Ash Ketchum: Battle of the Ampere

Ch. 26 Miraflores

The room's blinds were glowing from the first rays of dawn when there was a soft rap on our door, quickly followed by another.  Everyone in the room woke up at the sound, except for Clemont, who could sleep on an airport runway.  I looked at Brock, who had been sleeping on a blanket on the ground but was now rubbing his eyes.

"Is it safe?" 

"It's Raihan," he said groggily. "And the old man."

I got up and opened the door. Raihan's appearance shocked me. His head was wrapped in a bandage that covered one eye. Still, he smiled.

"Mr. Ash," he said.

We embraced, then I stepped back and both men entered quickly. I shut the door behind them. "What happened to you?" I asked Raihan.

"Our escape was not as easy as I hoped.  They found us and they shot at us.  I barely escaped."

"And your friends?" 

He shook his head.  "They were not as fortunate." 

"I'm sorry," I said. 

"Me too," he said.  "I am very grieved."  He looked around the room.  "Is everyone here?"

"Not everyone," I said.

His eyebrows raised.  "Are you missing someone?" 

"We lost Drew. He was shot by a Galactic guard." 

Raihan shook his head slowly.  "I'm sorry.  We have all had losses." He walked to the center of the room. "My friends, the police have given up their search, but the army is on their way here.  They believe you are still in Cuzco.  We must get you out before they arrive.  I have a truck outside.  We must leave immediately."

"Where are we going?" Zeus asked.

"We will drive to Lima, where we will wait for the Galactic fleet to arrive."

Suddenly Shauna stood. "I'm not going."

Everyone looked at her. "I can't do this anymore.  We've suffered so much.  Calem's been shot.  And now we've lost Drew." She breathed out heavily. "I'm going home."

"Home?"  Brock said.

"You still won't be safe," I said.  "You'll never make it alone."

"She's not going alone," Zeus said. "I'm going with her."

I looked at him in surprise. "You're leaving us?"

"I'm sorry, but Sha's right. It's too much for us.  Look at us.  We're a bunch of teenagers.  We can't stop them." He looked around, then said in a softer voice, "We might as well make the most of the time we have left."

I looked around at the group. A heavy despair had settled on the room "Anyone else planning on leaving?" I looked at Serena. "Serena?"

"You know better," she said. She walked to my side.

"Clemont?"

"Of course I'm staying.

"Iris?" 

She glanced at Serena, then back at me.  "Sorry. I think Zeus is right." 

"Calem?"

"I'm in this to the end."

"Brock?"

Brock looked the most conflicted of anyone in the room--like he was being torn in two.  Shauna looked into his eyes of hers.  "Come with us."

He looked down for a moment, then back at me. "I'm sorry, Ash."

I exhaled slowly. Everyone looked at Korrina. She was the only one who hadn't picked a side.

"Korrina?" Shauna said. "It's the three of us.  It's always been the three of us."

Korrina glanced at Clemont, then back at Shauna. "You're probably right.  But I can't let these guys down.  They saved us from the academy."

The room fell into silence.

I turned to Zeus. "Are you sure?" 

"I'm sure," he said.

Brock looked at me.  "Come with us, Ash.  This is too risky.  You don't want any more blood on your hands."

Calem exploded. "Drew's blood isn't on Ash's hands!"

I put my hand on Calem's arm to calm him. "It's okay, man.  He didn't mean that."

"No, I didn't," Brock said. "Drew's blood is on the Galactic's hands.  And they're not going to stop until they've taken all of our blood.  The only way to win this game is to not play it.  We'll go somewhere the Galactic will never find us.  We'll live together." He looked at Raihan, then back at me. "It's like Zeus said, if the world's going to ruin, then we might as well enjoy it while we can."

Calem's expression turned hard. "Sometimes there are bigger things to live for than yourself."

"Calem," Shauna said softly. "Brock's not being selfish, he's being rational.  And I don't think you're thinking about living."

"Then there are things worth dying for," Calem said.

"We're not arguing with you, Calem," Zeus said.  "You've suffered as much as any of us. But that's precisely our point. Haven't you suffered enough? Why suffer any more?"

"Because there's a chance we might be able to stop them," Calem said.

"And what if you can't?"  Shauna said.  "What if they're just too big?"

Calem looked down for a moment as everyone anticipated his reply from him.  Then he looked up, his eyes strong.  "Then we'll fail in glory."

The room fell into complete silence.  Then Raihan said, "You stay or you go, it is your choice. But for now everyone must leave Cuzco."  Raihan looked at the dissenters.  "When we reach Lima, I will arrange for you to fly back to America."

Raihan's offer stung.  Not just because I was losing my friends, but because deep inside I really wanted to go home with them.

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