Chapter 11: A Reminder of the Past

The seconds mattered. As much for Connor as, (Markus hopes not) for his human partner. Jericho was anything but a safe place. And he was afraid something had already happened to this Hank. Markus contemplated the good decision to take for a moment, taking a few seconds.

His eyes shifted from Josh to Simon, his expression finally resolved. "Get Connor back to church," he ordered, his voice firm but tinged with concern. He took a last look at his bedridden friend. "It's the safest place for him right now. With our people there, he will be protected."

Josh nodded, understanding the magnitude of the situation and the decision of their leader. "We will make sure of it," he reassured. Simon remained silent, but his expression showed he was sticking with his words.

To each, Markus gave them a grateful nod, his trust in them unwavering. He then turned to North, their mission was clear from them as they exchanged understanding looks. "North and I are heading to Jericho, before it's too late," he said, a hint of urgency in his tone.

Markus needed to find him. He was their first hope to find the answers to their questions, to understand what had happened and perhaps even to reverse the problem. But that urgency in his expression wasn't just because of that ; it was also that he was Connor's partner, and he wouldn't be able to look his friend in the eye if anything happened to him.

Oddly, North's bright eyes seemed to understand him. "We'll find him, Markus," she swore confidently. Her hand instinctively reached for his to give him the same confidence. Markus let a faint smile cross his face. He looked one last time at his comrades, and just as immediately, everyone got down to their task.

Josh turned to speak to the deviant nurse, who had remained silent and respectful throughout the conversation. While Markus and North disappeared from the room, leaving the hospital and the hum of machines.

Markus stepped out of the automatic taxi, quickly followed by North. The rustle of tires died away, leaving only the crushing sound of silence and the image of Jericho before their overwhelmed eyes.

The ruins of the ship loomed before them like a haunted figure against the orange atmosphere. Memories still fresh in Markus' mind flooded him: the sound of bullets whizzing past his ears, the howl of his panicked people, the acrid smell of flames and gunpowder. He narrowed his eyes in horror. No, Markus would never have thought he would ever come back here.

He was reliving the nightmare that had led him to...destroy their sanctuary. He was now sorry. To see its once protective and supportive structures now reduced to almost skeletal remains was harrowing. A hand on his shoulder snapped him back to reality.

North's voice was soft, yet firm, a stark contrast to the desolation around them. "Markus," she began, her eyes searching his, "I know this place holds painful memories for us. But we're here for a reason. We can't let the past paralyze us."

Markus met her gaze, a support against the failure of his emotions. "I know, North. It's just… seeing this place again is a stark reminder of the sacrifices we've had to make. It's…" He trailed off, his throat tight from the hardness of the pass.

North squeezed his shoulder gently, a faint smile on her lips. "We've come a long way since then. And every step we've taken, every challenge we've faced has made us stronger. We're here for Connor's partner, and we won't leave without him."

Markus nodded, drawing strength from her words. "You're right. Let's find him and get out of here."

Markus immediately shrugged off the heavy air around him, forgetting his olfactory sensors that were picking up the composition of the scents floating around them; the pungent stench of burnt metal and a whole host of other sickly stench.

Less heavy than humans, the scrap metal platforms held firm. They moved cautiously through the devastation, their advanced sensors brilliantly scanning the best path to take to avoid falling or hurting themselves. Markus was in the lead, throwing scans to jump from point to point with gymnastic movements. North was busy following Markus' path while observing the dark surroundings of Jericho.

They knew the path by heart, despite the debris that occasionally blocked their way. They knew all the corridors that the ship was full of, how the metal tunnels were connected to each other, and how to access from one point to another by making calibrated and thoughtful detours. Markus tried to ignore the havoc in his path, but it was difficult. The androids that died on his way constantly left him with a grimaced and affected face, pained by the death of his own. Deaths he could have prevented.

It was in these moments that he realized the heaviness of his responsibilities. The peace in his heart, he would have thought to keep it, at the Church, when he kissed North, when he could have forgotten himself in her embrace. But no, it was a temporary peace for him, for his heart. The resolve grew as he went along, he had to secure this fragile peace, put in place the laws he had in mind; which were still only drafts in preparation. He had to secure the future, of his own, but also of humans.

The fragile hope of starting with Connor and Hank rose in his thoughts. An example for others, for all of them.

North's voice broke the silence, her tone laced with concern. "Markus, do you see anything? Any sign of the human?"

Markus paused, his sensors working overtime as he scanned the dimly lit corridor. "Nothing yet," he replied, frustration evident in his voice. "This place is a maze, and the damage makes it even harder to navigate."

North's eyes scanned the cold corridors for a heat signature. "I don't see any human signature so far, or even a sound, except the cracks of metal. Maybe he turned around when he saw the condition of the place?"

Markus nodded negatively. He considered for a moment. Hank seemed like the kind of human being capable of following through on their conviction. It was unlikely that he would have turned around without finding what he had come here looking for ; whatever it might be. "I'm sure he's still here."

As they ventured deeper into the heart of Jericho, a faint, almost imperceptible sound reached Markus' hearing sensors. He halted abruptly, his head tilting slightly as he tried to locate the source. "Wait, North," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Do you hear that? It's weak…like a muffled voice."

North paused, her sensors amplifying to catch the distant sound. "I hear it too," she replied, her voice tinged with a mix of hope and caution. "It's coming from that direction," she pointed, her eyes narrowing.

Following North's direction, Markus' sensors identified the source instantly. Without hesitation, he sprinted forward. His legs propelled him at an incredible speed, carried away by a strange feeling of adrenaline. The corridor, which led to the central room, was blocked by a huge piece of debris, but Markus did not slow down. With a mighty leap, he vaulted over it, landing in brutal elegance on the other side.

Ahead of him, the sight which presented itself to him fed him with an intensity which he had forgotten. The urgency of the situation dragged him to Hank, trapped under a pile of twisted metal and several rubble, unconscious. His face was flushed and ashen, breathing heavy and labored. Judging by the appearance of the lieutenant, he had been under the debris for a few minutes.

"North!" Markus's voice was sharp, filled with urgency.

North understood immediately and joined him just as quickly. Markus' eyes only needed a few thousandths of a microsecond to find the best way to free him without making his condition worse. Every second counted. He lifted an iron beam, letting a grunt escape his lips, she came to his aid, sliding beside him to lift the huge beam. Muscles swelled, and Markus felt his thyrium heat up in the artificial veins in his arms.

Together, they sent him a few centimeters further. Markus didn't bother to breathe for a single second to cool his processors, and began to lift more rubble, the heavier ones, swinging the other lighter items with another hand. Within seconds, Hank was found out of the rubble, and out of harm's way.

"Markus, what's his status?" North's voice was collected, her eyes locked onto Hank's still form.

"He's alive, but I can't gauge the extent of the damage with just my scanners, but there is a high probability of broken fractures." Markus's voice was laced with concern as he assessed Hank's condition. "We need to get him out of here, now." He replied immediately, hearing the alarming creaks of the ship above them.

Markus pressed a hand to his temple, activating his internal communication system. "We've located Lieutenant Hank Anderson at the Jericho site. He's injured and needs immediate medical attention. Send a team to our location for extraction and support."

The ship's groans grew louder and louder, tearing Markus from his message. Jericho's steel structure continued to weaken and this only portends an increase in the likelihood of another collapse. North, with her increased strength, decided to carry the human, making sure his head was properly supported during their escape. "Let's go, Markus."

He nodded and quickly scanned the surroundings. "There's an exit two corridors down. It's the quickest safest way out for his condition," he said, pointing to a passage whose entrance was only partially blocked by debris.

Without wasting another moment, they rushed to the exit. The ground beneath them vibrated from the ship's instability. Every step they took seemed to cause small tremors through the metal beneath their feet.

As they navigated through the maze-like corridors, Markus's captors tried in a fragile hope to detect another sign of life, from one of his own. The once bustling center of Jericho was now eerily shrouded in a stifling silence, save for the groans of the ship.

North remained silent, but she didn't need to know what Markus was thinking. A grimace crept over her features, a grimace of regret and sorrow. There was nothing more for them to do. They were dead.

After a last effort towards the surface, they finally reached the exit. The outside world contrasted easily with the dark interiors of the ship. The orange sky towered over them, letting the coldness of its afternoon blow over them.

North gently laid Hank down when she was far enough away from Jericho and his moans of pain. She checked his vitals. "He's stable," she reassured for a moment. "'But we need to get him medical attention immediately."

Markus looked out over the city, and that was when sounds reached his ears. The reinforcements were here. They were going to be able to transport Hank out of there, to safety.

"We'll take him to the Church," he finally said. "Our medics will know what to do." Even though Connor's partner was a human, Markus thought the best place for him was to take him straight there. Some deviants in Woodward Church were capable of medical care, far more accurate than humans and able to give precise diagnoses. He had complete confidence in them. But there were several other arguments that weighed in the balance.

The Church was definitely the best place for Hank.