous meeting with the sister of fate named Atropos, she faded into thin air as a lift from the ceiling came descending down an extended platform on the upper floor where Max went to light the statues. Must be our way out of this crypt. Knowing our trip to finding the Reality Shard was far from done. At least now we know where it really is for sure.
"So that's it then," said Fernando. "The shard was somewhere else this whole fucking time and we came all this way for nothing! You were right, Kristen. This was a fool's errand!"
"Will you calm down, Fernan!" Max demanded. "Atropos said the shard was at the Colosseum and that's where we're going."
"Now wait just a minute," said Rachel. "The sister said you and Alex were descendants of the Herd of Whales. How could the Caulfield family have been part of the herd and then suddenly stripped from the super secret boy band themselves?"
"That's an answer I'd like to know as well, Rachel. So does Alex. All I know is that my untold relationship with the herd is the reason I was selected to control time with my hands. Nothing else."
"I hate to interrupt your family royalty lecture," said Frank. "But maybe we can discuss family trees and freaky sisters later and get the hell out of here."
"There's a lift that just descended out of the ceiling," I said. "Let's use that. Could be a way out."
"It must be the way to get into the inner crypts," said Max.
"Incredible," said Kristen. "Now can we get up there?"
"Come on, then. Let's go."
"Here we go," said Fernando.
The six of us walk up the top floor and onto the lift to get inside the inner crypts to use as an exit. Once the lift raises us all the way upward to the crypts, we run into a dead end with no way in or out. Sigh.
"And a dead end," I said. "I guess we'll have to go back out the way we came in."
"Alright," said Max. "Let's get the hell out of here."
"Keep looking," said the voice of a ConDef trooper from downstairs. "They have to be here somewhere."
"Ah, shit," said Alex.
"They must've followed us," said Fernando.
"Ya think?" Frank griped.
"Well, we better hope there's another way outta here," said Rachel.
"If there was another way out of here," said Kristen. "There wouldn't be nothing but walls forming a dead end in front of us."
Speaking of walls, the six of us find small rays of light coming out of a brick wall. It looked fragile enough to bust through for an easy exit.
"Ah, there's a draft over there," said Rachel.
Max approached the wall and touched it with her hand to feel for loose tiles. She was going to need help to break it open if we were to get away from Alkaline's who just walked inside to hunt for us.
"Hey, come here," asked Max.
I walk next to her to touch the wall itself. I can feel nothing but broad daylight at the end of this tunnel.
"Yeah, yeah," I said. "I can feel the breeze."
"Awesome," said Kristen. "Please be an outside wall."
Max pressed against the wall with her arm and tile moved through and came loose. Definitely fragile.
"It's got some give," said Max. "Frank, help me with this."
"Yeah," said Frank.
"Guys, we don't have much time," said Rachel.
"Come on, go!" Max ordered.
And with just a little muscle from Max and Frank, the wall came crumbling down just like that. Then we were at last back in broad daylight. I knew the sun was up outside and tourist would be arriving here shortly. If they could deal with the damage done from us and ConDef that is, they'd sadly have to close down the museum for that.
"Yes!" I said.
As the six of started walking, we noticed a ConDef soldier was standing guard on the other side of the wall and got crushed by the bricks. He was holding a pistol in his hand and Fernando took it from him as his new weapon.
"Ah, muchas gracias," said Fernan taking the gun. "I'll take that."
David
July 20th, 2017
8:22 PM
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
My team and I make to the courtyard in time with Steph and her two other civilian friends named Johnny and Kerry. As soon as we're all outdoors into the inner courtyard of the campus, we could see Desean and his team covering for Nelson and her students including Warren and Brooke. The whole perimeter of the courtyard in swarming with ConDef shooting us down from behind our cover. We were going to need to hold them off good if were to cool it down for the choppers.
"What the fuck took you so long, Cage?!" Desean questioned. "We're getting hammered to the wall out here and we need this LZ cleared for Penske's extraction choppers!"
"Can it, Desean!" Cage replied. "We've got three more locals to add for pickup. How's Suzy and the kids?"
"We're fine, Captain!" Nelson replied. "But we need these ConDef extremists off my courtyard if the Admiral is getting us out of here!"
"Steph Gingrich?" Warren said in the middle of the fighting. "Is that you?! You're not dead!"
"Lovely to see you too, Warren!" Steph shouted back. "You too, Brooke! But as you can see, other than Quake, I've never been in a firefight before!"
"Is now really the good time to be talking about Quake, Steph?!" Brooke shouted.
"All of you, pipe it down!" I order. "Desean, how many ConDef are talking?"
"Dozens including infantry, grenadiers, and strikers," replied Desean. "There's some MGs mounted on the left and right of the vicinity. You can use those to our advantage. We can't let them advance on the students!"
"Then whaddya say we got on those MGs for a little advancement to our arsenal, Cage?"
"Agreed," said Cage. "Foley, Madsen, get on those MGs take out as many ConDef as you can. Meaning no infantry, grenadiers, strikers, or any hostiles about. Above all, we clear the LZ for Penske."
"Understood, Captain," I obey. "Foley, get on the left turret. I got the right."
"Yes, sir," said Cayce.
Max
July 21st, 2017
6:50 AM
Caffarella Park, Italy
Castle Camelot Museum
The six of us run outside up to a ledge where we end up getting cornered by General Alkaline and his soldier thugs at gunpoint on their ledge. We aim our pistols at Alkaline and his squad as they aim their rifles and their leader aim his magnum across our eyes. Us together with our opposing force stand face to face between both sides of our own ledges between the gap in the road alert by each other's presence and ready to face some ConDef scum with my fingers on the grip and trigger. If it were even to come down to a firefight between us and them.
"Drop your weapons," said Alkaline
"Yeah, I don't think so," I said.
"Well then, what a dilemma. We seem to be equally matched. Until the rest of my men show up that is."
"We can wait," said Alex.
All of a sudden, Fernando was at it again. Or so it seemed. He was taking breaths again as if we were hallucinating again.
"Oh no," said Rachel. "Guys…"
"Fernando?" I said.
With my gun still aimed towards Alkaline but my head turned to Fernando, he out of nowhere has his gun aimed at me and us. For the love of dog. So much for equally matched. More like now outmatched.
"Oh, motherfucker," said Frank.
"Now that changes things a bit," said Alkaline. "Doesn't it? Now drop your guns.
"Why don't you go-," I said before being cut off.
"Fernando, shoot her."
"No," said Rachel.
"Wait," said Alex. "Just stop, okay?"
Alex drops her gun and tosses it down the ditch over the ledge. Then Rachel drops hers, then Frank drops his, then Kristen drops hers, and then I lastly drop mine. Disarming each other all at once for Alkaline and Fernando to get ready to shoot us unarmed.
"Now that's better," said Alkaline. "Isn't it? Shoot her."
"You son of a bitch!" Alex barked.
"Fernando, pull the trigger!"
"My pleasure," said Fernando.
Then suddenly, Fernando turns his gun on Alkaline and shoots him dead across the heart as his body collides to the floor. Then Fernando shoots at everyone else before they could shoot at us. Turns out Fernan wasn't hallucinating again after all. Only put it on for Alkaline. I just couldn't get the part where we were now left unarmed and had to run away and dodge the bullets instead.
"Run!" Fernando shouted.
While Fernando had our backs, Alex spotted a tower we could use to escape like before. Just as soon as we were making a run across the castle and Alkaline's killer elites were firing on us again.
"Head for the tower!" Alex shouted.
"Go! Go!" Rachel shouted.
"Move! Move!" Frank shouted.
"Shit!" Fernando snapped. "I'm out of bullets!"
"Run!" I shout.
The six of us make it inside the tower away from enemy fire. All we had to do now run up the stairs and make our escape.
"Up the stairs!" Kristen shouted.
"Why the fuck did you drop your guns?!" Fernando asked.
"You might've given us a wink or something!" I mutter.
"Well I didn't expect you to give up quite that easily, did I?"
We climb up the top of the tower through a hatch up the stairs and the only we were getting off the roof was jump over to a plank of wood built on some construction work. Alex, Frank, Rachel, and Kristen jumped on first. Fernando and I were the last ones to go as Fernan shut the hatch behind me and I raced off the edge of the room and safely jump onto the plank. But as soon as my feet are on the woodwork, half the construction comes crashing down below me. I run over to where Alex and the others stand before I come crashing down with it.
I turn my head around behind my companions to see one last friend of mine left behind on the roof as he stared at us down the narrow gap where he wouldn't be able to jump across that far. Now we're fucked.
"Oh shit!" I said.
"Come on, Fernan!" Alex shouted.
"He can't make it."
"Okay, what do we do?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, Max," said Kristen. "We can we do?!"
Alex shrugged. I shout out to Fernando to help him over.
"Fernando!" I shouted.
Then something was up. Fernando held his in front of me as a wait signal as he saw someone coming that he thought had dropped dead when shooting him from the chest. Unfortunately, that was never the case. Elias Alkaline was walking towards Fernando with his men alive and well. Despite the gunshot to his heart.
"Que mierda?" Fernando said puzzled.
It would have appeared Alkaline's tactical vest was also a bullet proof vest too. With the bullet caught inside the Kevlar. Alkaline smiled and chuckled at Fernando's best but failed effort in killing him.
"You didn't get very far," said Alkaline. "Did you? Where's the Reality Shard?"
"Fuck off," said Fernando.
A ConDef soldier knocked Fernan on the back with his gun to pin him on his knees. I tried going after him to find a way to help him, but my companions stop me. I'll kill that bastard who blew my home away from home and nearly costed my parents.
"There's nothing we can do, Max," said Frank.
"Jesus, this is unbearable," said Rachel.
"You think?!" Kristen snapped.
Alkaline searched for Fernando's pockets as he was pinned on the floor only to find them empty. Then gave him a kick in the stomach for wasting Alkaline's time. Fernan grunted the pain from the beating of a third-world British terrorist leader.
"It's not with him," said Alkaline.
Then the one and only bad boy behind this all himself appeared after Alkaline. Ares the god of war of all people; still wearing his helmet, armor, and gauntlet with the three Eternity Shards installed, approached my companion in distress to interrogate him instead. Fernando was mesmerized at the sight of the war god himself. Staring at him paler than when Alkaline reappeared with the bullet stuck in his vest.
"You will tell me where the Reality Shard is," said Ares. "Or you will suffer the consequences."
Fernando couldn't answer with the sight of someone you don't see every day. Forcing Ares's hand to the incentive for Fernan to talk. Ares raised his gauntlet into a fist and the Mind Shard was glowing bright yellow. Causing Fernando to feel a pain inside his head. A migraine in his brain that would force him to talk. Like the force probe power from Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens. Fernando hollered in agony from the Mind Shard's power.
"Tell me," said Ares. "Where – is – the Reality Shard!"
"It-it's not here!" Fernando cried from the pain. Fernando was sweating and panting from his migraine. "It…it's at the Colosseum! In Rome!"
My cousin, companions, and I watch the Are's horrors he inflicted on Fernando to get the word out of him. What's worse than wanting to kill a terrorist leader is wanting to kill the almighty god of war who was going to pay for what was doing as well.
"Who the fuck is that?!" Frank asked.
"Say to hello to Ares, ladies and gents," said Alex. "The almighty god of war himself."
Ares released the power of the Mind Shard from Fernando as his interrogatee took a large gasp for breath. Panting until the pain was cooler. Fernando's migraine eventually worn down within seconds. Ares stepped toward Alkaline before leaving the scene.
"I will find the script hidden in Idaho," said Ares. "Find the Reality Shard at this Colosseum in Rome and kill Max and every last one of her companions if you must."
As soon as Ares left, Joanna now approached the scene to deal with Fernando herself as Ares wished. The Prescott woman herself smiled at Fernan who still recovering from the shock as he picked himself up. She had been disappointed as she was amused with Fernando in his action siding with us.
"Oh, Fernando," said Joanna. "I had such high hopes for you."
Fernando chuckled. Holding his hip to recover himself from the torture.
"Yeah, right," said Fernando.
"It's true."
Alkaline whispered in Joanna's ear before she could say her next sentence.
"You had potential," she continued.
Two more soldiers stepped in with gasoline canisters who were dumping the gas on the ground in front of Fernando and around Joanna, Alkaline, and their armed guards. They were going to burn him down on the roof. Now things have gone from bad to worse.
"Now," said Joanna. "Well, it's funny how things work out, isn't it? You betray my trust and now we find ourselves here."
Joanna held a match in her fingers lit it with a small spark of flame. Ready to burn hell hath no fury. Fernando's heart was racing. Panicking what Joanna was doing to his traitorous self.
"As if it were in the cards all along," said Joanna.
She tossed the match down to floorboards and lit the gasoline on the fire. Lucky for Fernando, the fire didn't spread to his footing even though it soon will. Unluck for Fernando, he had few chances of surviving a jump over to our ground now that his ground was more liquid than before. As the terrorist couple and their henchmen left Fernando for dead, he turned his head at us and the narrow gap between us. This could not be happening.
I was now forced back to reliving another sign of déjà vu. Just four years earlier, I witnessed someone attempting collapse off roof at Blackwell and now Fernando was preparing himself to make the same effort Kate had tried before I persuaded her. Taking a dive off that roof from the fire. And now it was up to me to decide his fate just as I determined Kate's four years ago. And to do that, it would take a lot more than rewinding to save Fernando. Or otherwise, let him die.
"Fernando, don't," I said.
"Shit, shit," said Fernando.
"No."
X/SQUARE/LM – LET FERNANDO DIE
B/CIRCLE/RM – BREAK FERNANDO'S FALL
And just as I predicted, senior Humpty Dumpty made his great fall that immediately paralleled to Kate's. I think fast and thrust my hand towards Fernando's decent to prevent his reminiscent fate with my time stop power.
"No!" I cry.
My time stop freezes Fernando in a stasis bubble mid-air preventing his demise. It would break his fall but would wear off and the fall would instead injure him instead of killing him and we had no time to lose to get down than as fast as we could to catch him before my power wore down.
"Hurry!" Alex shouted. "Go!"
The five of us race down off the construction to help Fernando. As soon as his stasis bubble wore out, he hit the floor and landed on his left leg that snapped his bones and maimed his muscles. The Spanish kid was severely and injured and we all raced towards him lying on the ground with his crippled leg. At least my powers were an effort to prevent his death over an injury. This would've been Kate if I had stopped her the same way.
"Fernando!" I cried.
"Ah, shit!" Fernando whaled. "Mierda!"
"Oh my god, Fernando!" Kristen cried. "Why would you do that?!"
"Don't move!" I warned. "Don't move!"
"Jesus, my leg!" Fernando hollered. "Don't fucking touch it!"
"It's broken!"
"I know it's broken!"
"Just easy does it, Fernan," said Rachel. "Hang on."
When Rachel was helping us tend to Fernando's injury, she noticed a card in his jacket pocket. She pulled it out for us to see.
"Max, look at this," said Rachel.
She held the card in her fingers that had a roman numeral on top and a picture of a burning tower titled "The Tower" under it. Signifying had just occurred seconds ago. Had Fernando been holding out on us this entire time? Was this what Joanna meant when she said "As if it were in the cards all along"?
"Oh, what the fuck," said Alex.
We hear voices of ConDef shouting from distances warning everyone we went this way. It was going be like moving mountains between Fernando's leg and dozens of soldiers with our heads on their bounty. We had no other easier option than to carry Fernando by the arm and cover him with whatever weapon we could arm ourselves with.
"Okay, we can't stay here," said Kristen.
"Just leave me the gun," said Fernando. "I'll kill those cocksuckers!"
"No way," I said. "We're getting you out of here. C'mon, get up."
Alex and I pick him up off the ground by his arms and Alex hold him upward with his leg sprained. The other four of would have to do the shooting if we to get ourselves some guns from anyone or anywhere.
"I got him," said Alex. "You cover us."
"Okay," I said.
"Go!"
Cayce
July 20th, 2017
8:25 PM
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
I mounted myself on the left turret as ordered by my CO. David's mounted himself on the right turret as decided. The both of us help our team and Desean's with advancing fire on the enemy infantry and every other ConDef unit opposing us. Making sure no one advancing on our teams and the students to keep them away from the lethal lead flying across the courtyard.
I pick off every last infantry attempting to overwhelm us with my 50 cal. bullets packing a punch. I even hammer down some slippery strikers making their moves around us. More and more ConDef kept coming and we weren't going to be able to hold the line much more the longer it took for the extraction team to arrive.
"We can't take much more of this, Cage!" I shout. "We need that extraction team down here now!"
"Keep firing, Foley!" Caged barked. "No one stops firing until they arrive! Just hold them off! That's an order!"
And just to add more heat to the pressure, two big armored bruisers with LMGs battered their way into the courtyard to finish us off for good. Juggernauts were the last people we wanted to see in this firefight with civilians about and now we were coming face to face with them. It would take a bit more than 50 caliber machine guns shoot through their armor and weren't going to have the lives of MIT kids on our consciences. Let alone the blood of former Blackwells on our hands since Blackwell once ran in my blood thirteen years ago.
Then suddenly, before we could take care of them ourselves, bullets cam showing up above cleansing the two armored LMG brutes as well as the rest of the surrounding ConDef in the courtyard. Which were the bullets fired out of the turret of a Seahawk approaching its LZ. Two Seahawks to be exact. Both which belonged to Penske's extraction unit.
"Cage, Desean, your teams can stand down," said Penske on comm.
"It's Penske," said Cage. "Stand down! It's the extraction team! Boy, aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Admiral."
"The admiralty never fails, Captain. We're coming down for landing."
We all signal the civvies that the coast is clear and were ready to be extracted to safety. The two double-propellered choppers landed safely in the grass of the courtyard. As soon as they land, we could see Chrysalis infantry hopping out to secure the LZ as well as Penske stepping out of one of them. My team and I approach the admiral to deliver the goods and civilians we found on campus.
"I guess we can call this mission accomplished," said Penske.
"Admiral Penske," said Nelson. Approaching the admiral for a handshake. "Long time no see. Good to see."
"Suzy Nelson. My former high school sweetheart. Such an honor to see you too. Glad we could get you out of here alive."
"You have your teams and their bravery to thank for that, Gavin. I'm grateful for your efforts."
"Nice to see you too, Admiral Penske," said David. "We couldn't have done this alone."
"You too, Madsen. And no, you couldn't have."
"Whatever Alkaline and ConDef is planning, Eternium is the key to it."
David handed over the Eternium to the admiral's fingers as he observed it with his own eyes. Penske was impressed.
"Well," said Penske. "We finally got one over on this cocksucker."
"He's just a man, Admiral," I said. "He'd like you to think he's something more, but he ain't nothing but a sad, old, pitiful excuse of a man."
Max
July 21st, 2017
6:56 AM
Caffarella Park, Italy
Castle Camelot Museum
The five of us, excluding Fernando who still had a gun, all found some weapon to defend against the ConDef soldiers with guns advancing in. Rachel, Frank, and I find some auto-rifles shoot back at our tangos on our twelve to watch Fernando's six. Kristen used a standard pistol for weaponry and so did Alex who volunteered to carry the injured Hispanic kid by the arm. Holding him as she was shooting at the same. Fernando would do the shooting with his pistol whenever Alex needed to reload or was out of ammo.
"How is that possible?!" Fernando bickered. "A bulletproof fucking vest?! Hablas en serio (You serious)?! Talk about bad karma!"
"We need to get him to a doctor!" Kristen warned.
"We need to get him to an ER is what we need!" Alex spat.
"And who the fuck was that freaky ass armored dude with the weird as glove?!" Fernando questioned.
"Save it, Fernan!" I snapped. "Let's just get the fuck out of here while we still can."
I unload my rifle on every last ConDef motherfucker in our way. Shooting a rifle packed a bit more punch than shooting a pistol. Every round firing across the barrel adds a bit more kick into the weapon when holding down the trigger when it's automatic. Even though it's been three years since I've been in this kind of action, I've at least gotten a little used to the kick. Too bad Rachel is a greater shot from her better combat training when she was under Chrysalis custody.
After taking down a few infantrymen, there were two ConDef troopers marching down in our path with shields in front of them. Making it impossible for us to shoot an easy target. It would take a hand grenade or whatever to deal with them. Luckily, I had a little grenade of own that came with my powers. I could use my time blast to punch through the shielded soldiers. I clench my fist together to charge my time blast and then thrust it over to the vanguards sending them flying off their feet and away from our path. The perimeter was secure and we were free to step out of cover and push forward.
The exit out of here was the same way we came in and we were getting close. I had only hoped Bryan found us an escape vehicle for us to drive on out of here. And he better had gotten one fast.
We all enter the gatehouse where the exit is. The same place we entered where there was a hole in the Alkaline's men blew through to get inside themselves and what Alex and I used to enter. We were going to need to help with the door for Fernando to get through. Rachel decides to help with the door to let everyone out.
"Come on," I said. "We gotta get the hell outta here."
"Alright, come on," said Alex. Still carrying Fernando by the arm over the shoulder. "Just a little further."
"Ow," said Fernando. The pain from his leg had worsened. "Pendejo shitting. Pendejo leg. Aargh…"
Rachel and I pull the doors open and let everyone out the front exit. Where tourist have already arrived outside with a bus in the parking lot. I'm only guessing no one's noticed the fact ConDef's been here first. Little did we know the bus had been driven by my good old Uncle Bryan Caulfield himself. Who had stepped out of the passenger door to signal us. And this was what he called a getaway vehicle?
"Max, Alex, everyone, get on the bus now!" Bryan shouted out.
"A tour bus Bryan?!" I bickered. "Are you cereal?!"
"Just get in! Hurry!"
"Well that won't attract any attention," said Rachel.
Without any other choice, we subtly get to the bus as quickly as we quick while Rachel makes a casual distraction for the Italian tourist. Alex cautiously helps Fernando over through the driver's door as we do.
"Mattina (Morning)," said Rachel speaking Italian. "Not worth the price of admission, folks."
Rachel gave the tourist the thumbs down and make a sound sticking her tongue out.
"Okay," said Alex helping Fernando into the bus. "Here we go. One…two…atta boy."
"Yeah, yeah," said Fernando. "Bueno."
"Alright, right here."
As soon as everyone was on the bus and Alex help Fernando rest his leg on his seat, Bryan took the wheel and started the bus's engines.
"Alright," he said. "I got this. Hang on."
As soon as the engine started, Kristen who stood next to Fernando resting, saw ConDef soldiers closing in and running out the exit. We had to start driving now.
"Uh, here they come!" Kristen warned.
"Bryan, get us outta here!" I shout.
Bryan hit the gas and the bus drives away. Alkaline's men running out into the parking lot frightened the tourist outside as they were armed and ready to shoot at us. Unfortunately for them, we had already outrun them before they could catch us in their line of fire. The tourist backed away from the soldiers knowing who they were as they panicked and hollered. Bryan evasively drives the bus into the driveway path of Caffarella Park and leaving the ConDef bastards out in the dust. We were safe at last.
David
July 20th, 2017
8:31 PM
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Massachusetts Airspace
I knew Cayce was joking about me when he called me a sad pitiful excuse for a man after Penske's compliments with the mission. He sounded just like Chloe during her days of delinquency.
Valor Team and I all ride with Penske, Nelson, and the students in our Seahawk we took. Desean and his team took the other with more students. The students we rode with included Warren, Brooke, and Steph. All I had to do now was give them a warm smile to let them know we'd be taking them for refuge on the Oregon and that they'll be okay. On top of that, we got the Eternium before ConDef could.
"Madsen to Lynch. We flew off campus with Penske's extraction teams on his Seahawks. You're free to fly out."
"Right, I've got you on sensors," said Lynch. "My bird will follow you back to the Oregon."
"Thank you, Commander," said Nelson. "We would've never gotten out of my institute if you hadn't come. It's a shame Brainer didn't make it."
"I can't believe those fuckers iced the heart and soul of the MIT," said Warren. "There goes my REE enrollment. When we land, I want to get wasted. My treat. At least we got to see David kick some ass. What do my fellow orienteers want? Chrysalis logos? Number one gloves? Maybe a unicorn for Brooke?"
"Screw you, Warren," said Brooke.
"How 'bout a dragon for Steph? It's been awhile since we'd seen her play as one."
"A warlord, Warren," said Steph. "Not a dragon."
"Right, what was his name again? Cuurgaron? Muurgaron?"
"Duurgaron."
"I can't believe we got them out alive," said Nelson. "I was going to suggest a sanctuary somewhere on land in the country. But I suppose an aircraft freighter like the Oregon in the seas will do."
"An aircraft freighter?" Warren thought. "You're taking us to an aircraft freighter?!"
"We're taking you to a sanctuary on the Oregon's refugee deck," I said. "Were other refugees are stationed there including some of your old Blackwell pals including Victoria Chase."
"Victoria is there too? Where did she come from?"
"We saved her and her sorority friends back in Berkeley. Most of them were her Vortex Club friends she brought to college."
"Vortex Club, Schmortex Club. And here I thought I heard the end of it. Can't wait to see the look on our face when we have our high school reunion seven years early."
"Yeah, Warren," said Brooke. "I'm sure Victoria of all people will be so excited to see you. Don't flatter yourself."
"It wasn't so much a flatter as it was a delight, Brooke. I take no pity."
"I was never a fan of Victoria either," said Steph. "But yeah, what he said."
"Same old Blackwell," I said.
"I can't imagine what would've occurred if these students had fallen into ConDef hands, Suzy," said Penske. "Damn this war to hell."
"Some cherished gratitude forty years in the making, Gavin," said Nelson. "I look forward to safe refuge on your ship. Thank you. All of you."
"As you were."
Max
July 21st, 2017
7:04 AM
Caffarella Park, Italy
30 miles from Rome
Bryan drives the bus a safe enough distance from the pursuing ConDef out in the open road of the park and into the morning sunrise. I look out the windows to confirm our safety and we're no longer be followed. But we soon will now that they'll be on their way to the Colosseum. Which would our next stop on this ride to Rome. Hopefully, we'd also find a hospital in Rome for Fernando as well.
"Looks like we lost them," I said.
"Alright," said Bryan. "I'll find someplace to ditch the bus."
"Great."
Considering this bus was stolen, it would be best to park this place for it's rightful owners before cops or other authorities find us with it. I hope ConDef doesn't do anything about those tourists who were just there for the Castle Camelot exhibition. I can only image the ConDef activity here spreading the media real soon.
I check on Fernando for his condition. His leg was bent bad but was taking it like a champ.
"You doing alright?" I asked him.
"Oh, fantastico," said Fernando.
"That was too close," said Rachel.
"He'll be okay," I said.
"No, I mean the whole thing. It just isn't worth it, Max. Let this one go."
"No, no, no, no," said Fernando. "You can't just give up. If you let these pendejos win, after this, I will never fucking forgive you."
"Don't you worry, Fernan," I said. "There's no way I'm letting them win."
"What is it with you?" Rachel thought. "What are you trying to prove?"
"I'm not trying to prove anything."
"Bullshit. I don't care what some three-thousand-year-old sister of whatever tells you. I keep telling you we dropped this fantasy nonsense three years ago and have done so great at it since. And just now all of a sudden, your back on this road again. Do you really think your life is seriously worth the stakes at hand here?"
"Do you really think that's for you to determine, Rachel? Yeah, I didn't think so."
"We don't think so, Max," said Frank. "We know so. I of all people know for a fact that Chloe isn't the person to take deception well. If she ever knew what you were doing now-"
"I'll let you worry about your affairs, Frank. You let me worry about mine."
"You little shit-"
"Stop!" Rachel snapped. "Max, Frank is right. Between Joanna, Alkaline, ConDef, that Ares asshole, Fernando breaking his leg, and coming all the way to that fucking castle on the hill all for nothing, who's the next casualty of your ego?"
"My ego?! You cereal, Rachel? This isn't Chloe and I searching all over Arcadia Bay for you or you and Chloe busting your asses off to prove my innocence or anything alike. It's a fucking global war!"
"Our point precisely, Max!"
"Therefore, if I'm the only person left standing to help Chrysalis win this war, that's an allegation and sacrifice I'm willing to take on! Period."
"Right."
"In any case, people," said Kristen. "We're getting Fernando to a hospital pronto! Before we do anything else."
I take a sigh of breath from the argument and walk over between Alex and Bryan in front of the bus. I lean over to Bryan sitting behind the wheel and driving the bus to Rome. Both my cousin and uncle attempt to comfort me and help me to never mind them.
"So what's the plan, Max?" Bryan asked. "I take it you didn't find what you came for, did you?"
"Want the good news or bad news first?" I asked my uncle.
"Any news is worth my ears."
"Bad news is, the Reality Shard was never at Castle Camelot. We met the second sister of fate, Atropos, and she told us the castle was a decoy. A set to keep Arthur's enemies astray. The good news is, the shard was in the Colosseum the entire time. Where it always has been to protect it. That's where we go to next as soon as Fernando's in the hospital."
"If what you were told is true, then that's where we'll take off too."
"Guess we're going to Rome. You up for it?
"'Course I am."
"Alright, we got to find a quick way in. No hassles."
"I know somewhere in the city we can enter subtly. There's also a hospital not far from the gateway. You bet we'll be there."
Alex holds my shoulder for comfort. I know she knows this is too much pressure on me already.
"I know this hasn't been an easy task to handle," she said. "But don't bring Rachel and everyone else down with you if you can't. And you don't bring Chloe down with you either."
"That's what I'm afraid of, Alex," I said. "Just remember this trip was your idea. And Bryan's. Not mine."
I turn to Rachel who's still staring at me skeptically about my actions against my promise to Chloe. I can only assume she's on her way to Aaron and Linda's for safety by now. Her uncle and aunt are good people to be around in times like these.
"It's not too late to turn back from this," said Rachel.
"I don't know about you, but I miss the old days when my greatest enemies were my own photography teacher and his accomplice who threatened to set up a bathroom as Chloe's tomb. Add the asshole who played devil's advocate with the Prescotts to rule the Elysium realm as a bonus."
"And I miss the old days when my greatest enemies were my own photography teacher, my own father, and his accomplice who stabbed me in the junkyard and helped try to kill my real mom for him. Add a Bolivian warmonger as a bonus."
Note: Busy week, my readers. Between writing this whole longer chapter, replaying Telltale's The Walking Dead series, and playing the original Life Is Strange now on Android, it's been hella busy I can tell you. I've also received the news of more details about the upcoming comic series from Titan Comics that will follow after the events of the original game. Stay tuned for the next half of this episode everyone. It's gonna get hella better than this first half!
Until next time, like always, stay tuned and golden!