Torn decides it's about time he did something, both for Haven's sake and the story's.

Chapter 28: Torn Takes Action

The war continued to drag on, with any monsters that were killed being replaced with more that came over the desert. Wastelanders in vehicles tried to pick off what they could before the things ever reached the city, but enough got through to add to the never-ending ranks of their enemies. On the other end of the spectrum were the soldiers, who were killed off just the same, but with no one to replace them. Like the war, it almost became noticeable how their feet trudged along, no longer possessing the energy to march like before.

Torn had returned, bloodied, to the Freedom League Headquarters for a much-needed break. Ashelin was in the middle of talking to someone over the radio, but he hardly listened. It was the same, old thing he had been hearing everyday. Too many people were dying, while not enough of the monsters were. They wanted a solution, but if he had one, he would have done it already.

There was only one thing he could think of right now that might ease their situation, and that was, frankly, even more of a reason he had come here than to rest. He needed to talk to Ashelin, even though there had been something off about her lately. Maybe that was why he needed to talk to her. The way she checked on his status more than she used to and her need to tell him to be careful, something he didn't need anyone reminding him. It wasn't like her. She used to trust him to do his job and leave him to it, and if that trust wasn't gone, and it shouldn't be, then why did she act like it was?

And so, as he watched people die all around him, an image that never got any easier, no matter how many times you saw it, he realized something else needed to be done to turn the tide of battle. The Wastelanders and the cannons were more than welcome help, but right now, it seemed like they were simply prolonging the inevitable, as they fought an enemy whose ranks seemed to be infinite. And all throughout his efforts to assist in this hopeless battle, with his mind focused mainly on surviving and helping his fellow soldiers to do the same, a plan began to form in the back of his mind. And Ashelin needed to hear it, even though he wouldn't doubt there would be resistance to his ideas, despite Torn's inability to put a finger on why.

He waited off to the side of the room, not paying attention to screens that showed images he was all too familiar with, while a thousand thoughts swarmed through his head like the creatures outside, not only about what he needed to do, but most of all, why the normally decisive Governess would have doubts about what needed to be done. After what felt like hours, but was likely just minutes, Ashelin finished her conversation and ran a hand through her hair. He never cared much for his own red hair, but when he had seen hers…

"Got ya stressed, huh?"

Her head shot up at the voice, while he leaned his back against one of the computers and crossed his arms.

"Something's gotta be done. This can't continue," he said.

"I know that."

He uncrossed his arms and went to the other side of the central console it seemed she never left anymore. "There's an endless trail of those things out there, stretching from Haven City to the Precursors know where. And you know what that means?"

"Someone can follow them to the source." Apparently she did. Good. At least they were in agreement on one thing so far. "I was just about to send a group of soldiers out there."

There it was. Just as expected. "Actually, I was thinking that someone should be me."

"You? But…" She faltered. She never did that. Something really was different about her lately. Then, she was shaking her head. "No, we need you here."

He put his hands on the console and leaned in, not willing to allow any of his logic to be ignored. "You'd send Jak out if he was here, wouldn't you?" She went to that kid for everything. Sure, he was good, but Torn wasn't incompetent, either. She knew that. She had to remember that since they had met years ago, Torn always got the job done. And he never came back with anything he couldn't fully recover from, either.

"That's different. He's—"

"What's so different? Tell me!"

She stared at him, face serious, with an expression that was impossible to read, an expression she didn't want read. "You think you can handle it?"

Maybe he shouldn't have expected an answer. "I wouldn't volunteer to go if I didn't."

She was silent again, looking more at the wall behind him than anything, and try as he may, he couldn't make even a guess as to what she was thinking about. Finally, her gaze returned to him, and she nodded. "All right. Good luck. There's a Hellcat waiting out back for you."

He watched her for a moment longer, expecting something else, but he didn't know what, then, turned to leave, but before he had gone very far, he spun to face her again. That still didn't clear up her strange behavior. "I don't understand you, though. You never had any trouble sending me out on dangerous missions before. What's the deal now?"

"I'd get going before I change my mind, if I were you."

Seeing the opening for conversation had just been closed, Torn hesitated for a second before he began to head for the exit again, stopping when she spoke up from behind him. "And don't get offended, but bring Jak back while you're out there, okay?"

He looked back to see her grinning, and he gave half a grin back himself. "If I can find the slacker, I will."

Torn headed outside, having no choice but to push the current issue with Ashelin aside so he could focus on the task at hand, equally as nagging, but certainly more urgent, and made his way to the hangar in the back of the HQ where the cruisers were kept. Only a few remained. He jumped into one and checked that everything was in order before starting up the engines. He eased the cruiser out of the hangar, and then he was speeding up and over the buildings. Time to find out where those monsters were coming from. And stop them. And where the source of the danger was, Jak was probably there, too. But, why had he been gone so long? It was like Jak to get into trouble, but it wasn't like him to not get out of it. What am I heading into? Torn thought.

Torn flew over the wall of the city, leaving the fighting and the death behind. He'd be back to assist the struggling soldiers later, though he couldn't help but feel he was abandoning them. Even when he was a Commander in the Krimzon Guard, he had fought alongside his men whenever he could. Just because he outranked them, it didn't mean he was exempt from putting his life on the line just like they had to. Of course, that was a bit different back then, as they had been serving the Baron, and their job consisted more of keeping the people in check than defending them. But, when there were people to protect, he fought just the same as the soldiers under his command. The other Commanders thought he was insane, but why did simply having a different title mean your life was worth any more? If his men had to risk their lives, then so did he. They obeyed his orders, but there should be no other distinction.

The man followed the trail of creatures from above, and after some time, he found himself in the Wasteland, not simply the desert outside of Haven's walls, but the true Wasteland, where the sun beat down on him, almost like a physical force that felt like it could push him and the cruiser to the sand beneath them. Below, he could see Wastelanders in wheeled vehicles and hear the sound of their gunshots. This seemed an unstoppable arrangement against those shambling beasts, but as he knew all too well by now, they could move when they wanted to, and he looked away when they swarmed around one vehicle, climbing on before the driver could retreat.

While he watched no longer, he knew what happened next. Not that the alternate view was much better. A black ribbon wound off into the desert. Those things weren't slowing down. From the looks of it, it was like they never would. But, where could they be coming from? Someone had to be leading those monsters, though they were either really stupid or really arrogant to have a path heading straight to them. As unlikely as it sounded, Ashelin said that Jak believed the ones responsible for all of this were Gol and Maia, the two Jak had supposedly killed centuries ago, before getting thrown into this time period.

Torn grimaced at the thought of living in that peaceful time to suddenly find yourself here. Not that Torn could imagine living back then, where he was far more likely to be a fisherman than a soldier. He grinned to himself. Him, a fisherman? But, what would Ashelin have been? He almost burst into laughter at the thought of her gardening and cooking. And maybe wearing a dress, even. No, she wouldn't have fit in that time period, either. Maybe even worse so than him.

As he flew over this desolate place, an ocean of sand and not much else, his heart started to beat a bit faster. Every mile he went, it was a mile closer to he had no idea what. Who was able to gather up such an immense army? Was it really the two Jak had fought? It hardly seemed possible they could have survived all this time, but he had seen a lot of impossible things. But, why hadn't Jak returned? He had beaten them before. What was different about this time, except that Jak had more experience fighting now than he did then?

After many hours, towards the end of which Torn started to seriously believe the line of monsters really would never end, a mountain came into view, and as he leaned forward and squinted into the distance, he noticed the monsters definitely seemed to end there. Or begin. Whatever. As he got closer, he saw the monsters were indeed coming from that place. Or to be more precise, they were coming from a large structure on the mountain. But, who was currently using it? Whoever it was, he hoped they weren't home. Not that he couldn't handle whoever it was.

Torn flew alongside the building, over where the monsters were marching out of several doorways and over crumbling walls, some of the things stopping to stare up at him. Unless he was mistaken, a battered Hellcat was lying down there. Well, I found Jak, he thought. But, he didn't think Jak had crashed because, even as he watched, the creatures would become distracted from their previous task to wander over to the machine and pick at it. It was surprisingly not an aggressive act, as it appeared to stem more from curiosity than anything. Apparently, they didn't know their own strength, as the cruiser hardly looked capable of flight anymore. Better land someplace else.

He banked his cruiser to the left and flew around to the other side of the building, hoping the creatures wouldn't follow. He found a collapsed wall in the back and navigated the cruiser inside, setting it down on the stone floor with hardly a bump. Another perfect landing. He shut the cruiser off and jumped out.

Now he just had to find the source of those monsters. And Jak. That couldn't be too hard, could it? He got his gun ready (he had plenty of bullets this time) and headed towards the nearest doorway. Putting his back against the wall, he listened, and determined the hallway beyond to be deserted. Come on, I don't want this to be too simple. Jak gets plenty of glory, why not me for once?

Torn went down the hallway and down another and another. This place was certainly big, and nothing currently roamed its halls. His footsteps seemed to echo too loudly, no matter how softly he attempted to tread. He wandered empty rooms and passageways, the sun going down outside, giving a similar feeling to an hourglass that was almost empty. This place gave him the creeps, and he'd hate to get caught here after dark. It didn't seem he'd have much choice soon, though.

He started making his way down stairs. If someone went out of their way to hide in the desert, they'd also probably try to hide deep within their hiding spot, too, wouldn't they? After some time, the silence that had been starting to get to him was replaced by a distant hum. He quickened his pace, the hum growing louder until he came upon a hallway with a pipe running down it. He narrowed his eyes at the source of the noise. Now was that in some way related those monsters?

He retreated back through the doorway he had just come through and pressed his back against the wall. Footsteps. Slow, shuffling footsteps, then the grunting, snuffling sounds of the monsters as a new group wandered by. Just when he thought he could continue on, another group came down the hallway and then another. Wherever they were coming from, they didn't seem to be stopping. Now how am I supposed to—

A loud rumble came from the direction the monsters had been marching from, reverberating down the hallway over and over again in the narrow space, growing softer with each repetition. The sound of footsteps stopped for a moment, then, began again. Torn could just see the creatures as they came into view through the doorway, shuffling back the way they had come before stopping again and peering off down the hallway. He waited longer, moving a bit closer to the doorway, keeping his back to the wall. No more of the things seemed to be coming.

One member of the group turned around and spotted him, its eyes locking onto the man, before he could avoid its notice. Well, so much for stealth. He stepped out into the hallway as the others turned around in response to their companion's grunting.

"I don't suppose you guys'll show me where Jak is, huh?"

As if in answer, the one that had first seen him growled, and they began to creep forward, the more aggressive of the bunch pushing the others out of the way to get by them in the narrow hallway. Torn lifted his pistol and started shooting, enraging the creatures more. He backed up as they came closer, but their progress was slowed by their own companions. It wasn't long before each one had been taken down, leaving a large mass in the hallway. He strode forward and stepped over them.

"Guess I'll just find him myself, then."

This chapter needed so much editing. Hopefully, it paid off. Please review.