Chapter 13: High Providence

Max

July 25th, 2017

12:27 PM

High Providence, Meridian Prime

Undercity

After my trip across my hallucinogenic purgatory, I exit the fountain room and find myself inside a building. I stand near a ledge from a big windowsill of some kind. Getting another view of the Ark of Genesis pyramid but much closer now. I spot ConDef soldiers marching towards the ark and the light above it is now glowing blue again instead of red. I had to have been hallucinating the redness from earlier. Perhaps I was only imagining Alex dying in my arms as well? Whatever was real and what was not, I had to regroup with the others. Uncle Bryan, David, Cayce, Captain Cage, and Heard could not be far from where I was.

I then hear Joanna's voice yell across the between my ground and hers. Joanna was joined by ConDef soldiers reporting to her.

Joanna: Where is everyone?

ConDef Soldier: All dead. Max, she shot the others.

Joanna: Then radio reinforcements!

ConDef Soldier: And how will they reach us?

Joanna: Ares can open more portals for more choppers to fly in. Let's move out people!

Joanna's obsession with the ark was catching up to her. And I'll make sure of that.

Max: Time to play, assholes.

I get out my handgun and march my way toward the route that takes me to the ark. Hoping to find Bryan, David, and the others. Contemplating breaking the bad news to my uncle about Alkaline shooting and killing Alex. As much as I dreaded seeing Bryan grieve for his daughter again, what mattered now was that she didn't die in vain. We walked into this final battle knowing it was a one-way streak and the killing of Alex showed.

I walk inside an ancient room. Checking my corners with my gun in hand. Then I hear a voice that startles me.

Alex: Is that you, Max?

I hear footsteps from behind one corner. Then it was none other than Alex Caulfield stepping out where I could see her. Alive and kicking.

Alex: Oh, thank God. You alright? Man, I had a hell of a time –

I aim my gun at her. On the edge of a possible mirage of Alex herself. This couldn't be real. I watched her get shot and die! Was that real or wasn't it?! Alex herself holds still and frozen. Confused at my behavior.

Alex: What's the matter with you?

Max: How do I know you're real?

Alex tries to step closer until I halt her with my gun held firmly in my fingers.

Max: Don't come any closer! Tell me something Alex would know. What did I say back at the portal? About bad things?

Alex has her hand raised and behaves like nothing is wrong, but answers.

Alex: We all do bad things. But that doesn't mean we can't own up to them.

She's alive! Thank goodness it was only an illusion. I lower my gun and take a small sigh of relief. Alex puts down her hand and walks towards me. Taking my gun and flickering her fingers against my forehead.

Max: Ow!

Alex: Is that real enough for you?

Alex lends my gun back to me and I take it. Loading it back into my holster. Still feeling the sting of Alex striking me for my stupidity.

Alex: Don't ever point a gun at me again.

Max: I…I saw them shoot you. Right after the light turned red.

Alex: What? What light turned red? Look, Max, you went ape shit right after you drank from that fountain. It's the water. That's what's wrong with the city. The whole water supply is tainted with some sort of hallucinogenic agent. Must've driven everyone mad. Maybe that's what happened to Ezra and Jeremiah, too. No doubt they drank the water and were poisoned as well.

I sit down on an old bench inside the room. Thinking about what Alex just explained. Not only did it confirm my theory of hallucinating, but made me think back to what Chloe and I saw back in the dining room inside Ezra's manor. Where everyone in the Heard of Whales except for Ezra and Jeremiah was poisoned. Then there were the skeletal hands, bodies, and mouths hanging in the tunnels. Maybe Ares played a role in that and not the two HOW leaders? Maybe Ares allowed High Providence to be poisoned by the agent?

Max: That's what Ares used against his enemies. Ezra and Jeremiah, too. It must be what Joanna and Alkaline need as well.

Alex: Oh, man, yeah. Remember what Fernando said back in Italy? He said they control their enemies through fear. That's definitely what they're going to do. In spades. But that doesn't make any sense. How do you suppose they'll get the water out of here?

Max: It's not just the water. It's what's in the water.

Alex: Come again?

Max: Alright, just bear with me for a minute. Back in Ezra's manor, Chloe and I found a dining room of Ezra and Jeremiah's roster of HOW members. All lying dead and poisoned in their chairs. Chloe found a letter saying Ezra and Jeremiah wanted to put their animosities aside for the greater good as their ruse. Perhaps what's in the water is what poisoned their drinks. When they were all dead, Ezra and Jeremiah had the ark all to themselves to win the war against their German opposers in Meridian. Must also explain the skeletal remains hanging in those tunnels. Those mummy bombs I set off, too.

Alex: What about during King Arthur's time? During his war against the Saxons on Meridian? Was the poison in the water used there, too?

Max: I think it also explains how Ares was able to conquer High Providence as well. During Arthur's day. The poison is how Ares won his first Eternity War against Arthur. Ezra Prescott on the other hand, knew how Arthur lost his war and took the poison for himself so he wouldn't fall to Ares like Arthur did. Turning the tide to his advantage. Rewrote history.

Alex: Well, who are we to argue with Ezra Prescott? What do you say we head down there, find Dad and David, and end this war once and for all?

Alex holds her hand in front of me and I take it to get off my seat. And that's when we continue the end of our quest to the Ark of Genesis. The Eon Codex was still in my pockets. And that's what I needed to end this war now.

Alex and I continue our way down the lower levels of High Providence. Marching our way down some stairs from the ancient building we were just chatting in. When we reached the street level, we heard some old friends and family call our names and knew immediately who they were.

David: Max?! Alex?!

The two of us turn our heads around behind us and see David, Bryan, Cayce, Cage, and heard jogging towards us.

Bryan: It's them!

Max: Uncle Bryan! David! You're here!

Bryan: Oh, thank goodness you're alive!

Alex hugs her father. I hug David. We all regroup down in this underground city at last.

David: Can't believe you made it. You had us worried there from your last transmission.

Alex: Long story short, Chronos healed up Max and Max thought I was dead. Because she was high on a hallucinogen or something.

David: Hallucinogen? What hallucinogen?

Max: Listen everyone. There's something we need to tell you. Joanna and Alkaline aren't just going after the ark. They're after the water, too. The hallucinogen is in the water.

Cage: Slow down, Caulfield. Why would they need this hallucinogen?

Max: Apparently, they want to extract the hallucinating poison for power. Giving their enemies a drug that induces fear or something. It's something Ezra Prescott used against his enemies a century ago. It's what Joanna wants, too. If they get the poison out of the water and activate that ark for Ares, ConDef will become unstoppable. We have to stop them now.

Cayce: Whatever that poison is, I guess we're making that another priority, Captain. Stopping them from extracting it and activating that ark.

Cage: Agreed. Whatever Caulfield says, she's ours to command. She's more than earned it until now.

Heard: So much for the ranking officer.

The seven of us make way for the arc. Walking across the path taking us closer to the pyramid with the glowing blue light. We knew Joanna and her ConDef wouldn't be too far behind, but it wasn't anything we couldn't handle until now. As long as we stayed unpoisoned by the water.

Cayce: If we knew sooner Max was the key to ending this war, we could have ended it a lot sooner as well.

David: It matters less when it ends and matters more how it ends. And hopefully, it does with Max as our savior. She's the hero of Triple Four. She can be the hero of this war as well.

Cayce: She makes a better soldier than a photographer is all I can say.

David: Cayce, there's something I need to say before it's too late. I've been serving Chrysalis for three long years now and I think I've fulfilled my ambition for as long as I wanted to. After this war is over, I'm turning in my gun and retiring.

Cayce: Retiring? Already? But why?

David: I can't let this war drag me down forever. I've still gotta wife and stepdaughter to take care of. And I want you to take my place in Chrysalis once we've finished this.

Cayce: Commander, I…I don't know if I can.

David: Nonsense, you don't. You're ready to succeed me and you've been ready since you started serving with me. You're like the son I never had and that's why I choose you.

Cayce: (sigh) David, I…I'm – I'm honored, sir. I won't let you down.

While David and Cayce discussed what they'd do after the war; Alex, Bryan, and I had a discussion of our own.

Bryan: I think I know what this poison is you're talking about, Max.

Max: What is it?

Bryan: Back when Alex and I were still with the Heard, Joanna would mention something called the Dinn. Legend has it, that it was a magical poison created by Ares and his Dark Order. Something that brought down the city of High Providence centuries ago during King Arthur's day. Joan would also say that Ezra Prescott used the Dinn to take down the German army and the other conspirators who opposed him. He and Jeremiah Blackwell were able to make quick work of his enemies because of the Dinn they used against them.

Alex: Why didn't you ever tell us this before?

Bryan: I never thought all of the legends to be true until now. Not until Max proved me wrong. You should know, Max, no one could have done what you did to help us make it this far. No matter how this all ends, you've made me proud today. Your parents and Chloe would be proud, too.

Max: They already are, Uncle. I spoke to Mom and Dad on the radio back at the FOB. They may not always like what I have to do, but they know I've got to it if we must end this war the way we wish to.

The seven of us then approach a bridge to the Ark of Genesis with ConDef on patrol and standing guard. We find some cover to observe the area first before engaging. As we analyze the amount of ConDef on the bridge; there were your standard infantry, grenadiers, and snipers perched on the corner high grounds down and front of the bridge. One of us was gonna have to come up with a tactic to eliminate the ConDef blockade.

Alex: Any ideas on how to get through them?

Cayce: I see two snipers perched on those corners. A lot of infantry and grenadiers to push through. I guess this is your call, Captain?

Cage: Alright, I think I got it. Heard, go find some higher ground to snipe those enemy snipers away from us. You can give us sniper support groundside, too. I'll make ourselves a diversion before we engage. The rest of you find some cover until your cue is ready.

Alex, Bryan, David, Cayce, and I hid behind the corners of the bridge. Me, Alex, and Bryan hid behind one corner. David and Cayce hid behind another. Guns in our hands and ready. Cage and Heard got into position. Cage armed himself with his RPG. Heard with her sniper rifle. It was when Cage fired his rocket that would be our cue.

David gave Cage a hand gesture to signal the captain. The captain himself stood perched on higher ground. Aiming his rocket launcher towards a set of munitions crates sitting around on the bridge. Cage fired his warhead and the munitions crates go kaboom. Killing a few ConDef standing nearby.

The five of us on the ground set our weapons free on the remaining ConDef on the bridge. All of us ground level shooting our rifles and I using my time manipulation powers to our advantage. Heard fired her sniper rifle at the two ConDef snipers perched on the other side of the bridge. Taking them out first. Then she fired her rifle on the ConDef on the bridge for support.

As the five of us advanced across the bridge, past every ConDef we eliminated, the bridge shook for a moment. Causing us to tremble a smidge.

Alex: What the hell was that?

Cayce: Ah, shit. The bridge is collapsing! Everyone, grab onto something!

Before we knew it, the bridge started crumbling between us. The blast caused by Cage's warhead appeared to have triggered a collapse. Then suddenly, the bridge falls completely down. Rock, stone, and rubble decaying around us as the five of us fall with the bridge. We all scream and holler as we fall until we all hit the poisoned water that breaks our fall. As we're all dunked underwater, we all hold our breaths so we don't swallow the water and trigger another hallucination event caused by the Dinn poisoning the water. We can see pieces of the bridge falling through the water around us. Bryan, Alex, and I swim toward one side of the surface. David and Cayce swim toward another.

Alex, Bryan, and I raise our heads back up on the surface where we catch our breaths and swim towards solid ground. Our breaths also remained unpoisoned as well since none of us swallowed the water and remembered not to. Me, my uncle, and my sister are back on solid ground. Wet from our swim but relieved to not have gotten ourselves killed from the fall.

Max: Tell me none of you swallowed that water.

Alex: Nope, I didn't.

Bryan: I'm clean as far as I'm concerned.

Then we see David and Cayce made it to the surface as well. But on the other side of the canal below the fallen bridge.

Max: David, over here!

David and Cayce turn their head as they dry themselves from their swim.

David: Max! I'll be going to hell! You really are too stubborn to die, aren't you?!

Cage: (comms) Madsen, come in! Foley! Caulfield! Anyone?!

David: We're okay, Cage. And so are the Caulfields, but it looks like we got split during the fall. We'll try regrouping with you if we can.

Cage: (comms) Roger that. Let's just get our asses to that ark and finish this war for good. Cage out.

Max: David, we'll meet you at the ark! We still have the codex with us and we can still finish this!

David: Don't worry about us, Max! Just get to that ark and end this once and for all!

Alex: Eye, eye, David! We will!

The three of us traverse into a tunnel that takes us to the ark while being separated from David and Cayce. As well as Cage and Heard. As we walk through the tunnels, we come across a large door with two mechanisms in between. Wheels with a rope attached that appeared to be used to open the doors themselves.

Alex: A big ass door. Just what we need.

Bryan: Patience, Alex. All we need to do is turn those wheels around. They look like they're used to open it. If anyone wants to do the honors.

Max: We're on it, Uncle. Leave it to us.

Alex and I walk to the wheels and start turning them to open the door. The wheels are heavy when turning them. A little heavier than the wheels I turned back at the one fountain where I was still high on the Dinn. The large door slides upward when opening. The two of us stop turning once the door is fully opened.

Bryan: Abra-goddamn-cadabra.

Me, Alex, and Bryan walk through the opening. That's when we hear a thud in the walls. Something alive trying to crash through. The three of us raise our guns again. Then suddenly, a large Fallen Brute smashes its way through the wall it heaved against. Blasting through the rock and roaring like a very loud bear.

Alex: Oh, fuck! Close the door! Close the door!

There was no time to use the wheels. I time dash my way towards one of the wheels and use my Excalibur Sword to cut the rope. The door instantly slides shut as the rope is cut and we all make a break for the next door in front of us. The brute attempts to smash through the door from the other side as we run away.

Bryan: That door's not gonna hold! Get to the other door! Hurry!

The three of us quickly ran to the next mechanized door in front of us. Same routine as before. Alex and I turn the wheels quicker than the last door while the Brute from the other side continues slamming against the last door. Closer to smashing through.

The next door opens and we run past the opening. The Brute smashed through the last door and I immediately shut this door by cutting the rope again with my sword. The door slams downward and the Brute once again slams itself against the door from the other side. Yet another door had to be opened in front of us.

Alex: Goddamn, another fucking door!

Bryan: Let's hope this is the last door! Let's get it open! Now!

This time, Bryan helps Alex open the door while I wait for the opening. Alex and Bryan turn the wheels as fast as they can to open the sliding door upwards. The door is fully opened and we all walk through the opening. Then the Brute smashes through the previous door. Growling and roaring and then charging towards us. Even faster than the last time.

Alex: Now, Max! Shut the door! What are you doing?!

I had a quick idea of how to take the Brute out. As soon as the Brute is between the opening, I instantly freeze the Brute with my Time Stutter with precise timing. Then immediately cut the rope attached to the wheels with my sword and the door slams down against the brute at the same time my stutter wears down. The door itself slams against the Brute's back down to its legs as the door slams against it. Crippling and injuring it as it lets out a gasping roar for life. Then seemingly drops dead as the fall of the door appears to have killed it.

Bryan walks closer to check if the Fallen creature is dead. He pokes the Brute's head with his shotgun and then suddenly, the Brute reawakens. Seizing Bryan by its clawed hands and impaling Bryan with its razor nails. Bryan hollers with anguish as the Brute picks him up while stabbing him and throws him sideways against the wall.

Max: Bryan!

Alex: No! Dad!

Then the Brute ends up freeing itself from the door fulcrum. Its legs are torn out as it's freed. With the Brute crippled, down but not out, it then started crawling towards us. Ready to kill us next.

Alex: You motherfucker!

Alex and I start shooting at the monster with our rifles but bullets could only do so much damage to it. I think quick enough to use my stutter again. I wave my hand forward. Stopping the Brute in its tracks with my Time Stutter. There was a grenade launcher attached to my rifle and I fired a grenade into the Time Bubble. The grenade is frozen inside with the Brute and that was our que to return fire.

Max: Now, Alex! Fire into the bubble!

We shoot our ammunition inside the stutter. Once the stutter wears off, the usual chain reaction is set off. The bullets hit the grenade. Causing an explosion that blows open the Brute instantaneously. Blue blood is splattered on our faces. The brute's arms are torn open. The big and mighty Fallen variant lets out one dying roar right before it drops dead for good this time. The Brute was defeated. And so was Uncle Bryan.

Alex and I run back to Bryan. Lying against the wall and bleeding out. His stomach was shredded open from his critical stab wounds. The two of us tend to the dying man as he coughs out blood and bleeds out a puddle of his blood pouring away on the ground from his gutted flesh.

Alex: Dad. No, Dad. Please! Don't leave us! Not now!

Bryan: (coughs) Alex, Max… it's my time. You have to go without me.

Alex: (sobbing) No, Dad. We can fix you. We can get you out of this. Please.

Bryan stared at his daughter sorrowfully. Holding Alex's fingers with his bloody hand.

Bryan: You've always been a stubborn child, Alex. (cough) I've always liked that about you.

My dying uncle turns to me. His hand was stained with his blood stroking my cheek.

Bryan: You must end this war, Max. Don't let my death be for nothing. Tell your father, despite my failings as a brother…and as an uncle, I've always…loved you all…

Bryan's head slumps to the right with his eyes still open. My uncle was now dead. The end of his journey before the end of this war. Alex lowered her head and sobbed. Snuffling her nose and dropping tears.

Alex: (weeping) Dad…no…

I stare at my late uncle with a grieving frown. Then I shut Bryan's eyes closed with my head for him to rest in peace. The man may be dead, but he died protecting us as he swore, he would the moment he chose to look after us in this final fight against Ares. I turn to Alex and touch her shoulder to settle her down.

Max: Alex, it's okay. We need to go now. Joanna and Alkaline are still after the ark and are still ahead of us. We gotta get to that ark before they do. Your dad loved you. He'd want us to move on, reach that ark, and stop Joanna and Ares from winning this war!

Alex brushes off my hand from her shoulder and stands up straight. Wiping her tears off her cheeks, too.

Alex: Then we're gonna make sure those motherfuckers don't touch one finger on that ark.

Alex walks away. Then I take one last glance at my uncle's body. Not nine years before was I forced to comfort Chloe this way when she lost her dad. Now I'm doing the same for Alex. I get up and catch Alex to finish what we started here on this island. This war ends today. It's a war Uncle Bryan died for. And it's a war I'll die for if I have to as well.

Watch over Bryan for us, William. I know you will.